Description and characteristics of snow-white lily, planting and care in open ground

Among all garden flowers, lilies are especially popular among 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 different bud shapes and colors, the snow-white lily is still at the top of the rating. During the flowering period, it is impossible to take your eyes off the plants, but planting and care require certain knowledge from the gardener.

Description and characteristics of the snow-white candidum lily

The snow-white lily is also called candidum, but this is not an entirely accurate definition. Candidum varieties developed in recent years are not necessarily white in color. This group includes two varieties - snow-white lily and candidum hybrids. The snow-white lily is a spectacular and beautiful plant that grows up to 120 cm in height. The crop has spotted stems and lanceolate leaves. Up to 20 buds are formed on each peduncle of a snow-white lily; they are slightly drooping and funnel-shaped.

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

Main advantages and disadvantages

Before planting plants in a garden plot, they become familiar with its strengths and weaknesses in order to avoid mistakes during the growing process. The advantages of the snow-white variety include:

• Huge selection of varieties.
• Long lasting and pleasant aroma.
• Spectacular appearance of flowers.

Among the shortcomings, gardeners note:

• The need for shelter for the winter.
• They place high demands on lighting and landing sites.
• They need insulation in regions with cold winters.

Specifics of growing lilies

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

Landing dates

The best time for planting snow-white lilies, according to gardeners, will be the period from the third ten days of August to the first ten days of September, when the plants are dormant. The same time is recommended for replanting flowers to a new location. As soon as evergreen leaves appear from the ground, the plants can no longer be touched.

Selecting a location

Candida has increased demands on this parameter. In regions where winters are cold, be sure to select an area 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 ornamental plants is preferably alkaline. It is important to provide the culture with good drainage, since the lily is very sensitive to the slightest stagnation of water. Therefore, some gardeners recommend planting candidum on a small hill. If the site has heavy clay soil, it must be prepared before planting the bulbs. To do this, add sand to improve water permeability and compost to nourish the soil. It would also be a good idea to do preventive treatment using a weak solution of potassium permanganate or wood ash.

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

Before planting the bulbs, the soil in the chosen place must be dug deeply and the roots of weeds must be removed.

Preparation of planting material

When buying a flower, pay attention to whether the bulbs have subbottom roots. If the specimens are limp, dry or have any damage, you should refuse to purchase them. In this case, the plant will spend 2-3 years only on rooting, but will not bloom or develop quickly.Before planting, the bulbs are treated with a weak manganese solution to prevent the occurrence of fungal diseases.

Planting process

The most important condition when planting lilies in a flower garden is the correct depth. There should be no more than 2-3 cm from the top of the bulb to the soil level. A distance of 15 cm is maintained 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 of it first with sand and only then with soil.

It is important to remember that the soil after planting the snow-white lily cannot be compacted; it is simply replenished 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 complete rooting.

How to properly care for a plant

Caring for snow-white lilies in open ground has its own characteristics, on which the longevity and abundant color of the plant depend. Basically, the list of agrotechnical measures includes standard procedures for the crop.

Watering

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

Humidity

There is no need to spray lilies. They carefully monitor soil moisture; excess liquid often causes rotting of the bulbs and the spread of fungal diseases.

Lighting

The snow-white beauty has a special love for the sun's rays.If the area where the lily grows is poorly lit, you cannot expect large buds and tall flower stalks. Therefore, this point is taken into account at the stage of selecting a site for candidum.

Top dressing

Immediately after planting, candidums do not need to be fertilized. Plants begin to be fed from the third year of development. This is done twice during the growing season - at the very beginning of growth and at the time of bud formation, using complete mineral fertilizer or purchasing special fertilizers for bulbous plants at a gardening store.

Preparing for winter

During cold weather, the snow-white beauty must be insulated, especially if the flowers are grown in regions with harsh 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 considered to be fungal pathologies. Powdery mildew occurs most often due to bad weather and poor care. Experienced gardeners recommend carrying out prevention with biological products and fungicides twice a season - at the stage of active growth and again in August if the weather is wet. Bordeaux mixture is also used for processing. Rodents love to eat the bulbs of snow-white lilies. To prevent damage, traps are set or plants with a repellent odor are planted nearby.

Flower propagation

It is extremely difficult to obtain seeds of hybrids, so the main methods of breeding snow-white lilies in a garden plot 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.

Candidum can also be propagated by scales. The largest ones are selected and sent to a plastic bag with a nutritious 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 ventilation and watering.

Use in landscape design

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

Thanks to its snow-white color, this lily can be combined with almost any other shades of flowers. Classic companions for candidum are purple lavender, red and scarlet roses, and blue delphinium. Blue perennials look original in a composition with snow-white lilies.