When Is The Ideal Time To Reduce The Amount Of Asian Lilies?

Lilies can be pruned to encourage new growth and maintain their health. The best time to do this is in fall, after the first frost of the year, when the foliage is dead and easily removeable with pulling. If the lilies don’t bloom, cut them back to encourage reblooming. Oriental lilies are typically bloomed in mid-summer, but some types flower in spring or fall. After the flowers fade, the plant produces an egg-shaped capsule containing seeds.

Pruning oriental lilies involves inspecting the plant, removing dead or damaged stems, cutting back after flowering, and disposing of pruned material. Asiatic lilies should be pruned during late spring and early winter, as they are more likely to look gorgeous in the spring-summer months and stay healthy during winter. Deadheading these lilies will not spur another bloom and is not necessary for the plant’s health. However, if you prefer to tidy up, you can snip any fading flowers under where the petal stocks meet the stem.

When you notice a reduction in the quantity or quality of blooms or crowding of the stems, it’s time to divide your Asiatic lilies. In the fall, when the stems and foliage are unsightly, cut the plant back to the ground. In the early fall, use a sharp knife to cut back foliage to 6 inches above the soil line. Prune back yellow stalks after the first frost, as the plant no longer needs the energy produced by the foliage stalks. Once the lilies have finished flowering, cut the flower head off and leave the leaves and stem to die back naturally until it turns brown and hollow.

Using and maintaining proper tools for clean cuts and disease prevention is crucial for effective pruning. Lilies absorb energy for next years’ blooms through the leaves, so after blooming, the leaves need to be left alone.