Lily of the valley is one of the favorite plants of all times. Its modest fragrant white “bells” conceal an inexplicable charm. In the forest and garden they appear in May, at the turn of spring and summer. But flower growers have learned to drive them out much earlier, in the middle of winter. In principle, you can have blooming lilies of the valley all year round, but practically no one needs this. It’s different in winter, when you really want to breathe in the scent of spring! Amateur flower growers also willingly grow lilies of the valley. Collectors can find pink, terry forms in their beds. However, such delights have not become widespread. The silvery porcelain white flowers are still everyone's favorite. So, what do you need to know about growing this crop?
Lily of the valley is a perennial plant from the family. Liliaceae with an underground creeping rhizome and numerous branched small roots. At the base of the above-ground shoots there are white (sometimes slightly pinkish) scales. The culture is propagated by division. The planting unit must have one or more buds with a piece of rhizome and roots. In Russian floriculture it is usually called a sprout. Depending on the age of the rhizome, some shoots (1-2 years old) are capable of only vegetative development, others (usually 3 years old) are capable of flowering. Accordingly, they are used for propagation or for cutting (so-called flower sprouts).
Bringing to the desired condition (growing) is carried out in open ground. The area allocated on the farm for lilies of the valley must be free from weeds, especially rhizomatous ones (wheatgrass, etc.). The preferred soils are deep, light or medium loams, rich in humus, air- and water-permeable, and warming up early in the spring. The reaction of the soil environment is from slightly acidic to neutral (pH 5.0-6.5). Organic fertilizers(manure, compost) must be in a well-decomposed state, so it is advisable to apply them in advance (optimally 60-80 t/ha for a year on black fallow). Before autumn plowing, the soil is filled with superphosphate (5-10 c/ha) and potassium salt (3-5 c). The planting pattern depends on production volumes.
On small areas make ridges 1.2 m wide (6 rows every 20 cm); passage 30 cm. When laying continuously, every 6-8 rows one is left for the path. They are planted in grooves under a shovel. Large nurseries use three-line tapes and other schemes that allow the use of mechanization. But in any case, the distance between plants in a row is 4-5 cm, and the total placement density is 80 pcs/sq.m (800 thousand pcs/ha). Thickening reduces product quality. Before planting, thin roots are shortened. The depth should be such that they do not bend, and the buds on top are covered with 1-2 cm of earth.
Lilies of the valley can be planted in spring and autumn. In the first case, the sprouts are stored in frost-free rooms. Autumn plantings (October) are recommended in areas with good snowy winters, otherwise the plants will suffer from freezing or getting wet. With the onset of frost, the plantation is mulched with compost and peat (8-10 cm). This is especially important during the first winter.
During the growing season, the rhizomes scatter greatly, which eliminates the possibility of loosening in rows and ridges. You have to resort to manual weeding (5 times per season). Cultivation is possible in aisles and between belts. Watering, especially in the first half of summer, significantly increases the yield and quality of planting material. In the first year after planting, no fertilizing is required. On the second, they are given, starting in spring, 2-3 times with mineral fertilizers at a rate of up to 700 kg/ha. Nutrient mixtures should contain a small amount of nitrogen, and after June it should be eliminated altogether. In the third year, fertilizing crops (up to 500 kg/ha) are completed in May.
All these activities are aimed at stimulating the formation of flower buds, which occurs in June. If the plantation is laid out on light, warm, fertile lands, then some of the sprouts are ready for sale after 2 years, and on colder and heavier lands it takes 3 years. Product yield drops in dry (without watering) or too wet weather. On average, you can plan to obtain 60% of flower sprouts from the number of planted ones (in harvest seasons - up to 80%).
Digging is carried out at the end of September - mid-October, when the above-ground part of the plants dies off. On the ridges they use pitchforks, on large areas they use machinery (even a converted beet harvester). The sprouts are dug up, being careful not to damage the roots, and placed in small heaps. Water and cover with straw mats to prevent drying out. Cleaning and sorting are carried out in moderate warm rooms so that the material does not overheat and dry out. Sorting requires some skill. Sprouts with inflorescence rudiments are characterized by a slightly rounded, blunt-ended bud shape and several layers of scales. Instances only with vegetative organs- thinner, smaller and have a more pointed end.
