Starting Prairie Lily From Seed Indoors

Seeds

• Prairie lily seeds are flat and tear-shaped, about 1/8-inch long and rusty-colored with a papery wing. The seeds are closely packed into the three-parted 1- to 2-inch long capsule. The capsule is usually ready to harvest six to eight weeks after flowering when it turns brown, is dry and just beginning to split open. Mark the plants that have developing capsules with a colorful tag or yarn so you can find them easily. Watch the capsules closely so they don't open wide enough for seeds to escape. Gently open the harvested capsule and remove the seeds.

Planting Seeds

• Plant propagators get clues on how to treat seeds by observing what happens to the plant in nature. For prairie lilies, the seeds need an initial period of warmth. This corresponds to the period during late summer and fall when they scatter from the pod to the soil. The early seed growth takes place underground, and you won't see it if you plant the seeds in a traditional pot. For better monitoring, place the freshly collected seeds in resealable plastic bags along with a handful of moistened milled sphagnum moss, peat moss or vermiculite. Since seeds will be in a damp environment for a while, you may wish to dust them with fungicide before adding them to the plastic bag. Seal the plastic bag and keep it in a warm place for two to three months. Open the bag occasionally starting at about the third week of storage to check for the presence of tiny bulbs. Keep the rooting medium moist.

Cold Treatment

• When the bulbs grow larger and have some roots, usually after three months, store the closed plastic bags in the refrigerator for two to three more months. This process is called stratification, and mimics the winter period during which the seeds lay beneath moist, protective layers of snow, litter and soil. You can keep the bulbs stored for a longer period if you wish, keeping the medium moist but not soggy. Don't allow the bulblets to dry out at all when you transfer them from the plastic bags to pots.

Potting the Bulblets

• Use quality commercial potting mix that contains organic matter, perlite and vermiculite. Handle the bulblets with care so you don't break off any roots. Transplant the bulbs into 2-1/4-inch pots and water them until the water comes out the drainage holes. Put the pots in an area with bright indirect light or under grow lights. In a week or two, the first true leaf emerges. It is the only leaf the bulb will have during its first year of life. Keep the potting medium moist and don't allow it to dry out at any time. It will take several years for the seedling to reach flowering size.