With these prices I can afford to buy only 1-2 bulbs of each variety I like, no matter how they will look in the garden (of course, they look better in groups of 3-7 plants!). Patience... I am planning to propagate them by scaling. I know that it will take 2-4 years for new babies to bloom :-(

Thanks, Alina!

I was thinking I might also end up buying only 1 or 2 of each type and making my own "customized mixture planting" instead of having small masses 3-5 bulbs, with only 1 kind here, another there, and yet another there as I had hoped.

Didn't know about scaling, though -- even if it does take 2 years, seems like it'd be worth it if every scale gives you a flower! Please tell me more about this...

You are welcome :-)
I think,taking a few scales from the expensive bulb is a good idea even if you do not intend to propagate them. If you will loose your mother-bulb to critters, rot, etc., you will have a "back up".
You can learn about scaling here or here. And a good thing: every scale can give you several bulblets!

Hi All,

I just tried scaling last spring. And what I found by accident and then confirmed on a website, was that when you scale oriental bulbs in the spring you don't need to vernalize the bulblets (a cold period) to get them to leaf out.

I used the loose scales of my spring ordered Triumphator that seemed to have some basel plate. I planted each in small pots with the base of the scale in the soil and the tip sticking out. I checked the scales every now and then and as the bulblets got roots I carefully picked them off the scale and planted them in another pot. I returned the scales to their pots so they could grow more bulblets. The bulbets shortly leafed out and grew throughout the rest of the summer. By the time I was done I had about 20 small Triumphator plants.

I got Martagon before I decided to try scaling "for real" and planted the loose scales in the garden next to the bulbs. (I figured they'd either grow or not.) I dug them up later - and they had little bulbets attached to them. I then did the same as for the Triumphator and grew a few more bulbets but they weren't leafing out. So, I refrigerated them for ~4 weeks and they leafed out fine.

As for the main topic of this thread, I buy a minimum of three bulbs of each type. I'm too afraid that if I buy only one and something happens to it, (slugs, dog, husband) that it will set me back an entire season on that variety. And I can only kill the slugs! :)

-Helen

Here is a link that might be useful: Good Scaling Instructions

Helen,
It is good to know that spring scaling will not require further vernalization. I am afraid that I killed my bulblets from fall scaling - I planted them outside it pots. That seems to be too much for vernalization... With hard frosts we had here I think they are goners :(
Fortunately, they were very common. Well, lesson learned.
P.S.
I like Helen's list of disasters :-)

I don't know about anyone else, but I always buy TOO many bulbs...

What, you say, how can anyone have TOO many bulbs?

Too many bulbs means that last October, I'm outside at 11 p.m., planting and then mulching lily bulbs using a spot light for light, trying to get everything in the ground before any kind of freeze...

Shall we say I got a wee bit carried away with all the fall lily bulbs sales...

Come summer when my yard is awash with fragrance...it's all worth it!

Check out Van Engelen for bulb pricing - not van Bourgondien - totally different company.

BuggyCrazy is the woman I hear most about - she sends enormous bulbs. sort of famous in the lily cults.
http://www.thebloomingauction.com/storecatalog.asp?searchtxt=&show=&userid=16&searchtype=&search=Search&catid=155
I buy bulbs from Costco also, this year they are $11 for 9 bulbs.

Hi Alyrics,
What bulbs did you buy from Costco?
I bought many varieties of Lilies from them this year. The price is $11 indeed, but there are 12-20 bulbs per bag.

OK, now I'm really hyped about scaling. I'm going to give it a try and let you all know how it goes.

Thanks for the other suggestions, too (unfortunately, though, VE seems to only do sales in the fall -- though spring sales could help them, based on what they had left for so long after their pitiful excuse for a fall sale: 20% off for months, even into January). I'll check out the crazy lily person and grab a few bulbs for scaling.

As for costco, I've seen 2 Asiatic mixes there (heavily spotted bold-color varieties and then not-really-that-spotted pastels) and some species lilies (which I bought). Haven't seen any Orientals or Trumpets yet, but I know they must be out there somewhere. Neither of the 2 ones I went to so far have had them, though...

I bought a bag of Orientals from Costco, $10.99 had 9 Bahia Blanca and 9 Expression. (white and light pink with spots)

I know bigger bulbs from specialty growers are better but I just can't afford them. These were healthy and I can be patient.

I also bought quite a few potted bulbs at half price last fall from local garden centers that were done blooming and didn't sell. I do this with spring bulbs too.

The Costcos here had lots of lily bulbs in this spring. I bought Zagora and Red Dutch, Muscadet and Casablanca, Kissproof and Creation, as well as a bag of mixed LA hybrids. They didn't seem to have much for the asiatics - but lots of orientals - maybe that's because they don't last very long as perennials up here.

Actually, I was very pleased with the qualily of Costco's bulbs. Large ('Kissproof' and 'Muscadet' up to 20cm!), with thick roots. And the price is unbeatable, of course.

And I am very dissapointed with my Lily Pad order. First they lost my credit card info. Then they did not provide 5 varieties out of 13 I ordered. Nobody informed me that these varieties are not available, so I did not order them from other places. They charged me for all 13 (they returned the difference later, but it took me several emails). And, finally, two bulbs were rotting. I asked for replacement, but they do not answer my emails. I am afraid that I will leave a first negative feedback on them.
Alina.

Sam's Club had lilies too: a big box (20?) for what I think was ~ $13. Some asiatics and some orientals. I didn't "need" any so didn't look carefully (though I did get some anyway). I bought their asiatic pink and pastel mix about 2 years ago and today saw they had the same combo out. They are STUNNING: I normally don't care for mixes but there are so many different and subtle shades in this one, that look great together. So check them out too.