So, flower sprouts are selected to make sure that they are healthy and without damage. They are divided by size into large (bud diameter 7-7.5 mm, root length 15 cm), medium (6 mm; 10 cm) and small (less than 6 mm; 10 cm). In Germany, sorted flower sprouts (except for small ones) are washed and tied into bundles of 25 pieces. and immerse it in water for a while. Those intended for mailing are wrapped in film. For knitting, thin willow vine is used. Store in frost-free cellars or basements. A layer of damp moss is placed on the cement floor to protect the roots. The sprouts are placed strictly vertically. Laying in several layers in a row is not recommended. The rows are sprinkled with sand, which protects the cut sites from rotting. The sand is kept moist. Ventilation holes(windows) are closed during the day and opened at night in mild frosts, avoiding drafts. In our country, bunches of sprouts are sometimes pinned into the sand in the greenhouse (also vertically). They cover it with frames, and with the onset of cold weather - with straw mats and sheets. Another option (St. Petersburg) is to place the sprouts in boxes and bury them in a cold greenhouse. Cover with sheet and snow.
In any case, the storage temperature is plus 1-2°. For early forcing (by New Year and Christmas), the largest sprouts are used. The best buds come from material grown in warm, light soils. Temperature treatment involves the following operations. First, the bundles, wrapped in damp moss and film, are placed in refrigeration chambers for 3 weeks at minus 2°. Then they are allowed to move away a little and immersed in it for 12-13 hours. warm baths(28-30°). If freezing cannot be carried out, then they are limited to baths with a water temperature of 34° immediately before planting.
For small volumes, forcing is carried out in boxes filled with peat, sand, their mixture or sawdust. Mass planting in greenhouse ridges requires soil heating. It is advisable to preserve all old roots, since new ones will not form. When planting, they can be shortened slightly.
The sprouts are placed in rows, tightly pressing the roots with the substrate. The norm is 1000-1100 pcs. per 1 sq.m of ridge or 150-200 pcs. on the box. You can plant 6-8 pieces. in pots d 11-13 cm. Then the lilies of the valley are watered and for the first time covered with peat and moss to maintain uniform humidity. For 10-12 days, forcing is carried out in the dark at an air temperature of 26-28°, substrate 21°. Plantings and paths are sprayed 2-3 times a day warm water(30°). It is advisable to turn on the fan for half an hour every day.
As soon as the lilies of the valley begin to grow, the peat (moss) is removed. When the flower stalks grow to approximately half their height, the boxes are transferred to a light greenhouse (the darkening is removed from the ridges). The substrate should be constantly moist, but the number of sprays is reduced and ventilation is increased. The temperature is maintained at about 30°, and when the lower bell in the inflorescence turns color, it is gradually reduced to 16-18° and watering is stopped. Early forcing takes 22-24 days from planting. The quality of inflorescences can be improved with additional lighting from 6 to 9 o’clock and from 16 to 22. Lamps are used daylight(50 W/m2, height 30 cm above plants). At the same time, stronger flower stalks and intensely colored leaves develop.
For forcing after January 15, warm baths are not needed; they promote better leaf development to the detriment of flowering. The sprouts are taken from storage and planted in a greenhouse with an air temperature of 25° (in February 20-22° is enough). The closer to spring, the less period darkening, otherwise the flower stalks will become very elongated. But on bright sunny days, light shading is required. The rest of the recommendations are the same.
In spring, accelerating the flowering of lilies of the valley in greenhouses is not particularly difficult. Sprouts are planted in the ground more rarely than in greenhouses - 400-600 pcs/sq.m. The smallest flower buds are also suitable for these purposes. Greenhouses are insulated and covered with mats over the frames: for the first 8 days around the clock (in cold cloudy weather), and then only at night. Then begin daytime ventilation and light shading in bright sun.
To speed up flowering in open ground, film is used. Biennial flower sprouts are planted in autumn or spring on ridges (3x12-15 cm). Before the first wintering, cover with a thick layer of well-rotted manure or peat. The film is stretched in mid-March. In this way, you can adjust lilies of the valley for 3 years without replanting. After flowering, the film is removed. In the summer, weeds are dug up, fertilized, and watered.
