Lilies or lilies are beautiful flowers with a fragrant aroma, and are liked by anyone who likes their fragrance and beauty. Lilies are hardy plants, easy to grow, and easy to care for. This article will show you how to grow and care for them so they can live for several years.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Planting Lilies
Step 1. Find the right place
Ideally, choose a spot in your garden that has good drainage and gets plenty of sun.
- To find a location with good drainage, find the spot in your garden that dries the fastest after a heavy rain. If there is no such spot, plant your lilies on a sloping ground so that gravity will help regulate the flow of water.
- Find a spot that gets at least half of the day's sun. Too long in the shade will make the lilies grow toward the sun. Full sun throughout the day is the ideal amount for lilies.
- Lilies can become infected with botrytis fungus if the planting location is not ideal. Although botrytis can actually help produce wine from some types of grapes, this fungus will reduce the area of the leaves used to produce sugar so that more grapes are produced.
Step 2. Plant the lily bulbs when you get them
Lily bulbs are ready for planting and do not have an outer layer called a "tunic" that protects the bulbs from drying out.
- The sooner you plant lily bulbs after receiving them, the faster they will grow. If you can't plant lily bulbs right away, store them in a cool, dark place (such as in the refrigerator - as long as the temperature is higher than freezing)..
- Plant lilies in the fall or early winter so they will bloom just in the spring, and at the end of the year. The "normal" lilies will bloom the following spring.
Step 3. Dig a hole
Lily plants love the sun, but the bulbs prefer cold throughout the summer. Dig a hole 10 to 15 cm deep, and remember that the deeper the better - as it will not only protect the bulbs from the heat, but will also provide good support for the stems of the lilies.
- You can also plant lilies in a mound of earth. Plant the lilies in the ground, then cover with soil after 10 to 15 cm. This will also help with better drainage.
- Leave enough space between the lilies. If you are planting several lilies at once, space them out in a radius of about 15 cm so that nothing is blocking the sun's rays.
- Loosen the soil at the bottom of the hole, sprinkle bone powder in it, then place the lily bulbs and cover with soil.
- Immediately water the lilies. That way the soil in contact with the roots will become moist and the growth of lilies will be stimulated.
Step 4. Mulch
If the temperature is going to be cold, apply a layer of mulch over the plant to protect the roots.
- Trumpet lilies are most susceptible to cold
- Make sure the mulch you use is free of slugs. These animals like to eat lilies that are just growing.
Method 2 of 2: Caring for Lilies
Step 1. Fertilize
When the lily roots begin to grow, add a small amount of balanced fertilizer to the soil. Lilies are fairly hardy plants and don't require a lot of fertilizer. In fact, too much nitrogen can cause weak stems and in hot temperatures will also cause tuber rot.
- For optimal results, choose a fertilizer used for potato plants.
- Fertilize the first time the roots begin to grow, then again a month later.
Step 2. Give your lilies enough water
Lilies generally don't need too much water, so only provide water when necessary.
- Asiatic, Trumpet, and Orienpet lilies bloom in hot, dry weather as long as there is enough water during flowering.
- Oriental lilies need water during the summer, as these lilies don't bloom until August.
- Providing mulch throughout the summer will help cool the tubers, reducing the need for water.
Step 3. Protect the lilies from cold temperatures
Throughout the winter, cover the lilies with straw or greenery branches to protect the bulbs from freezing.
Step 4. Prune the lilies
During the flowering season, prune your plant, and leave at least 2/3 of the lily stems intact so that your plant can continue to grow well for years to come.
Tips
- If your lily plant has brown spots on its leaves, it is likely that your plant is infected with botrytis, which is a fungus that lives in cold or wet weather. Spray the leaves with a rose fungicide, which you can buy at a plant or hardware store.
- If you plan to cut the lilies, cut off a third of the stem along with the flowers and leave the rest growing in the soil. That way, the lily bulbs will still get the nutrients they need to produce flowers again next year.
- Lilies can be planted at any time of the year as long as the soil is not compacted. In the first year, the lilies may bloom late, but the following year the lilies will usually bloom around June.
- For optimal water drainage, build a flower mound with potting soil. This mound should be at least 13 cm above the soil surface and also large enough to plant lily bulbs as directed. This method will work especially well if you plant lilies in an area that doesn't dry out immediately after a shower of rain.
