How long lilies take to grow

As long as your bulbs are in by the end of March, they will be fine. I always plant lilies in clumps of three to five. Without these numbers you get a very dotty effect. Dig a hole for each group at least 20cm 8in deep. I dig out a trench or shallow hole, taking up as much space as I have room for between other plants. They can also be planted using a large diameter bulb or potato planter. Plant them with the sprout just above the ground and, even if it is bent, it will right itself in three to four weeks.

Drainage is the most important thing. All lilies flower better and live longer if the soil is not cold and clammy. They prefer to have their feet in the shade and head in the sun. On heavy, clay soils, the best way to grow lilies is in pots, either in ornamental containers or black plastic ones that you can drop into borders where you want extra flowers. Plant the bulbs using a loam-based compost mixed with grit, two thirds compost to one third grit.

Water your lilies freely during the growing season, especially when grown in pots. Avoid overwatering. Lilies like to be fed while they are growing. Ideally give them a liquid potash feed e. Tall lily varieties will need support to stop them flopping but be careful to avoid damaging the bulbs when you are pushing in the stakes.

After the petals have dropped, break off the flowerhead or cut back to just above a pair of leaves. Some lilies grow bulbils along their stems that you can pick off in autumn and sow in a seed tray of multipurpose peat-free compost. Pot them on as they grow — and be patient, it can take three years for them to reach flowering size.

If clumps of lilies become overcrowded, they can be dug up and divided in the autumn when the leaves have died back. Carefully dig around the clump and lever it upwards and remove the bulbs one at a time. Shake off the surplus soil, trim the stem back to 15cm 6in and replant bulbs, ideally in a new spot. There will be smaller bulbs too and these can be potted up to grow on to flowering size.

The dreaded lily beetle is a handsome beast but it is also a destructive pest with very poor hygiene. When its larvae hatch they take up residence on the underside of the leaves and coat themselves in their own excrement. They then set about shredding the leaves and a bad infestation can destroy a plant. Start patrolling your lilies as soon as they emerge, looking for the bright red beetles. Approach with caution, if your shadow falls on the plant, or you touch the leaves, it will drop to the ground, lie on its back and be impossible to spot.

Plant the bulbs immediately and at least 8 inches apart. If you buy frozen bulbs, thaw them before planting. Several factors determine when the bulbs will sprout, such as the density of surrounding bulbs, amount of sunlight, temperatures and planting time. These particular bulbs never go dormant, so they'll begin to sprout roots when you plant them. It takes up to 3 weeks for the plant to sprout through the ground. Stargazer lilies make excellent cut flowers.

Remove the anthers, which contain the pollen, and the flowers will live longer in a vase. Fall is the ideal time to plant "Stargazer" lilies in the ground. Grow oriental lilies in acidic soil or ericaceous compost, and Asiatic lilies in neutral to alkaline soil or multi-purpose compost. Martagon, lancifolium and pardalinum lilies are happy when grown in a position of dappled shade and will often self-seed and make a wonderful colony under deciduous trees.

They are all ideal for naturalising. Lilies can be planted from late autumn until early April. Potted lilies must have at least 12cm of soil above the bulb. Bulbs will benefit from extra winter protection if planted deeper. As a general guide plant bulbs 15cm apart and three times the depth of the height of the bulb.

Support tall-growing lilies with a plant support. As plants start to flower feed them with tomato feed every fortnight. This will encourage great flowers and help bulbs to perform well in the following year. Deadhead spent blooms to prevent the bulb wasting energy on seed production. Never cut flowering stems right back to soil level. Just remove the top third.

Leave the stems in place until they have gone brown as they will provide energy for the bulb. This rule also applies when growing for cutting. In this Golden Rules video guide, lily expert Sarah Hyde explains three golden rules of caring for lilies:. After three or four years, lilies will clump up and need dividing. This is the best time to propagate them. In autumn, simply lift clumps with a garden fork and peel the bulbs apart.