The Lily Lady goes online

Although these bulbs are perennial, florists cannot afford to wait the three to five months it takes for them to regenerate.

Tracey Martin gives the bulbs a chance to grow again by selling them through her business ‘Lilies from the Valley’ www.liliesfromthevalley.com) where customers can buy a dozen lily bulbs for $8 to $10.

Martin is the president of the Mount Denson Garden Club. She’s close to completing a one-year course as a flower and vegetable judge and also freelances as a flower arranger for weddings and other occasions. She’s also got a home crammed full of houseplants. At one time she counted 500 amongst her collection.

Martin says she’s always been drawn to lilies because of the fragrance of the orientals. In addition to these, she stocks Asiatics.

Visitors can place their name on a waiting list for varieties not yet in stock and a free lily bulb is provided for birthdays.

Lily bulbs are easy to grow says Martin but a few basics must be followed. “They do not like wet feet, the bulb will rot,” she said.

The flowers grow in sun or shade but are taller in the latter as they stretch for light. They benefit from phosphate, gypsum, and grow well in humus-enriched soil. Heavy clay tends to stunt the plants.

Martin says she doesn’t even bother to amend her soil. “I just pop them in and let nature take its course. I don't even water them most of the time. But they put on quite a show,” she said.

The lilies grow well on slopes and hills, but require support if the location is windy. The bulbs like to be shaded and Martin suggests planting vegetation around the bulbs that dies back by the time the lilies bloom in July. Lily beetles are pests in some areas of the province but this grower says they haven’t bothered her yet. “I have seen the damage caused by this pest. Not pretty. The larvae are red, kind of like a potato beetle. They can strip the leaves very fast. When you see clusters of 'poop,' the larvae is protecting its self and will pupate in the castings,” she said.

Normally Martin handpicks bugs but with these beetles, she uses a control like Sevin while carefully following the instructions.