Lilies are a stunning feature, often representing the peak of summer color in the landscape. When these plants burst into bloom, a gardener might realize they need to be moved. Transplanting a lily while it is actively flowering forces a choice between preserving the immediate display and securing the long-term health of the bulb. Moving a plant during this energy-intensive stage is risky, but careful procedure and understanding the biology can make the difference between success and failure.
Understanding the Stress: Why Moving Blooming Lilies is Risky
A lily in full bloom operates at maximum energetic output, directing nearly all stored resources toward developing flowers and producing seeds. This process requires a significant draw from the underground bulb, which serves as the plant’s primary carbohydrate reserve. Transplanting during this period forces the plant to divert energy away from flowering and toward healing the damaged root system. The lily must then effectively choose between maintaining its blooms and ensuring its long-term survival.
The physical act of digging inevitably severs many fine feeder roots and disrupts the delicate connection between the roots and the surrounding soil. This root damage, combined with the high demand of the flowers, results in amplified transplant shock. The plant can no longer efficiently absorb the water and nutrients needed to support its above-ground structure. Stress is particularly high because the bulb is actively being depleted to fuel the current bloom cycle, leaving fewer reserves to regenerate the roots.
When Immediate Transplanting Becomes Essential
The optimal time to move a lily is in the fall, after the foliage has died back and the bulb has replenished its energy stores. However, sometimes a move is unavoidable due to unexpected construction, severe drainage issues, or the need to isolate a sudden pest or disease outbreak. The decision to move a blooming lily should be made only when the risk of leaving it in place outweighs the risk of the transplant itself.
If the move must happen, preparation is the most important action to minimize stress on the plant. The new planting site should be fully prepared, with the hole dug and ready to receive the lily before the plant is lifted. This preparation ensures the lily’s sensitive roots are exposed to the air for the shortest time possible, reducing the chances of desiccation and shock.
The Procedure for Successfully Moving Lilies in Bloom
To maximize the chance of survival, water the lily deeply the day before the move to hydrate the tissues and help the soil cling to the roots. When digging, use a sharp spade and begin cutting a wide circumference, starting five or six inches away from the stem to define the root ball. Drive the spade down at least 12 inches, as the lily bulb sits deep, ensuring the entire bulb structure and its roots are captured intact.
Carefully lift the entire soil-root clump, ensuring the soil does not separate from the roots, as this protects the fine root hairs. If the lily is a clump of multiple stems, it is best to move the entire clump together rather than attempting division during this stressful time. The prepared new hole should be slightly wider than the root ball, and the lily must be settled in at the same depth it was previously growing. Backfill the hole with loose, native soil, gently tamping it down around the root ball to eliminate any air pockets.
Ensuring Survival: Critical Post-Transplant Care
Immediately after the lily is placed in its new location, water it thoroughly and deeply one time to settle the soil around the relocated root ball. This initial watering eliminates air pockets and establishes soil-to-root contact, but subsequent watering must be done with caution. Overwatering to compensate for transplant shock is a common mistake that can cause the fleshy lily bulb to rot. The plant should not be watered again until the soil feels dry at least two inches below the surface.
To further reduce stress, the relocated lily benefits greatly from temporary shade for a few days following the move, shielding it from intense sunlight. Monitoring the plant for wilting is important, but energy management is a more direct action. Removing any faded flowers or immature flower buds is highly recommended, as this redirects the plant’s remaining energy away from seed production and toward repairing the damaged root system. The green foliage must remain attached, however, as it is still photosynthesizing and creating the food reserves the bulb needs to survive the winter and bloom again.