How to Care for Lilies in Winter
A comprehensive guide to the knowledge of bulbous flowers like lilies, how to care for lilies in winter, with a detailed introduction to follow.
Although the difficulty of planting lilies is not high, gardeners encounter many small problems during the daily maintenance process, such as how to care for lilies in winter, and whether lilies will freeze to death? These questions related to the season. Let's find out together below.
In normal conditions, lilies in winter should have withered leaves, leaving only the bulbs in the pot. Therefore, the maintenance method is simple: place the pot in a location with a temperature of about 5℃-10℃, and water it slightly once a month to keep the soil slightly moist. By the following spring, they will naturally start to sprout, and then you can maintain them as usual.
There are exceptions. Some gardeners buy lily bulbs in winter, and the plants are temperature-sensitive. If the ambient temperature is high, they may start to sprout. If they have already sprouted, maintaining the ambient temperature is most important, with a minimum growth temperature of 15℃ and not lower than 10℃. In the northern regions with heating, temperature is not a problem. Try to place them away from the radiators and provide adequate sunlight. Watering should be moderate to avoid root rot.
Will Lilies Freeze to Death in Winter?
If lilies are potted, they are at risk of freezing when the temperature drops below 0℃. The cold resistance varies depending on the lily variety, with the OT series being the most cold-resistant.
If lilies are planted in the ground, their cold resistance is significantly improved. There is no problem in regions south of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai, and they can even survive outdoors in the north. However, some points should be considered when planting, such as planting them at an appropriate depth and controlling water in winter, as watering plants in winter weakens their cold resistance.
If the local temperature is too cold, you can cover the soil surface with old clothes, straw, or similar materials for some insulation.
What if there is no heating, and the lilies are potted and it is very cold?
It is also possible to dig up the lilies and overwinter them, but since lilies are not resistant to storage, this should not be done unless absolutely necessary. If environmental constraints require it, you can wrap the lilies in moist peat, put them in a plastic bag, and store them in the refrigerator until the weather warms up.
The above introduction on how to care for lilies in winter and whether they will freeze to death provides specific information that may help flower enthusiasts gain some knowledge about flower care.