Of more than 20 wanderer lily ( Lycoris spp . ) multifariousness , red spider lilies ( Lycoris radiata ) are the unity most commonly grown in home garden , and with respectable grounds . Sensuously crook , rose - red petals and starlet - lash stamen set their flower apart from other late - summer blooms . desirable for U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zone 6 through 10 , red spider lilies flower in unison with their Amaryllis family relative , Resurrection lilies ( Lycoris squamigera ) hardy in USDA zone 5 through 9 . With proper forethought , they make an unforgettable feeling .
When to Fertilize
wanderer lily ' leaves photosynthesize food from late fall until they die back in late spring . Their underground bulbs store the solid food . After their summer dormancy , the bulb send up leafless stalks that produce the red , late - summer flowers . When the flowers die , the leaves re-emerge . The lilies need fertilise only twice a year , in very early spring to keep their foliage sound , and after their flowers fade in autumn to further their vigor and underground to winter cold .
Choosing and Using Fertilizer
In spring , fertilize your lilies a high - N , granulate 8 - 2 - 4 fertiliser at the rate of 1/2 cup per straight foot of ground . The atomic number 7 encourages luxuriant foliage for maximal photosynthesis . After they ’ve flowered in fall , drug them with gamey - phosphorus , high - potash 3 - 5 - 4 bulb nutrient . It hike up their energy and resistance to winter cold . habituate 1/2 tablespoon per bulb , or 1 cupful per 10 square infantry of soil . Apply either fertiliser equally around the plant , keeping it 2 or 3 column inch away from the farewell or stalks . Without disturbing the roots , work it into the top 2 in of soil and water well .
When to Water and Mulch
wanderer lily may sour everything you thought you acknowledge about water garden plant on its drumhead . Even if other plant are wilting in the summer high temperature , do n’t irrigate your sleeping spider lily at all . Doing so is an invitation to bulb putrefaction . The electric light are so moisture - sensitive during dormancy , in fact , that the Texas A&M Extension paint a picture planting them out of grasp of your garden hosiery or sprinklers . In fall , wintertime and spring , rain or snow is usually enough to maintain the actively growing plants . If necessary , water at these times just enough to keep the top inch of land consistently moist . Never water them enough to saturate the soil . A 2 - inch layer of constitutional mulch such as ground barque keep back soil wet , and it also protect spider lilies uprise in USDA zones 6 through 8 from freezing hurt .
Potential Problems
Spider lily have no significant pests or diseases . They do n’t call for pruning . Their major ornamental drawback is that their foliage must yellow and die back naturally for their medulla oblongata to bring on the most blossom . Once the leaves vanish , your garden ’s left with detectable scanty situation . disguise them with summertime - blooming plant is n’t advisable , because watering could damage the dormant bulbs . The most serious job , however , is the toxic alkaloid lycorine found in the bulbs . eat on it causes digestive distress , shaking and excessive salivation . Keep an eye on favourite and small children when they ’re near the plants .
References
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