Liles For the Garden
 Liles are one of the most striking and beautiful
plants in the garden, and most gardeners will work
with these beautiful plants at least once or twice in their
lives. Lilies can add beauty and drama to any garden, and they
are very popular flowers for indoor display as well. Lilies
are popular in many contexts, from giving a beautiful contrast
to a winter rock garden, to providing a beautiful accent to
surrounding shrubs and trees.
No matter how the lily is
displayed, and whether it is enjoyed indoors or out, there are
some important things to know about these wonderful plants. This article
focuses on some of the most frequently asked questions about
choosing, planting, caring for and enjoying
lilies.
When should I plant my
lilies?
The best time to plant lilies is in either
the spring or fall of the year. Regardless of the time of
year, however, it is important to get the bulbs in the ground
as soon as possible after purchasing them. Unlike many other
types of bulbs, lily bulbs do not store
well.
What is the difference between a daylily
and a garden lily?
The plant known to
gardeners as the garden lily is grown from a bulb, but the
plant known as the daylily actually grows from a corm.
In addition, the daylily contains many leaves that grow from
the corm, but the garden lily contains
only one shoot that contains leaves. That shoot grows directly
from the bulb.
How deep should lily bulbs be
planted?
The general rule of thumb for many
types of bulbs, including lily bulbs, is to plant them three
times as deep as the bulbs are wide. For instance, a two inch
wide lily bulb would be planted to a depth of six inches In
addition, lilies should be planted in groups for the best
effect when they bloom. It is a good idea to dig a hole to the
proper depth, then plant several bulbs together in that
hole.
How do I propagate
lilies?
Garden lilies are best propagated
through breaking off a few of their scales in the spring or
fall and planting them approximately one inch deep. Daylilies
can be propagated by dividing the corms and planting them. In
addition, some lilies will produce bulbils, which may appear
to be black or dark green seeds. These bulbils are found at
the point at which the lily leaf meets the stem. Even though
these bulbils are not really seeds, they can be planted, and
they will emerge within two or three years of
planting.
Should I cut back my lily after it
has finished blooming?
After the lily has bloomed, it is best
to remove only the stem itself. That is because garden lilies
will continue to feed off their
foliage, and lilies that are left to die off naturally tend to
grow better the next year. On the other hand, daylilies
usually bloom for longer periods of time. The blooming season
of daylilies can be extended if the gardener deadheads
the blooms and cuts back the stems. After the blooming season
is over, the foliage on the daylily should be allowed to die
back naturally.
Can Easter lilies be planted
outside?
Many people are interested in
planting their Easter lilies outside, and it is fine to
attempt that. The main problem with Easter lilies is that they
do not bloom naturally at Easter time. Easter lilies are
actually forced to bloom at that time of year by the florist.
This forced blooming can make it harder for the lily to grow
properly once it is transplanted.
If you plan to
transplant your Easter lily after you have enjoyed it outside,
the following steps will help increase your chances of its
survival.
• Plant the lily in a sunny spot using
well drained soil
• Use a good, high quality planting
mix
• Plant the bulbs three inches under the surface
of the soil and also place an additional three inches of soil
on the top
• Allow enough space for the lily to spread
its roots
• Water the newly
transplanted lily thoroughly
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