Lilies of the valley for bouquets are cut when half of the bells open and the top one turns white. In greenhouses, they are pulled out with leaves and roots to preserve freshness for a longer period of time. Place in water and transfer for 1-2 days to a chamber with a temperature of 4-5°. In open ground, flower stalks are pulled out without damaging the leaves. For sale, lilies of the valley are sorted and tied into bouquets of 15-25 pieces, with the flowers turned in one direction. To preserve the aroma, the inflorescences are wrapped in paper. The stems are placed with their ends in water. Freshness lasts 3-7 days. Before making a hand bouquet experienced florists After removing the lilies of the valley from the water, hang them upside down for a while to increase turgor.
Lilies of the valley, potted, bloom for 3-4 weeks (without direct sunlight). It is not advisable to replant them in the ground again: they have already given us too much effort.
T. Serezhkina “Cool, fragile and fragrant” // “Floriculture”.
Many gardeners are engaged in forcing plants at home; some like hyacinths, others like to force spices (parsley, celery), and others will like fragrant spring flowers - lilies of the valley.
What to do if you, like a princess, have a desire to admire beautiful flowers for the New Year?
The answer is obvious - forcing lilies of the valley on the windowsill.
Blooming spring primroses in winter it is perceived in most cases as a small magic of nature, but in fact, anyone can become a wizard if they wish.
To do this, you will need knowledge of the technology of forcing lilies of the valley and a little patience.
As we know, lilies of the valley bloom in May, i.e. Winter is coming, it is being replaced by a thaw and the long-awaited flowers delight us with their beauty. Our task, as gardeners, is for lilies of the valley to create all these conditions artificially at home.
Preparing lily of the valley rhizomes for winter forcing
Select strong lily of the valley rhizomes with flower buds. You can either purchase them in a specialized store, paying attention to the inscription on the packaging “For distillation,” or prepare them yourself, observing all storage conditions.
- To do this, in mid-September, dig up the rhizomes with a fork, trying not to injure them, since during forcing new roots do not grow and that’s it. nutrients plants are obtained from their reserves.
- Select rhizomes with flower buds, not leaf buds (leaf buds have a sharp top, while flower buds are rounded).
- Collect them in a bunch and put them in water for 1.5-2 hours.
- Then wrap it in damp sphagnum, then in cling film and put it in vegetable department refrigerator for storage until distillation.
- If possible, place them vertically.
If this freezing option does not suit you, then try to create a natural one. Bury it in the snow and store it at a temperature of -2°C for 21 days before forcing.
If it is completely impossible to go through the freezing stage, then when forcing lilies of the valley, the flowers will be of significantly worse quality.
In order for lilies of the valley to bloom by the New Year, birthday in winter or March 8, forcing must begin 3-4 weeks in advance.
Forcing lilies of the valley for the New Year, in January
- Choose rhizomes with large flower buds (5-7 mm).
- After freezing, leave in the room for a day, then soak for 10 hours in warm water(up to 35°C) to bring them out of dormancy and energize them (you will have to monitor the temperature and constantly maintain it).
- After this, plant the rhizomes in pots with leaf soil, moss or a mixture of peat and sand (4:1), so that the buds are above the surface of the soil, and the roots take up all the space inside the container.
- Water with warm water and add soil if necessary.
- Cover with paper caps and place in a warm place, temperature 28-30°C (near the radiator).
If possible, spray daily with warm water. When the flower stalks are 10 cm long or you see the leaves, the caps can be removed and the containers can be placed on the windowsill, the temperature is 16-18°C and there is no direct sunlight.
Forcing lilies of the valley in February
This perfect time for forcing lilies of the valley in terms of the ratio of the mass of leaves and flowers. Rhizomes with both large and medium-sized flower buds are suitable here. At this time, the freezing and warming stage can be skipped.
In March, to force lilies of the valley, you can take rhizomes with any flower buds. At this time, foliage will develop intensively, which will then cover some of the peduncles, so when the leaves are still closed, remove some of them using nail scissors.
Lilies of the valley bloom for about a month. For longer flowering or if you need to delay the start of flowering for several days, place the pots in a cooler place when the first buds appear.
Perhaps you will like to force lilies of the valley in winter, then for these purposes choose separate plot With fertile soil and in May, fertilize the flowers with full complex fertilizer To develop strong flower buds, constantly remove weeds and monitor the condition of the soil until mid-summer; there should be no drying out.
