This question was asked by
– Noel W – 

Hi all, hope everyone is well there, for many years i have always left my potted lilies, the ones I use for cutting, to just die down naturally in the pots under cover in the barn having fed them virtually up to the leaves browning, i lost a lot of bulbs to the wet winters we get here in Ireland a few years back hence the barn storage, the question, is there a better way to overwinter them to get better bulbs in spring, for example remove from pots and dry store them, or would that affect the bulblets and when should the mother bulb be discarded or does it not matter, regards Noel.

Hi Noel

We advise leaving the bulbs in soil over winter. They like a cold dormant phase, so your barn sounds perfect. Give them a fresh top layer of compost each year. After 3 years you will need to divide your bulbs and break off the bulblets and replant them all.

You will notice the mother bulb will get weaker over time, you will then need to replace them.

The Hart Family

This question was asked by
– Melvyn

We were given 5 rose lily bulbs from your nursery earlier this year. We grew them in two 14” pots.They have now flowered and the leaves are beginning to go brown. What should we do if we want them to survive the winter and flower again next year?

How to care for Oriental Lilies
Lilies can tolerate very cold conditions but they do not like to get wet.
Lily bulbs do not like to be dried out so they must be kept in soil at all times.
If planting in pots, it may be an idea to tilt the pots on their side in the winter to prevent waterlog.
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 becomes hollow and brown.
Lilies like a cold dormant phase throughout the winter so they don’t need lifting. However, do ensure they have adequate drainage and do not get waterlogged as this will cause the bulbs to rot.
You can feed your lilies with a 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