In a variety of climates, lilies are easy to care for.They are not the best choice for locations that are warm year-round because they need a period of cooler temperatures to overwinter.A planting area that gets lots of sunlight is the healthiest outdoor garden.Keep your lilies on their normal bloom cycle by planting your bulbs in the fall.Between early spring and late fall, you can grow Asiatic lilies in containers.Make sure the pot you use is deep enough to encourage a strong root system.
Step 1: For your zone, choose plants that are hardy.
The lilies need a cool period during the winter to be hardy.In regions that don't experience cooler winter temperatures, they're not the best choice for outdoor gardens.Plants that are appropriate for your area can be found at your local home improvement store or nursery.If you want to choose plants that will thrive in your climate, check with staff.There is a local public garden.Their plants will most likely be labeled, which will help you choose varieties for your garden.
Step 2: A well-drained planting area gets six hours of sunlight.
Water doesn't pool after heavy rain if your planting area has enough drainage.In the early morning or late afternoon it should get at least six hours of sunlight.Less light exposure will result in spindly plants that produce fewer blooms and lean toward the sun, because lilies can tolerate less than six hours of sun.
Step 3: If you want to avoid storing bulbs, plant them in the fall.
Plants will bloom in a normal cycle when planted in the fall.You should plant bulbs as soon as you get home.The lilies lack a paper-like covering called a tunic.In the early spring, you can plant bulbs that will flower later in the year and then return to their normal bloom cycle the following year.
Step 4: Add organic matter to the soil.
If the soil is tight, loosen it with a garden tiller.The organic matter should be at least six inches deep in the soil.Ensuring that your soil provides enough drainage for your lilies will be helped by this.
Step 5: The lilies are in groups of three to five bulbs.
A group of three to five bulbs is about 15 cm deep.The bulbs should be placed about 20 cm apart.Bulbs should be planted with their tops facing up.You can tell a bulb's top from its bottom by looking for its pointed tip and hair-like roots.You should plant groups of bulbs until you have planted all of them.The groups are about three feet apart.
Step 6: If you want to insulate the bulbs, cover them with mulch.
Before the first frost, cover your planting area with four to six inches of mulch.A layer of winter mulch will help delay the soil from freezing and give the bulbs more time to grow.It will help minimize temperature fluctuations, which will make the shoots stronger.
Step 7: For healthy plants, choose a deep container.
Growing healthy lilies in a container requires a deep pot.A container with a diameter of at least 23 cm and a depth of eight inches (20 cm) or more is a good choice.One large bulb with a diameter of four to five inches (10 to 12 cm) or three to four smaller bulbs with diameters less than three inches can be accommodated in a pot at this minimum size.
Step 8: There is a layer of drainage at the bottom of the container.
Adding a layer of drainage material is required before filling the pot with soil.Two inches of small rocks, gravel, or another loose material should be spread at the base of the pot.If you broke a pot recently, you can use some of it for your drainage layer.
Step 9: Put well-draining potting soil in the container.
The soil of the lilies needs to drain well.At your local garden center or nursery, look for a potting soil labeled for lilies.If your soil feels too moist and dense, you can mix four parts of it with one part moss.
Step 10: A group of bulbs should be planted as deep as possible.
Estimate the height of the bulb or bulbs you are planting.The hole should be twice as deep as the bulbs.You will be able to measure from the top of the bulb if you cover it with a soil depth equal to its height.If you are planting more than one bulb, they should be two inches apart.
Step 11: A well-lit area is where you should put your container.
Pick a spot less than three feet away from a window if you are keeping your container indoors.It should get six to eight hours of sunlight.A well-lit area that won't get drenched in rain is the best place to keep your container outdoors.There is a covered area or a spot in the rain shadow.
Step 12: Plants can be transferred to the garden or a cool area.
Potted lilies should not be kept in warm environments.You can keep indoor plants in pots until late fall, then plant them in your outdoor garden.If you don't have a cool winters, you can keep the lilies in a cooler set to a temperature of about 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 13: When shoots and buds appear, fertilize your lilies.
The shoots of lilies will start to appear in the early spring.Remove the winter mulch when the last frost is over.At the first sight of shoots, spread a loose two inch layer of slow-release fertilizer.When the plants start to produce buds, give them more fertilization.
Step 14: You should water your plants once per week.
Water indoors and outdoors about once per week.You should not let the soil dry out completely.Don't let the soil or water pool.To avoid getting leaves wet, water the plants close to the soil.You can prevent disease by keeping the leaves dry.
Step 15: When flowers start to fade, remove them.
If you want to fade flowers, gently break them off or clip them.Leave the stems and foliage intact by only removing spent flowers.Deadheading your plants will make them use less energy to produce seeds.
Step 16: When the foliage is no longer green, cut it.
As long as your plants remain green, keep their stems and foliage intact.Cut the stems back if the plant turns yellow or brown.It's important to leave green foliage intact as long as possible as it will help it survive the winter.