Lilies are summer-flowering bulbs that display their colours in June and July. Plant them in autumn, between October and December, or in spring before April. But do make sure that you don't plant them during the frosts. Freezing temperatures could kill the bulbs. It is still recommend that you put lilies in the ground as soon as possible. The earlier you plant them, the longer they have to root and the stronger they will become due to the lower temperatures. This will ultimately produce plants that are stronger and grow taller with larger flowers.
Lilies like plenty of sun as long as their feet are cool. So, plant the bulbs in a spot with plenty of sunlight that you can cover over if necessary. Make sure that the soil is always slightly damp. The ground must be well aerated and drained so the bulbs can grow properly. Mix the soil with fresh potting soil or fertiliser to improve its quality. Be sure that you read the packaging before planting. Some varieties can tolerate chalky soil well, while others can't. If you aren't sure, then choose a slightly acidic soil. All lilies will grow well in this type of soil. A pH test will tell you how acidic your soil is.
Use a handy trowel or a special bulb planter to plant the bulbs. Dig a hole that is three times as deep as the height of the lily bulb and position each one with its pointed end facing upwards and its roots downwards. Place them around 20 to 25 cm apart. If you are covering a large surface area, dig a big hole first and plant all the lily bulbs at the same time. Fill the hole in with potting soil for flower bulbs and tamp down gently. If the soil feels very dry, give it a bit of water. Generally speaking, lily bulbs can handle cold weather. However, it is best to protect them with bubble wrap in extremely cold temperatures, rainfall or in strong winds.
Planting lilies in a pot
