Tuesday 29 May 2018

Ginger Lilies Are Wonderful, Tall, Colorful Additions To Gardens

By Kenneth Clark


Gardening is a wonderful way to relax and enjoy the outdoors. You will also see positive results from all the hard work, if you have planted flowers that can thrive instead of droop and die. If your are looking for a dramatic and aromatic addition to your garden you should look at ginger lilies. They have plenty of height, making them perfect backdrops for smaller blooms.

You may think you are unfamiliar with these flowers, but if you have ever been to Hawaii, and been gifted with a lei as you stepped off the plane, these blooms were probably incorporated into it. The plant is also known as the butterfly lily because of the graceful way the petals expand in the summer and fall. They have a ginger scent that is not as strong as the herb. Some gardeners describe the aroma as a cross between honeysuckle and gardenia.

The plants grow best in the southern regions of the United States in zones seven through eleven. You can plant them in sun or partial shade, except in the warmest areas where the afternoon sun is too strong for them. In colder climates, the plants work best in pots. If you plant them in the ground in these areas you will have to dig up the rhizomes when the temperatures reach freezing levels.

These plants are not at all drought resistance. They need regularly watering and feeding with a balanced fertilizer about every seven days. Plants in containers have to be divided annually because the rhizomes will multiply. The tallest of the plants should be staked so they don't snap on a windy day.

One big advantage of growing this lily is that the oil it generates repels most insects. Although they need regular watering, you do not want them to sit in waterlogged soil. Root rot can develop and kill off your plants. You will have blooms in summer and fall, which keeps them safe from butterfly larvae. You may have trouble with deer however.

If you want to add more of these lilies to your garden, you can generate them from existing rhizomes. You just have to divide the rhizomes into sections and soak the them with a fungicide powder and water solution. After about twelve hours of soaking they are ready to plant in organic soil. They will grow quickly in spring and summer.

You can also grow the lily from the red seeds the blossoms produce. You must store them for three or four weeks after you have removed them from the flower. They need to be soaked before planting to soften the outer coating. Germinating can take as much as six weeks or more. Any danger of a freeze must have passed before planting.

A flower garden is a wonderful addition to any home. It takes some work to create just the right design with blooms that grow and thrive. Your lilies, if handled properly, will be the perfect fragrant, exotic background for the rest of your garden.




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