When Should You Divide Your Lilies?

Lilies, which produce from bulbs, need to be divided and transplanted in the fall for optimal results. Experts recommend late September or early October as the best time to move lilies, and they should be immediately started transplanting once they have been lifted. Daylilies, which are perennials with striking blooms that last only one day, require division every few years to maintain optimal health and maximum flower production.

To divide a lily, dig up the entire plant and carefully pull it apart into smaller sections, making sure each section has at least one healthy bulb. Daylilies are pretty perennials with striking blooms, each of which only lasts for one day. To divide daylilies, wait until early spring when new growth above the ground or until fall when your daylilies have finished blooming. To get started, loosen the ground around a clump of daylilies.

To keep your daylily patch vibrant and flowering freely, divide them every three to five years. If clumps start to get crowded or their blooms are shy, you can start another patch elsewhere or give some to a friend to plant in their garden.

In the early fall, it is an excellent time to dig and divide Asiatic, Oriental, and other garden lilies (Lilium spp). Carefully dig up the clump and separate the bulbs. Most sources say to divide lilies in the fall, and you do not need to use a rooting solution on the divided bulbs.

Dividing daylilies in the fall is essential to prevent overcrowding, as they will have developed a large bulb structure underground after 3-4 years. Daylilies can be divided in early spring, as new growth begins to emerge, or in late summer to early fall. Dig up the bulbs and divide them every few years to avoid crowding each other out.