Is It Possible To Move Easter Lilies Outside?

Easter lilies, potted flowers sold in early spring, are native to Japan and Taiwan and are popular for holiday decor and symbolic gifts. They are a part of the Liliumgenus and can be transplanted and propagated to ensure healthy growth and bloom cycles.

To transplant an Easter lily, choose a sunny garden location with well-draining soil and amend the soil with compost or organic mulch. Dig a hole so the lily can grow in partial shade and water regularly. Outdoors, plant Easter lilies in fall or spring after the threat of final frost has passed. Cut off the spent flowers and plant the lily outdoors after the blooms have faded.

After each flower wilts, snap it off at the base and remove the stalk to prevent seed development. Plant the lily outside after all danger of frost has passed. Acclimate the lily to the outdoors by taking the pot outside for several days and slowly moving it outside.

Easter lilies bloom for two to three weeks indoors and can be transplanted outdoors after flowering. Individuals wishing to save their Easter lily should place the plant in a sunny window after flowering. By following simple rules, gardeners can transfer indoor Easter lilies to an outdoor space to enjoy them well beyond the holiday season. Once they wilt, they can be transplanted outdoors to your garden or a pot, but they likely won’t bloom until the next year.

Do lilies grow better in pots or ground?

Lilies grow well in containers, with taller types requiring support. Suitable species include Lilium auratum, L. formosanum, L. longiflorum, and L. speciosum, while suitable cultivars include Asiatic hybrids and the ‘Pixie’ series. Plant in early autumn, but bulbs can be planted until spring. Lilies can also be forced into flower for indoor display, with Asiatic hybrids, L. auratum, L. longiflorum, and L. speciosum. These bulbs are kept in a cool environment to flower without natural winter chill, around six weeks after planting.

How to force Easter lilies to bloom?

To encourage the flowering of an Easter lily, it is essential to provide at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. The best spot for this is a bright spot out of direct sunlight, such as an eastern window or a few feet back from a southern window. The Easter lily needs a cold winter for healthy blooms in the spring, which is called vernalization. This process requires exposure to cold temperatures for a period, followed by warming temperatures signaling the lily to begin growth.

Living in warmer climates can be more challenging, but storing the lily in a cool basement during winter can help. Additionally, drought can affect the flowering process, so it is crucial to keep the soil moist but not soggy. Water when 50% of the soil volume is dry, thoroughly, and dump excess water in a saucer.

Can I transplant lilies in summer?

If your lily garden is at risk due to new patio or city road/water/power line work, you can safely relocate them by digging up the entire clump with a good root ball of soil. Fill a hole slightly larger than the required size with water and loose soil to create “mud”. Place the entire clump into the hole, filling in and gently tamping loose soil around the root ball. Use just enough water to firm the soil and withhold water until the soil has started to dry out, typically 7 to 10 days.

This method should only be tried under emergency conditions, as the best time to transplant is in the fall after foliage has matured. Avoid giving the bulbs extra water to cover “transplant shock” and stop watering until the soil is dry at least two inches below the surface.

Do Easter lilies like lots of water?

Easter lilies thrive in moist but not waterlogged soil, and should be watered when the top inch is dry to the touch. Overwatering can cause root rot, so it’s best to water deeply and thoroughly at the base of the plant, avoiding wetting the leaves and flowers. The plant thrives in mild, not-too-hot, not-too-cold temperatures around 65 to 75 degrees during daytime and 55 to 65 degrees at night. Avoid placing the perennial in front of a radiator or air conditioning vent, as this can potentially dry out the plant.

Do Easter lilies like sun or shade?

Easter lilies thrive in full sun to partial shade, with protection from strong afternoon sun to prevent scorching of the foliage. Position the top portion in full sun while keeping the leaves and soil shaded to maintain cool roots. Plant shorter plants or groundcovers around a lily bed or use mulch to keep soil temperatures low. Easter lilies prefer well-drained, organic matter-rich soil with a slightly acidic to neutral pH, but can tolerate slight alkalinity.

Water the plants when the top inch feels dry, never allowing them to sit in water and not letting the soil dry out completely. Watering in the morning allows the foliage to dry in the sun, preventing mildew problems.

Can I plant a potted lily outside?

The answer to whether a potted lily plant can be planted in your garden depends on the type of lily. If it is an Asiatic lily, you can plant it after it blooms, but you should cut off the spent blossoms before planting. Leave as much of the stem and leaves as possible. For example, if you received a potted orange-red pixie Asiatic lily for Mother’s Day, you can now have at least 50 orange pixie lilies in various gardens from that pot. If you received Oriental lilies, they may or may not come back as they are not as hardy as Asiatic lilies.

Can you replant lilies in the ground?

As lily bulbs mature, they require lifting and transplanting to create new stands of vigorous blooms. Most zones allow for easy overwintering, while colder regions require indoor storage and chilling. Lilies, which produce from bulbs, should be divided and transplanted in late September or early October for optimal results. The best time to transplant depends on the zone, but some plants may last longer and should be allowed to remain with foliage intact until the last possible date before frost to gather energy for massive blooms. This allows the plant to gather energy for massive blooms.

How to save Easter lilies for next year?

To save your Easter lily, place it in a sunny window after flowering, water it when needed, and fertilize it once every two weeks. Plant it outdoors in May in a well-drained, sunny site, placing the bulb about 6 inches deep. Dead growth will die back within weeks, so remove it at ground level. New growth usually emerges by summer, with a second bloom in September. Easter lilies are not reliably winter hardy in Iowa, but they can survive and bloom in the garden for a few years if heavily mulched in fall. Remove the mulch in spring.

What to do with potted Easter lily after it blooms?

Lililies, such as Lilium longifolium, should be kept in a cool, well-lit area with good light and water. After blooming, they should be planted outdoors at the same soil level as in the pot, in a part sun area with average soil. Fertilize gently, weed and water as usual, and mulch in winter. Lilies naturally bloom in the summer, but after being forced to bloom this spring, they will not bloom again this summer. Daffodils can be planted outdoors as soon as convenient, and they should bloom the first year after forcing, although not as robustly.

Tulips are less likely to rebloom the following year but will produce foliage. Fertilize gently in spring, and in the intervening years, the foliage will produce food for the bulbs for the next season.

Do Easter lilies come back every year?

Easter lilies, when cared for properly, produce additional bulbs each year. To replant, dig up the surrounding area and remove the new bulbs, allowing the bulbs to continue growing. However, they may not produce blooms during the first year. The process takes about 35 days in gardens, but can be sped up or slowed down by raising or lowering the temperature in the house or greenhouse. Cats are the only animals that Easter lilies are life-threatening, while dogs and horses are not toxic, but dogs may experience a mild upset stomach if they eat them.

What to do when lilies have finished flowering?

After lilies have flowered, cut off the flower heads and allow the foliage to die back naturally. Avoid cutting the stem back until it becomes hollow and brown, as this will feed the bulb for next year’s flowering. Leave the bulbs in the ground or pots, as they prefer a cold dormant phase during winter. Ensure they have plenty of drainage to prevent waterlogging and rot. Tilt the pots or place them under shelter to prevent waterlogging. After a few years, divide the bulbs and replant them all.