Is it normal for lily leaves to turn black once flowered?
United Kingdom 
Several of my precious lilies are doing this on the leaves. They finished flowering a few weeks ago. I am wondering whether this is a normal part of their beginning to die down back into the bulb again, or whether it is DOOM. They are all grown to about 3 feet tall, in quite big pots of 16" diam. Is it root cramp? Should I give up trying to grow these, as I have no ground to plant them in, only this method of pot cultivation and do not have room for pots of a bigger size at all. They are 'Regale' and a similar size lily called 'African Queen'.
1 Aug, 2009
Answers
some of mine did this last year and they have been fine this year. i think it is a combination of age and a change in temperature. so dont worry.
1 Aug, 2009
Hi Jonathan,
This is probably wet, cold conditions. Take them out of the pots for a day or two to let them dry out.
2 Aug, 2009
Hi Everyone, My bulbs were bought new last autumn so the cause cannot be age. Because my disability is in a very severe patch at the moment I am not able to lift them out at all. If 'cold and wet' is what is going wrong, there is little I can do about the temperature,- but I can reduce watering. I am suspecting, from your comments, that I may have been maintaining them on a slightly too watered regime. Will try easing it off a bit therefore. Thank you so much all.
2 Aug, 2009
Jonathan, so sorry to hear you are at a bad stage with your disability.
Are you able to turn the pots on their sides for a day or two, if not is there someone who can do it for you? it will only take a few seconds.
2 Aug, 2009
Sorry that you are going through a rough patch at the moment, Jonathan.
I would advise that you stop watering these lilies altogether for the rest of the season. They will get enough natural water to keep them going now that flowering is over.
2 Aug, 2009
Thanks guys. Will keep them really dry now and just let them have the rain only like you say. (They can't go on their sides unfortunately because they will take a few more inches of space that way, then no room for my electric wheelchair - I call it my 'workhorse' - to get round them. My garden is really tiny). By the way, I didn't see a red lily beetle once where I am in Bracknell this summer ... Here we go, the red beetle again ...
2 Aug, 2009
Previous question
« problem they must be resistant to PEACOCKS. thsis si foa comeracial property...
It looks like the plant has been ~"chilled"...otherwise they should be ok to continue growing in pots......I have soil on the heavy side and grow most of mine in pots....
1 Aug, 2009