Lilies (SF)
Hardy in zones 3-8
Plant Lily bulbs as soon as possible. Lilies can be planted in your garden in very early spring or up to a month before soil freeze-up. Do not allow the bulbs to dry out before planting. Store them in your refrigerator and keep moist until planting time.
All lilies must have excellent drainage. They thrive where they get full sun on their tops but will also adapt to light shade. Plant them among leafy perennials, annuals or ground cover to keep the roots cool in summer. A 2" deep mulch is also helpful. All lilies benefit from extra water during dry spells.
Space bulbs 6" apart and 6" deep (or 3 times the thickness of the bulb), preferably in groups of 3-6. The tallest varieties belong at the back of the border and may need staking. Shorter varieties are splendid as a mid-border or in clumps among shrubs or ornamental grasses. Remove spent flowers but do not cut stalks after blooming; wait until the foliage has turned yellow. The foliage of adjacent perennials can camouflage the ripening process.
Asiatic lilies increase quickly and may need dividing when the clumps become crowded or too large for their space. To divide them, lift the entire clump in fall after the foliage has died, pry the bulbs apart and reset them.
