Can I plant my Easter lily outdoors after it is done blooming?
Can I plant my Easter lily outdoors after it is done blooming?
Individuals wishing to save their Easter lily (Lilium longiflorum) should place the plant in a sunny window after flowering. Continue to water the plant when needed. Fertilize once every 2 weeks with a dilute fertilizer solution.
Plant the Easter lily outdoors in May. Choose a well-drained, sunny site. When planting, place the bulb about 6 inches deep. The original plant will die back within several weeks of bloom. Remove the dead growth by cutting it off at ground level. New growth usually emerges by summer. Lucky gardeners may be rewarded with a second bloom in September. Others will have to wait until next June.
Easter lilies are not reliably winter hardy in Iowa. However, they often survive and bloom in the garden for a few years if heavily mulched in fall. Several inches of straw should provide adequate protection. Remove the mulch in spring.
Links to this article are strongly encouraged, and this article may be republished without further permission if published as written and if credit is given to the author, Horticulture and Home Pest News, and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. If this article is to be used in any other manner, permission from the author is required. This article was originally published on . The information contained within may not be the most current and accurate depending on when it is accessed.