Lilies (Lilium species) are highly valued garden additions known for their dramatic, often fragrant blooms and elegant stature. Achieving a successful display from these perennial bulbs depends on providing the correct environment and planting them at the optimal time. Understanding the bulb’s biological needs relative to seasonal changes is fundamental to ensuring healthy root development and vigorous flowering. This guide focuses on the precise timing and necessary techniques to maximize the performance of your lily bulbs.
The Primary Planting Windows: Fall Versus Spring
The question of when to plant lily bulbs has two primary answers, with one season generally offering a distinct advantage for long-term establishment. Planting in the fall is widely regarded as the superior choice because it aligns with the bulb’s natural growth cycle. Placing the bulbs in the ground approximately four to six weeks before the first anticipated hard frost allows them sufficient time to develop a strong root system.
Root growth occurs even as the air temperature drops, enabling the lily to anchor itself and gather resources before the winter dormancy period. This established root structure provides a significant head start, allowing the plant to emerge earlier and produce more substantial, sturdier blooms during the following summer season. Most popular types, including Oriental, Asiatic, and Orienpet lilies, benefit significantly from this autumn planting schedule.
Spring planting, typically done as soon as the soil is workable after the final frost, serves as a suitable alternative when fall planting is not possible. Bulbs planted in the spring will begin to sprout and grow immediately, sometimes resulting in faster initial growth than their fall-planted counterparts. However, because the bulb must dedicate energy to both root establishment and top growth concurrently, the resulting blooms in the first year may be slightly delayed or less abundant.
Spring-planted lilies often focus energy on survival and may not reach their full height or display their standard flower size until their second growing season. Gardeners who receive their bulbs later in the spring should aim to get them into the ground quickly, as these bulbs have been stored in a temperature-controlled setting. Therefore, while spring planting is certainly acceptable and yields flowers, fall planting sets the stage for a more robust display in the first summer.
Essential Steps for Successful Planting
Regardless of the planting season chosen, selecting the proper site is the first physical step toward a flourishing lily patch. Lilies require a location that receives at least six hours of direct sunlight each day to support their tall stems and large flowers. The soil must be well-drained, as lily bulbs are prone to rot if they sit in soggy conditions.
To prepare the site, loosen the soil to a depth of at least 12 to 15 inches, which encourages deep rooting and helps to stabilize the mature plant. Incorporating a generous layer of compost or other organic matter improves drainage and enriches the soil structure. If your native soil is heavy clay, amending it extensively or planting in a raised bed is highly recommended to prevent moisture retention around the bulb scales.
When planting, the general rule for depth is to bury the bulb two to three times its own height or diameter, which usually translates to a depth of four to six inches. This deep placement, with the pointy end of the bulb facing upward, helps the emerging stem stabilize and may reduce the need for staking later in the season. After covering the bulb with soil and gently pressing down to remove air pockets, a deep watering settles the soil around the developing roots.
Managing Bulbs Received Outside the Ideal Season
It is not uncommon for gardeners to receive lily bulbs during summer, mid-winter, or another time outside the optimal fall or early spring window. The immediate goal when receiving bulbs outside of a suitable planting time is to maintain their viability without encouraging premature growth. Lily bulbs should be removed from any non-breathable plastic packaging and stored in a cool, dark location, ideally with temperatures remaining below 45 degrees Fahrenheit.
Storing the bulbs in a breathable medium such as slightly moist peat moss or vermiculite within a paper bag or cardboard box helps prevent them from drying out. This cold, moist storage mimics the conditions of a natural dormancy period, preventing the bulb from sprouting before the outdoor ground is ready. If a sprout does appear, handle the bulb with care to avoid breaking off the delicate new growth.
If the wait until the next planting season is long, temporary potting is an effective strategy. Plant the bulbs in pots filled with well-draining soil and place them in a cool, unheated space like a basement or garage that remains above freezing. The potted bulbs can then be hardened off and transplanted into the garden once the appropriate spring planting time arrives.