Lily regale album is an unusually beautiful, truly royal flower, very popular among lovers of decorative cultures. In care, this plant is relatively unpretentious. However, some elementary rules should be observed when growing it, of course.
general description
The main decorative value of this tubular lily is snow-white flowers. They actually look unusually spectacular, because they are also simply huge sizes - up to 25 cm. The center of each lily is yellow, which gives the flowers even more brightness and charm. The photo of the regale lily, presented a little lower, demonstrates its unique royal beauty.
This plant also deserved very good reviews for its delicate smell, reminiscent of jasmine and spreading around about 10 meters.
Choosing a place to land
Like any other lily, regal belongs to the group of bulbous ornamental crops. In nature, plants of this family can be seen most often at the edges between perennial grasses and shrubs. In the garden for regal, you should also choose a place quite open and sunny.
Most often, these flowers are planted in small groups on flower beds among perennials. In any case, the lower part of the stalk of lilies regale should be shaded. It is not recommended to plant these flowers near tall trees.
Soil preparation
Land for lily regale is most suitable neutral, loose. This variety will feel best on sandy ground. Before planting, a little old, well-rotted manure should be added to the flowerbed. If the soil is acidic, ash should also be used. This lily responds very well to superphosphate and potassium compounds.
Bulb preparation
Lilies - plants are quite tender in terms of diseases. Regale in this regard is no exception. Therefore, before planting the bulbs of this flower, you should hold it in a solution of potassium permanganate (5 g per 10 liters of water) for half an hour. Then they need to be dried. The roots on the bulbs are usually cut to a length of about 5 cm.
How to plant
The plant lily is a tubular regal perennial. In one place in the garden, in order for the bulbs to gain strength, it must be at least 5 years old. Too often digging lilies is not worth it. Otherwise, they will weaken and become very susceptible to disease.
It is allowed to plant lilies on a bed at any time during the entire warm season. If the regalia is planted in the spring, it will bloom, most likely, in the same year. If you carry out this procedure in the summer or autumn, the buds on the plant will blossom only in the next season.
The depth of incorporation of regale lily bulbs depends on their size. If they are large, dig holes should be 20-25 cm. Small bulbs are planted at a shallower depth. The distance between individual plants should be 10-15 cm. Planting should not be thickened. Otherwise, regale lilies will bloom poorly and begin to hurt.
What you need to know
The description of the regalia lily provided by the developer allows us to judge it as a fairly unpretentious plant. But, as you know, all bulb cultures are afraid of frost. Regalia is no exception in this regard. During spring planting, its sprouts should be covered, for example, with plastic bottles in the event of a cold snap.
It is preferable to plant lilies nevertheless in the fall. At the same time, they usually transplant 4-5 year old plants. It is at this point that lilies take almost all nutrients from the soil. Dig bulbs from the ground usually only with the help of a pitchfork. With a shovel they can be easily damaged.
Mulching
After planting regal, the soil in the flowerbed should be covered with peat, sawdust or straw. It is also good to mulch the soil with forest litter. Coniferous sawdust for feeding this lily can not be used. Like most tubular hybrids, regal does not like acid soil very much. Coniferous sawdust reduces pH very much.
It is not necessary to mulch regalia lilies only if it grows among perennials. It very well protects the soil in the flowerbed from drying out and pollution by weeds, for example, such a decorative culture as bulbous ryegrass. It is also worth planting it on a flowerbed near the regal because these plants look very harmonious in combination.
How to water
Moisten the soil under regalia lilies during the warm season should be moderate. Overflows, like droughts, this variety does not like. Humidify the ground in the flowerbed with this lily immediately after it dries a little. Regale should be watered in the morning or in the evening. In this case, you must try not to get on the leaves and stems of plants. Otherwise, burns may form on them. Hose is better to run in the aisles.
In the spring, growth stimulants should be added to water for irrigation. This will help plants tolerate freezing frost. After the Regale lilies bloom, watering should be completely stopped.
How to fertilize
Feeding lilies regale is possible only with mineral compounds. Organics cannot be used for this purpose. Before planting, manure, as already mentioned, is allowed to be introduced into the soil. But during the period of plant growth, this type of fertilizer can greatly harm the bulbs. Lilies cannot tolerate regal and such top dressing as an infusion of green grass.
These flowers are usually fertilized three times per season. Wherein:
- spring use calcium nitrate (2 times with an interval of 14 days);
- during the budding period, full mineral fertilizer is used (twice a month);
- after flowering, they are fed with phosphorus and potassium compounds.
Calcium nitrate is diluted in water in a proportion of 1 gram per 6 liters. Full mineral fertilizer is used in the amount of one and a half matchboxes per 10 liters of water. Phosphoric and potassium compounds are added according to the instructions on the package. Fertilize them with flower beds once.
Feeding regal must be combined with watering. In autumn, fertilizing in the flower beds with this lily is impossible.
How to cut
Regal lilies can become a worthy decoration of even the most luxurious garden. However, you can grow such flowers not only as an element of landscape design, but also for bouquets. When cutting these lilies, you should adhere to such recommendations:
- As much of the peduncle as possible is left on the flower bed. Otherwise, the bulbs will not be able to ripen.
- The slice is dusted with ash and a drop of medical glue is applied to it. This will prevent decay of the remainder of the peduncle and bulb.
Wilting flowers from the plant should be removed. The stem itself does not need to be trimmed.
Winter preparations
Lily regale, planting and care of which the procedures are thus relatively simple, blooms long and spectacularly. In autumn, this plant, however, will also have to pay a little attention. Regal frost tolerates relatively well. But it is still necessary to cover plants for the winter. For insulation, it is best to use leaf litter. They should cover the flower bed with a layer about 10 cm thick. For safety, you can also put spruce branches and a plastic film on top.