When is the best time to dig up lilies? What is the optimal time for digging lilies?

When is the best time to dig up lilies

The editor explains the best time to dig up lilies for small-scale plant cultivation experience, and the editor of the website will introduce to the netizens next.

When is the best time to dig up lilies

Lilies are generally dug up after the flowers fade in autumn, wrapped in paper, and stored in a ventilated place. When the temperature rises, they can be planted again. This is one of its propagation methods. In addition, lily flowers can also be propagated by bulbils, picking the small bulbils that grow and planting them in the winter of the following year. In 2-3 years, many new lily plants will grow.

Do you need to dig up lilies every year

Generally, lilies need to be dug up, and the bulbs can be planted again the following year. If the temperature is low where the plants are grown, it is recommended to dig up the bulbs in winter.

However, you can also continue to care for them without digging them up. After the lily flowers fade, cut off the flower stems, but do not cut them close to the root. Leave a section of branches and leaves to continue photosynthesis and supply the bulbs with nutrients.

What is the most suitable month to dig up lilies

Lilies are a kind of perennial plants that are not only easy to grow but also produce very beautiful flowers in various colors, with fragrant and elegant appearances.

Their blooming period is around May, and after the flowers fade and it enters autumn, the leaves will wither. Many people think that this is the whole growth cycle of lilies within a year.

But actually, after the lilies have finished blooming, cut off the branches above. The bulbs below can be dug up after the flowers fade and can continue to grow and propagate in the autumn of the following year. It is generally planted in August to September, as the survival rate is higher at this time.

If it is for edible purposes, it is usually dug up around the time of the Great Heat festival, choosing a sunny day. After harvesting, cut off the above-ground parts, fibrous roots, and seed roots, and store them in a well-ventilated place.

Propagation methods of lily flowers

Lily flowers can be propagated sexually and asexually. Asexual propagation has three methods: bulbil propagation, scale propagation, and bead propagation, while sexual propagation uses seeds. The following is a detailed introduction to various propagation methods.

Scale Propagation

In autumn, dig up the lily bulbs, remove the dry scales on the outside, and peel off the second and third layers of scales, which should be thick and partially basal. Such scales store more nutrients and are easy to sprout bulbs.

Then wash the peeled scales and insert them into the cultivation soil, leaving half exposed. Keep the soil moist and control the temperature at around 20 degrees Celsius. In 15-20 days, you will see small bulbs appear.

Bulbil Propagation

Lilies have a strong germination ability during growth. The part of the mature bulbs close to the ground is prone to grow small bulbils, which can be used for propagation. Pick the bulbils, store them in sandy soil, and plant them in the spring of the following year. In 2-3 years, they will grow into a new lily plant.

Bead Propagation

Bead propagation is usually done from the end of September to the beginning of October. At this time of the year, some small bulbs will grow out at the base of the lily plant. These small bulbs are commonly known as bead bulbs, and when the bead bulbs turn purple-black, it indicates they are mature.

Pick the mature bead bulbs, plant them in the cultivation soil, cover them with a 3 cm thick layer of soil, and care for them in a cool and well-ventilated place. Soon they will sprout.

Seed Propagation

This is the only method of sexual propagation. When the lily fruit cracks open, there will be many seeds inside. Collect these seeds and plant them in the seedbed in the spring or autumn of the following year, controlling the temperature between 12-15 degrees Celsius. They will germinate in 20-30 days.

The above-sharing specific introduction to when it is best to dig up lilies is for reference by netizens.