Lily Bulbs
Lilies can easily be grown in the ground or in pots! It is very important to plant them right away as they have already begun sprouting. The bulbs are packed with coco coir, so you’ll need actual soil, since coir has no nutrients to help your bulbs grow.
Handle your bulbs carefully - the sprouts and long roots can be fragile and the bulbs do not have a protective layer like most bulbs and should NOT be allowed to dry out.
Lillies need a deep container or at least an 8” hole. Pick an area with good drainage, or add rocks to the bottom of a container. Bulbs will not tolerate soggy conditions and could rot. Pick an area with full sun, or at least 6-8 hours of early sun. In hot climates, they should be shaded from afternoon heat.
Lilies don’t tale up a lot of space, but keep each bulb in a separate container (unless using a large pot) or give them about 8-12” between plants. Leaves and flowers don’t come out far on the stem but they do better with sun and air circulation all over.
If fertilizing, add some to the bottom of your hole, then add a few handfuls of dirt and spread the roots over the small hill at the bottom of the hole. Your bulb should ideally sit about 6” down in the hole. Fill in the hole, water well, and side dress with a non-nitrogen heavy fertilizer when buds begin to form.
Once your lilies flower, it is up to you if you decide to cut them. However, if you cut the flowers, the bulb will not gain the necessary energy needed to bloom the second year, and may not flower again for 2 years. Once the blooms fade, remove the spent flowers, leaving the stem intact. When the foliage turns completely yellow in mid-late fall, cut to the ground. In milder climates, bulbs can be left in the ground year round. However, if your ground typically freezes in winter, it is better to dig up the bulbs (or keep them in containers) before the first freeze. Store them in soil in an insulated garage or basement until it warms again.
Lilies propagate with offsets that peel away from the main bulb (they look sort of like a peel or a chunk of garlic) that will sprout roots and become a whole new plant. Offsets typically do not bloom in their first year because they have no stored energy, and they spend the first year making a proper bulb. Gently separate the offsets and store with your other lilies until spring and get even more plants! If you don’t dig up your lilies, division is usually best done every 2-3 years or your plants will clump.