Snow-white lily: description, planting and care in the open field, reproduction

Among all garden flowers, lilies are especially popular with summer residents, despite the difficult process of growing and caring for them. And although over the past decades, thanks to the work of breeders, many varieties of this flower have appeared with a variety of bud shapes and colors, the snow-white lily is still at the top of the ranking. During the flowering period, it is impossible to take your eyes off the plants, but planting and care require certain knowledge from the grower.

Description and characteristics of snow-white lily candidum

The snow-white lily is also called the candidum, but this is not an entirely accurate definition.Candidum varieties bred in recent years are not necessarily white. This group includes two varieties - snow-white lily and candidum hybrids. The snow-white lily is a spectacular and beautiful plant that stretches to a height of up to 120 cm. The culture has spotted stems and lanceolate leaves. On each peduncle of a snow-white lily, up to 20 buds are formed, they are slightly drooping and have a funnel shape.

After the end of the flowering period, all platinum leaves die off, however, at the beginning of autumn, a new bunch of leaves appears from the ground, which is not characterized by winter hardiness, therefore, in the northern regions it must be covered from frost. The bulbs of the plant are colored yellow-white.

Main advantages and disadvantages

Before planting a plant in a garden plot, get acquainted with its strengths and weaknesses in order to avoid mistakes in the growing process. Benefits of the snow-white variety include:

• Huge selection of varieties.
• Persistent and pleasant fragrance.
• Effective flower appearance.

Of the shortcomings, gardeners note:

• The need for shelter for the winter.
• Make high demands on lighting and landing site.
• Needs insulation in regions with cold winters.

The specifics of growing lilies

Before planting snow-white lily bulbs in a garden plot, it must be properly selected and prepared. This ensures the he alth of the plant and its abundant flowering.

Date of planting

The best time for planting a snow-white lily, according to gardeners, will be the period from the third decade of August to the first decade of September, when the plants are at rest.The same time is recommended for transplanting flowers to a new place. As soon as evergreen leaves appear from the ground, it is no longer possible to touch the plants.

Choosing a seat

Candida make high demands on this parameter. In regions where winters are cold, be sure to select a site with good lighting during the day. Unlike other varieties of lilies, the snow-white beauty reacts very negatively to the lack of sunlight and may die.

The soil for growing an ornamental plant is preferably alkaline. It is important to provide the culture with good drainage, as the lily is very sensitive to the slightest stagnation of water. Therefore, some gardeners recommend planting candida on a small hill. If the site has heavy clay soil, it is prepared before planting the bulbs. To do this, add sand to improve water permeability and compost for soil nutrition.Also, it would not be superfluous to do preventive treatment using a weak solution of potassium permanganate or wood ash for this.

Important! This type of lily categorically does not tolerate fresh manure and any fresh organic top dressing.

Before planting the bulbs, the earth at the chosen place must be deeply dug up and the roots of weeds removed.

Preparation of planting material

When buying a flower, pay attention to whether there are sub-bottom roots on the bulbs. If the specimens are lethargic, dry or have any damage, they should be discarded. In this case, the plant will spend 2-3 years only on rooting, and will not bloom and develop rapidly. Before planting, the bulbs are treated with a weak manganese solution to prevent the occurrence of fungal diseases.

Boarding process

The most important condition when planting a lily in a flower garden is the correct depth. No more than 2-3 cm should remain from the top of the bulb to the soil level. A distance of 15 cm is kept between specimens.

The step-by-step planting process looks like this:

1. Pour a small amount of wood ash and river sand into the bottom of the holes.
2. Spread the roots of the lily, and place the bulb itself on a mound of sand.
3. Sprinkle 1/3 first with sand and only then with soil.

It is important to remember that the soil after planting a snow-white lily cannot be compacted, it is simply filled up as it settles. If the weather is hot and dry during the planting period, young specimens are watered in the first 2-3 weeks for full rooting.

How to properly care for a plant

Care in the open field for snow-white lily has its own characteristics, which determine the longevity and abundant color of the plant. Basically, the list of agrotechnical measures includes standard procedures for culture.

Irrigation

Snow-white beauties do not need frequent moisturizing. Watering is carried out mainly during the flowering period and the growth of peduncles, regularly, but trying not to flood the plants. In other periods of the growing season, natural precipitation is quite enough for the plant.

Humidity

Sprinkling the lilies is not necessary. Carefully monitor soil moisture, excess fluid often causes rotting of the bulbs and the spread of fungal diseases.

Lighting

The snow-white beauty has a special love for the sun. If the area where the lily grows is poorly lit, there is no need to wait for large buds and tall peduncles. Therefore, this moment is taken into account even at the stage of choosing a site for candidates.

Feeding

Immediately after planting, candida do not need to be fertilized.Feeding plants begins from the third year of development. They do this twice during the growing season - at the very beginning of growth and at the time of bud formation, while using full mineral fertilizer or purchasing special top dressing for bulbous plants in a gardening store.

Preparing for winter

For the period of cold weather, the snow-white beauty must be insulated, especially if the flowers are grown in regions with severe winters. In cases where the bulbs wake up too early, they are covered with non-woven material to protect them from returning spring frosts.

Diseases and pests of lilies

The main diseases that affect the snow-white lily are fungal pathologies. Powdery mildew is most common in bad weather and illiterate care. Experienced gardeners recommend prophylaxis with biological products and fungicides twice a season - at the stage of active growth and again in August if the weather is wet.Bordeaux liquid is also used for processing. Rodents love to feast on bulbs of snow-white lilies. To prevent damage, set traps or plant nearby plants with a frightening smell.

Flower reproduction

Get the seeds of hybrids is extremely difficult, so the main methods of breeding snow-white lilies in the garden remain vegetative. In one season, several children are formed on each bulb. At the time of transplantation, they are separated from the mother plant and planted in separate beds.

Candidiasis can also be propagated with scales. The largest ones are selected and sent to a plastic bag with nutrient soil mixture. When the roots appear, they are planted in open ground and at first they organize a cover, not forgetting to periodically remove it for airing and watering.

Landscape use

Since the snow-white lily is a tall plant, it is planted in the background of flower arrangements. Candidias look spectacular against the background of trees with dark green foliage.

Due to its snow-white color, this lily is combined with almost any other shades of flowers. Violet lavender, red and scarlet roses, and blue delphinium are considered classic companions for Candida. Blue perennials look original in composition with snow-white lilies.

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