Question
Hello Tom,

Need your expert advice again!  I have Stargazer lilies that seem to have grown to only 1 foot high and have stopped.  I was told that these get to over 3 feet tall. I'm planning on adding compost around the plants to add more nutrients to see if that makes a difference in the size of the plants. Some of the foliage of a few of the plants also have been yellowing at the top.  I'm thinking that they may have been under attack from insects or that they have been getting more sun than they need.  With their location, they don't get hardly any shade at all and summers in Arkansas can get pretty hot.  Also when is a good time to transplant these beautiful flowers?

Thanks so much for your advice!

Eagerly awaiting your reply,

Lynn

Answer
Hi Lynn,
Thanx for your question.  Make sure your plants are getting plenty of water and that the soil drains well so the bulbs don't sit in soggy soil.  Side dress the plants with well-composted manure.  Check the yellowed plants for tiny aphids or the sticky webs of spider mites.  You can use a horticultural soap, miticide or a strong blast of water from the garden hose.  I don't think the sunlight is a problem even in Arkansas.  The best time to transplant the bulbs is in the early autumn.  Wait for the plant to bloom and then detach the spent bloom.  Allow the green stalk to continue gathering sunlight for energy until it starts to turn brown in late summer or early autumn and then you can cut it off at ground level.  I hope this helps and let me know if the yellowing persists.
thx,
Tom