Planting lilies of the valley in open ground after forcing it is a waste of time and effort, since the plant will already give up all its vitality.
Good afternoon
One of the main perennial plants, amenable to forcing - lily of the valley. This plant comes from ancient times; legends and beliefs are associated with it. This little one modest flower with fragrant bell heads is recognized and loved by everyone. It is given both and on the occasion of a wedding. White- a symbol of purity and pristineness. Lily of the valley can be planted in a pot and cared for at home.
These flowers garden varieties Thanks to selection, they have been bred to be much larger in size than their wild relatives. Their bells and leaves are large and lush. And they also lend themselves well to forcing. IN natural environment lilies of the valley bloom in May - June. But having forced them, you can admire them even in winter, starting from late autumn. But cultivated roots no older than 3 years are suitable for this. Let's talk about how it's done forcing lilies of the valley V winter time.
For an experienced gardener, one glance at the appearance and size of the apical bud is enough to understand whether there will be flowers. The fertile bud is wide, smooth and does not have a sharp tip. Only leaves will grow from thin, sharp-tipped and curved buds. When you go for an experiment and cut a bud, then in the full bud you can see sprouts of not only leaves, but also flowers. But forcing requires certain conditions. The temperature is about 31 degrees if forcing is carried out in November. This is difficult to achieve at room temperature. And only from January, when the plant gains the necessary strength, forcing lilies of the valley will be successful.
At the same time, lilies of the valley behave unusually. They do not form fresh shoots or rhizomes, but absorb water only with old ones. All the necessary nutritional components are already in the roots. They are accumulated there. The main thing to start the flowering process is temperature and watering. Rhizomes are dug from flower beds or purchased at the market in late autumn. First, they are dug in, but it is advisable to plant them immediately so as not to further injure the plant. Lily of the valley is unpretentious to the soil. Any fresh soil will do, as long as it is well loosened. First, the roots need to be trimmed. Up to 12 rhizomes can be planted in one container, depending on its size.
A layer of earth is placed at the bottom of the container. All rhizomes are covered with one hand and placed 
almost vertical. The kidneys should be approximately at the same level. Then they are covered with soil so that the tops of the roots protrude slightly. And they add soil first to the sides, and then to the roots. The soil is distributed so that the buds are at the top and look out of the soil. Then the lilies of the valley need to be watered abundantly and placed in a cool place until forcing, for example in the basement.
The original method is called a pyramid. They take ceramic pot with a rather wide neck, and on the sides of which there are holes. Earth is poured into it to the level of the first holes from below. In which the roots are inserted one by one. In this case, the kidney remains outside. After passing the 1st level, add land to the second. And then the rhizomes are inserted again in a circle. And so on until the neck. Several roots are also planted in it. The vessel is lowered into water so that the soil is saturated with moisture.
Technology of forcing lilies of the valley
A layer of moss is placed at the bottom of a tall box. Pots with roots are placed on it, and moss is also placed on top. Then water with warm water. Cover it with glass and take it to a warm place, for example in the kitchen near the stove or next to the radiator. In the morning, the glass must be removed and wiped (as condensation accumulates on it). Lilies of the valley are watered with warm water. When the shoots reach the glass lid, it must be removed. Before flowering, the pots are taken out of the box, the moss is removed and placed on the windowsill. The entire cycle lasts about 3 weeks. When forced, the first lilies of the valley produce only flowers without leaves. When forcing lilies of the valley closer to spring (in February), both leaves and flowers develop. See you later, friends!
I have a lot of lilies of the valley in my dacha. They delight with their flowering and aroma in May. And to give a gift to myself and my relatives on March 8th, I throw out lilies of the valley and prepare bouquets at home.
For forcing, I use lily of the valley rhizomes with blunt-pointed flower buds. I tie the selected sprouts into bundles and cut them to 2 cm root system, I dig it in a vertical position into the sand along with the sprouts and store it at a temperature of +1..+2°C in a cold basement.
nath calahansaI start forcing at the end of January. 10 days before planting, I freeze the sprouts with rhizomes at a temperature of -3..-5°C and sprinkle them with snow. I bring it indoors and after slow thawing (1-2 days), I free it from the sand and at room temperature I cut off the roots, leaving 8-9 cm.
