HOME GARDENS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 13, Issue 61, 7 March 1949, Page 6

HOME GARDENS

(By J. W. Goodwin, N.D.H. (N.Z.), F.R.H.S.,' Massey Agricultural College.) LILIUM AURATUM

Following my promise to discuss liliums, at a later date, I received many. inquiries concerning these aristocratic plants, particularly Ly auratum and, to a lesser extent, the others listed below. Some species are suited more than others to different districts, but the majority when well suited are magnificent subjects. r . Commence with those species most suited to your district and those most closely allied to them. As knowledge “dawns” with the establishment of these many more may be grown by adapting conditions of soil and shelter. Once happily established, they are no trouble except for preventive sprays during the flowering season. Towards the end of January the earliest “auratums” begin to unfold. This is the goldemrayed Lily of Japan and has been deservedly classed as the Queen of Lilies. Where firm healthy bulbs with plenty of healthy roots are planted in well-drained soils, they will produce tall stems five to eight feet in height. The foliage will be fresh- • green, healthy and the epitome of vigour. The huge flowers may be borne over a long period and on healthy, well-established Clumps may range from 10 to even 30 per stem.

Having pictured the plant at its best, we must now consider what steps should be taken to make it at home in our gardens. We are agreed that bulbs must be firm and healthy in appearance, with no sign of basalrot. More important still, they should be obtained from a dependable grower whose stock is known to be free from the deadly virus diseases. If you have clean stock, plant new bulbs well away until they have been proved healthy and vigorous..

The depth of planting depends on the type of soil and it is wiser to. err 1 on the shallow side as, providing the soil is free, the roots will pull the bulbs down to the desired level. Time of planting really depends on when the bulbs come to hand, but every effort should be made to transplant as soon as the foliage turns yellow, thus giving new roots time to develop whilst the soil is warm. Bulbs planted later may not make new roots until early the following summer. ! Spreaders of Disease

Disease will seldom kill liliums outright, and this is one of the greatest factors contributing to their spreads. They are so tenacious of life that an infected plant may survive for years, making weak growth and occasional flowers, whilst all the time the disease is spreading to other plants. ' Virus is the most dreaded, but it has this advantage that it does not spread by spores. The only means of transmission is by infecting a healthy plant with a minute particle of the sap of a. diseased plant. This may be transmitted by insects, particularly aphis and thrips, which are both sucking insects. Many may infect plants by hands or knife when 'he handles or touches the leaves of a diseased plant and then a healthy one. Every care should be taken when handling plants that the hands and equipment are absolutely clean. Aphis, besides transmitting disease, also weaken the plant by sucking the sap. They are particularly severe on L. auratum and L. speciosum during November and December, causing distortion of the leaves. These dilies make strong soft growth just at the time the aphis appear, and consequently these pests thrive and increase terrifically. Control ini the first instance, is important. “Black leaf 40” may be used and ie probably the best where the attack is severe, but I have found that derris dust will give a good control. Enemies in Growth Botrytis is a fungous disease which frequently attacks the leaves when the foliage is-soft and the weather warm and humid. First signs are the appearance of brown patches which gradually enlarge and may destroy the whole leaf. This disease will seldom kill even small bulbs, but it does weaken the bulb severely by destroying the leaf-sur-face. It also makes the plants very untidy. Liliums candidum, testaceum and others of similar type are most susceptible, and for this reason should be grown in the sunniest situations where sun and air movement keep the. foliage firm and as dry as possible. Regular Bordeaux or cuprox sprays should be applied throughout the growing season as a preventative of this disease.