How to Preserve Lily Bulbs
Lilies have exotic flowers that come in a variety of colors and sizes are a great accent to any garden. They typically bloom in the summer months and remain green until after the first frost in the fall. They have hardy bulbous roots that can tolerate the cold winter months in USDA hardiness zones 3 to 10; however, bulbs planted in colder zones need to be stored during the winter months, as do un-planted lily bulbs. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Wait until the leaves turn yellow before cutting the lilies back. After blooming, they will continue to absorb sunlight and convert it into sugar. The sugar is then stored in the bulbs for the next year's plants. Cut back the foliage so only a few inches remain above ground.
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Cover the planting site with several inches of mulch, such as wood chips, hay or pine needles. This will help keep the bulbs a bit warmer during the winter season. Lily bulbs can stay in your outdoor garden during the winter months and will continue to grow underground. No other preservation is needed to care for your planted lily bulbs.
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Alternatively, dig up your lily bulbs if desired, or if you live in USDA hardiness zones 1 or 2. Use a shovel and dig around the perimeter of each plant about 8 to 10 inches deep. Then pull down on the shovel in several spots to gently push the bulbs out of the soil. Remove any dirt with your hands.
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Place the bulbs, mixed with a couple handfuls of moist peat moss, in an open container, paper bag or mesh bag. Preserve them in a cool location that is between 40 to 50 degrees F. Garages, attics, crawl spaces and basements may work for you. Store new bulbs you are not ready to plant in this manner also. In order for bulbs to become established and grow fleshy roots, dug up and new bulbs should be planted in the fall in USDA zones 3 to 10 and in early spring in colder zones.
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Examine your bulbs every two to three weeks to check for rotting or to see if they're drying out. Throw out any damaged bulbs. Add some moisture to the peat moss if it is dry.
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