Little secret: to speed up the flowering of the rhizome after pruning, place it in a container with warm water for 12 hours. This stimulates leaf development. Without such a “bath” during early forcing, May lilies of the valley often do not produce leaves, but form only one inflorescence.
Matt Mattus I plant rhizomes in warm light soil(sand, peat and turf land in equal proportions), deepening the sprouts by half a centimeter. After planting, I water it with warm water so that it goes into the pan, after which I always drain the water.
The air temperature in the room where lilies of the valley grow should be 20..22°C, and the soil temperature during forcing should be +25°C. This is achieved by heating the soil (I place the bowls on the radiator). As it dries, I water the soil with warm water. To evenly moisten the sprouts, I first mulch with peat. Spraying is necessary, since lily of the valley develops best in conditions of excessively humidified air.
Lily of the valley rhizomes for forcing. © Matt Mattus 
Lily of the valley rhizomes planted for forcing. © Matt Mattus Usually lilies of the valley bloom on the 23-25th day. From the beginning of forcing, to develop longer peduncles and obtain tender leaves, I shade the plants slightly.
When the first buds bloom, I gradually lower the temperature to 16..18°C, water less frequently, but do not allow the earthen clod to dry out. As soon as half of the flower clusters bloom, I begin to cut off the flower stalks.
These little bouquets really warm the soul when it’s still cold outside.
In autumn, the lily of the valley plant is ready to bloom next spring, that is, its underground buds have the rudiments of inflorescences. But besides them there is also vegetative buds. That's the only difficulty - choose the right rhizomes for forcing. Larger, plump, blunt-pointed buds are capable of flowering. Vegetative ones are thinner, with a more pointed tip.
Usually in October the lily of the valley leaves die off, and that’s when I choose the rhizomes. It is important to preserve the roots, since new ones do not grow back when forced. If they are too long, I shorten them to 10 cm. Lily of the valley rhizomes cut with pruning shears, selecting the desired sprouts. Then, without letting them dry, wash them off the soil and soak them in water for 2-3 hours. clean water. Next, carefully place the cuttings on a layer of damp moss, cover with another layer of moss and place in a plastic bag. You can lower the lilies of the valley into the cellar, you can bury them in a cold greenhouse, covering them with leaves on top, or place them in the refrigerator.
The first time I drive out lilies of the valley is at the beginning of December. For such early forcing of lilies of the valley You need to select the largest sprouts and fill them with warm water. Sprouts with roots should be completely covered with water; an inverted plate will not allow them to float. Put all this on the battery for 12-16 hours. The water temperature should be 30-35° .
Usually 7-9 sprouts are placed in a pot with a diameter of 12-14 cm. A layer of moss is placed at the bottom of the pot: on the one hand, it saves soil, on the other, it retains the necessary moisture. Then sprinkle leaf humus on top of the moss so that there is enough space left for planting rhizomes.
After soaking lily of the valley rhizomes I'll start planting them right away. . I place them evenly in the pot and carefully add leaf humus, making sure that the buds stand vertically. They should be slightly covered, that is, located immediately below the surface of the soil. Peat or mixtures based on it can also be used as a substrate. Pots with planted lilies of the valley I water it and, to maintain moisture, cover the top with moss and place it in dark place with a temperature of 25-30°. The substrate should be constantly moist, so water as soon as the need arises. As soon as the lilies of the valley begin to grow, remove the moss from the surface of the pots, but the pots still remain in the dark until the height of the sprouts reaches 10-12 cm (usually after 10-12 days). Then transfer them to a bright windowsill. Having planted lilies of the valley, I get the first flowers by December 2, and after 2-3 days all the plants begin to bloom. Lilies of the valley in pots bloom for about 3 weeks. They are alive, don't forget to water them!
You can prolong flowering by placing lilies of the valley in a cooler place. However, if the temperature is too low, there is a risk of rust affecting lily of the valley leaves.
Forcing lilies of the valley in December takes 3-4 weeks, in March-April - about 15 days. Closer to spring, you need to reduce the darkening period, and also keep them in a cooler place. Give yourself joy, invite the long-awaited spring into your home in the middle of winter.
Images copyright flickr.com: M_AG
