Category Archives: Lily Care

What do I do after my lily has flowered?

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This question was asked by
– Sandra S

We followed all directions for taking care of the plant but now after all original giant beautiful flowers have finished blooming and all large petals have fallen off, the dark green large healthy leaves are turning brown. Will they bloom again? Not sure what to do!

Once your lilies have finished flowering, you can stop watering them and then cut just the flower heads off leaving plenty of stem on. Allow the stem and foliage to die back naturally until it has turned yellow and hollow. (This is usually towards the Autumn time.) You can then remove the stem and foliage at this point. Leaving it all to die back naturally will then feed the bulbs, allowing them to flower again the following year.

Leave the bulbs where they are (outside) over winter as they like a cold dormant phase, they just don’t like to get waterlogged as they will rot.

You can then give them a fresh layer of compost in the Spring and feed them with a diluted tomato feed during active growth periods.

Deadheading Lilies

Hope this helps.
The Hart Family

Planting Lilly bulbs in containers

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This question was asked by
– Jake

Hello,

Yesterday I bought 5x Viva-La-Vida Lilly bulbs at the Gardeners World Live exhibition. Please can you advise on the following?

1. What size pot should I use?
2. How many bulbs per pot?
3. Soil/compost potting mix requirements for container growing?
4. Should they be planted now, or wait until a more appropriate time of the year?
5. Planting requirements such as bulb depth/ spacing/ etc.
6. Watering requirements.
7. Over wintering requirements.

Thank you.

Jake.

Plant your bulbs straight away and they will flower this year still, usually in 10 to 12 weeks. They will be just a little later this year but return to their usual flowering cycle next year.

Planting Advice for Lilies:

 

    • Simply plant with the growing tip pointing upwards and the roots below and cover the top of the bulb with 4-6” (10-15cm) of soil (see each variety for which soil type to use).

 

    • If planting in pots, plant 3 bulbs in a 10-14” (25-35cm) ‘patio type’ pot. You can plant more in a larger pot or less in a smaller pot. It really depends on the display you would like to achieve. You can also stagger the planting, using different lilies to achieve different heights.

 

    • Lilies can tolerate very cold conditions but they do not like to get wet so ensure the pot has adequate drainage holes. You can horticultural grit/sand to your soil to encourage good drainage.

 

    • Most lilies prefer to be planted in a location with at least half a day’s full sunshine, if it’s a bit too shady they will lean their stems towards the sun. Unless you have Martagon lilies, as these actually like their head in the sun but feet in the shade.

 

    • Lilies are generally happy in a good-quality, peat-free, multi-purpose compost.

 

 

Overwintering

 

    • When the Lily has finished flowering, cut any seed heads back and allow the foliage to die back naturally. Do not be tempted to cut the stem back until stems become hollow and brown.

 

    • Believe it or not, lilies like a cold-dormant phase and like to be left where they are during winter, just ensure there is adequate drainage so they can’t get waterlogged. Lilies are very hardy and can tolerate up to -20°c.

 

    • Many people have lilies for a cut flower garden, if you do wish to cut lilies for indoor arrangements, then ensure to leave 50cm of stem to allow for another season of flower the following year.

 

 

Care Guide

 

    • To prevent Lily Beetles from damaging your lilies, we recommend using the Lily Beetle Prevention Spray or you can make up your own with the Concentrate. This Spray (Grazers G4) will also stimulate growth of your lilies.

 

    • You can feed your lilies with a diluted Tomato Feed to stimulate and strengthen your lilies when you start to see signs of growth. Make up your tomato feed with half the recommended dilution (written on the instructions on the bottle) and feed once every 3 weeks.

The Hart Family

Lily feed

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This question was asked by
– Mr William j V – 

I bought some Lilies from you and put in pots what should I feed them with as they come up?

Thanks

Hi there,

We would recommend using a diluted tomato feed to help your lilies on their way.

The Hart Family

How to store lily bulbs if I can’t plant them straight away

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This question was asked by
– Georgina – 

My lily bulbs have arrived today. I can’t plant for few days. What do I do with them please? Do I take them out of the plastic bags?

Yes, you can remove your lily bulbs from their packaging and keep them somewhere cool and dark until you are ready to plant them. Even the fridge will be fine. I would advise planting them within the next week or so of receiving your bulbs as they are keen to get growing.

Storing Lily Bulbs

The Hart Family

Dead Heading advice

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This question was asked by
– Lynda W – 

My neighbour never dead heads her lilies. They come back every year strong and fabulous.
I DO dead head but often my lilies seem to get weaker and disappear over a few years.
Do you have any idea why this should happen? We have the same soil. The only difference is her garden gets more sun.

Hi there,

We always advise on removing the flower heads but to leave plenty of stem and foliage to die back naturally to feed the lily bulbs for the following year.

The Hart Family

Can I cut my lilies for indoor display?

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This question was asked by
– Karen –

Hi, I have Roselily Aisha and Roselily Angela and they are nice and tall with plenty of buds on them. I had them last year having purchased them at Chelsea and they were stunning.
I would like to know can I cut them for display indoors and still expect the bulb to do anything again next year?
Also one of the pots is losing brownish leaves, is it too much water?

Many thanks

Hi there,

Yes the browning could be due to the environment around it, i.e too much water, too hot etc.

Yes, you can cut your lilies for indoor display. However, I would advise leaving as much stem on the bulb as possible so it feeds the bulb for the following year. I would say leave at least 50cm of stem to die back naturally. It may not flower as well the following year though.

More information on lily care can be found here.

Anouska

Roselily Anouska

The Hart Family

Soil type for oriental lilies

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This question was asked by
– Sonia – 

I purchased bulbs at Hampton court, please confirm soil type for pots;
Anouska, Angela, Zelmira, Irvana and Aisha ?

Hi there,

All those lilies will be happy in a good multipurpose compost. For best results, you could mix it with 50:50 Multipurpose and John Innes No3.

Roselily Angela

The Hart Family

Feed for lilies

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This question was asked by
– Miss sandra – 

Hi.
What is the best liquid feed for lilies grown in a pot and how often do I feed them?
Thanks

Hi Sandra
You can feed your lilies with a diluted Tomato Feed to stimulate and strengthen your lilies when you start to see signs of growth. Make up your tomato feed with half the recommended dilution (written on the instructions on the bottle) and feed once every 3 weeks.

We also have the Lily Beetle Prevention Spray that strengthen and stimulate growth as well as prevent the Lily Beetles from damaging the foliage.

 

The Hart Family

Bringing on lilies

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This question was asked by
– Roxanne l A

What is the best type of medium to plant lilies in when force starting indoors before moving into the garden?

You could try planting your lilies in a warm sunny position, like a glass house, windowsill of a conservatory etc.

Use John Innes No3 mixed with a multipurpose compost ensuring the pot has drainage holes. You can then feed your lilies with a diluted tomato feed.

Water regularly.

LILIES

Lilies growing under glass

The Hart Family