Expert: Long Island Gardener - 6/12/2008

Question
My son and his fiance are to be married on November 15th 2008. Her flowers are going to be stargazers. We want to plant stargazer bulbs in small clay pots and use them as gifts for guests. We would like the plant to look as good as possible. First is this even possible. Two do you have suggestions on succeeding??

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Answer
Thank you, J-Lo and Ivana, for inspiring all wedding-planning families to cling to the belief that nothing is impossible, not even fooling Mother Nature.  After all, professional growers do it daily.  Why not us mere mortals?

Yes, it is possible.  The hoops you have to jump through may have you reconsidering, especially given the pressure that is going to be exploding from all sides as the Big Day draws near and the flowers don't look cooperative.  Really, do you want to worry that much that the Lilies will be ready to open 2 days AFTER the kids have left for their honeymoon?  Or that they'll be about to bloom, then shrivel?  Anything that can go wrong will go wrong... maybe.  Who needs this kind of fear on top of the panic attacks that come with 2 peoples' most important moments of a lifetime?

But we'll take a Can Do stance and look at the procedures for accomplishing this task.

First, Stargazer Lilies are popular Oriental Lily hybrids -- THE most popular Lily gifted on Mother's Day according to sales data.  Oriental lilies normally bloom in the late Summer.

SELECTING BULBS:  They should be firm and unblemished.  Size depends on the pot you will be using and is measured in centimeters, a measure of circumference of the bulb.  For a 6-inch pot, you can plant 5 10/12 cm bulbs or 1 16/18 cm bulb.  Be careful not to overcrowd pots; Lilies tend to grow taller due to stretching in their competition for sunlight; this can cause lower leaves to drop and lack of air circulation leading to Fungus infections.

POTTING/SOIL:  Plant bulbs as quickly as humanly possible in large, deep containers.  To avoid rotting the bulbs, use soil that drains efficiently.  Do not fertilize with superphosphate.  Soil pH should be in the 6.5 to 6.8 range.  Plant deep to encourage stem roots, which anchor the plant and boost nutrition uptake -- 2 inches or more of soil should cover the bulb, measured from the top of the bulb.  Water thoroughly, then let pot dry out almost completely before watering again.  Use a liquid fertilizer to raise N and K levels, especially if soil has been treated and sterilized.

COLD TREATMENT:  A refrigerator or cooler set at 35 to 40 degrees F is ideal.  This should be done for up to 2 weeks, ending when shoots are 2 inches tall.  At that point, remove from the chiller and expose to strong full spectrum light.  Speed of bud formation and bloom as well as height are directly related to the intensity of light; it would not hurt to augment natural sunlight with artificial light to extend the day as needed and boost the number of lumens that reach the leaves.  Temps at this stage should never be higher than 60 to 65 degrees.  Growth regulators (A-Rest is a popular brand) are used commercially to control height, since potted Lilies that are too tall tend to tip over and take longer to bloom (time is money).  But these chemicals are very tricky and require an experienced hand; growers keep detailed notes on cultivars and their response to different doses at different times to get just the right combination for their target date.  

TRIGGERING BLOOM:  There is no magic bullet when it comes to knowing how to hit a target bloom date with Lilies.  Despite the experience and research and big bucks that ride on this data, it is still more art than science.  A few tips: Oriental Lilies typically take 45 days grown at 60 to 65 degrees F from the date that buds appear up to the about-to-bloom stage.  You'll probably wait a month between the time you notice flower buds until they flowers open.  Growers consider temperature the one environmental condition they can most easily manipulate.  You can easily vary bloom dates by 15 days with this technique.

It would be easier to order Lilies for this occasion in my honest opinion, especially since you are asking for one of the most popular hybrids on the market today.  In the quantity you want, and in this economic climate, you should ask for a wholesale discount whether you do this yourself or you have someone experienced carry it out (which I strongly recommend).  That said, Stargazer is popular for a reason -- vivid, lovely coloring and delightful fragrance.  I wish I could tell you this would be easy.  The fear factor alone should inspire you to have it handled by a professional.  Good luck, and may this be a long and loving relationship for all of you.

THE LONG ISLAND GARDENER