Things You'll Need:
- Oriental lilies
- Mulch
- Garden shears
- Shovel or garden fork
- Open container
- Moist peat moss
-
Step 1
Store unplanted Oriental lilies in a cool and dry location until you are ready to plant them. They should be planted in the fall or spring in USDA hardiness zones 5 to 10, but only in the spring in USDA hardiness zones 3 and 4. Proceed to Step 5 for storage instructions.
-
Step 2
Cover the planting area in the fall with several inches of mulch, such as bark or pine needles. According to the North Carolina State University Extension service, this is a sufficient way to store Oriental lilies during the winter months in USDA hardiness zones 5 and 6. For warmer zones, they are just fine in the ground during the winter without mulch and for colder zones they should be dug up and stored.
-
Step 3
Cut the foliage back to just a couple inches before digging up your Oriental lilies in zones 3 and 4. Wait until the fall when the foliage has yellowed or turned brown before doing this so the plants have enough time to absorb sufficient sunlight, convert it to carbohydrates (plant food), and then store it in the bulbs for next year's plants.
-
Step 4
Dig the bulbs up carefully. Use a garden fork or shovel. Oriental lilies are planted about 8 inches deep, so dig at least 10 inches for the first bulb to gauge how deep your lilies are planted. Be sure to dig a couple inches away from the stem so you do not accidentally dig into the bulbs.
-
Step 5
Store Oriental lily bulbs in an open container. Bury them in slightly moist peat moss and in a dry, dark location that is above freezing. Temperatures around 35 degrees Fahrenheit are ideal, but they can be safely stored to 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
-
Step 6
Check on your bulbs every few weeks. Discard any rotting bulbs and moisten the peat moss if it is dry to prevent the bulbs from drying up. Replant the bulbs in the spring, after the last frost and the ground is workable.
