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Learn how to grow and care for lilies in Canadian gardens.
Lilies are show-stopping perennials that bring vibrant color and elegance to the garden. By choosing the right varieties, planting in well-drained soil, and learning proper transplanting and pruning techniques, home gardeners can enjoy thriving lilies season after season. This guide provides clear, senior-friendly instructions to make lily care manageable and rewarding.
Lilies Growing, Propagating and Transplanting
Growing Lilies
Most lilies are easy to grow and a true bulb. Some lilies will be happy with well drained soil, while others are quite specific in their requirements.
If you are in doubt whether your soil has adequate drainage, spread two to four inches of sand or compost in the planting hole. Mix the sand and compost with the surrounding soil. Plant your lily bulb about six inches deep.
With many Varieties and Lily Hybrids - there are lots to choose from. However, my favourite lilies are the fragrant, trumpet lilies.
Lilies look best when they're mass planted in mixed borders and rock gardens.
Some are suitable for woodland gardens or just planted in pots for instant colour.
Planting lilies next to low growing ground covers, ornamental grasses or small shrubs, has its benefits.
When the lilies are finished blooming the surrounding growth will cover the brown dead stems.
You should stake the tall growing lilies to prevent from wind damage. When cutting the lilies either as a cut flower or when they're finished blooming, only cut one-fourth of the stem. Lilies need their leaves to produce food for next year blooms.
During fall cleanup, leave a dead short stub to mark the lily bulb location, even then I still damage a lot of my bulbs by getting carried away with my spring cultivation.
Propagating True Bulb Lilies
There's a few ways to propagate lilies.
You can divide old clumps, scales, bulbils, bulblets and seeds.
The lily that you divide will grow to be like the original mother plant.
I think bulblets, bulbils are the easiest. Dividing a clump sometimes is needed, but I also break a lot of its scales. You can plant the scales and get bulblets, but I'm an impatient gardener and I would rather not do it.
Soil Conditions for Growing Lilies
Lilies prefer rich, well-drained soil. The biggest enemy of lily bulbs is wet soil that stays soggy, especially during winter. A lily bulb sitting in waterlogged soil can rot before it has a chance to grow.
Before planting, improve heavy clay soils by adding compost or other organic matter. This improves drainage while also adding nutrients for healthy root growth.
Most lilies prefer a slightly acidic to neutral soil with a pH between 6.0 and 6.8. However, many garden lilies are adaptable and will grow well in average garden soil as long as drainage is good.
If you are unsure about your soil, a simple soil test will tell you the pH and whether amendments are needed. Avoid adding lime unless your soil is too acidic, since lilies generally do not prefer alkaline conditions.
Fertilizing Lilies
Lilies are not heavy feeders, but they appreciate a little extra nutrition when they are actively growing.
When planting new bulbs, mix compost into the soil around the planting area. Avoid placing strong fertilizer directly against the bulb because it can damage the roots.
In spring, when lily shoots appear, apply a balanced slow-release fertilizer or a bulb fertilizer around the plants. A second light feeding after flowering helps the bulb store energy for next year's blooms.
Avoid high nitrogen fertilizers. Too much nitrogen encourages tall leafy growth but can result in weaker stems and fewer flowers.
Companion Plants for Lilies
Lilies are beautiful when planted in groups, but their stems can look bare after flowering. Companion plants help hide fading foliage while creating a fuller garden display.
Good companions for lilies include:
Low-growing ground covers:
- Creeping phlox
- Ajuga
- Sedum
- Sweet woodruff
These plants help cover the soil around lily stems without competing too much with the bulbs.
Perennials:
- Catmint
- Salvia
- Coneflowers
- Peonies
- Daylilies
- Coral bells (Heuchera)
These plants provide colour before, during and after lily blooms. Their foliage also helps disguise the lily stems once flowering is finished.
Ornamental grasses:
Small ornamental grasses make excellent companions because their leaves add texture and hide the lower part of lily stems.
Small shrubs:
Dwarf shrubs can provide structure behind lilies and make a good background for tall varieties such as trumpet lilies and Oriental hybrids.
When choosing companions, avoid aggressive plants that spread quickly. Lilies do not like having their bulbs disturbed, and constant competition can weaken the plants over time.
Soil Conditions for Growing Lilies
Lilies prefer rich, well-drained soil. The biggest enemy of lily bulbs is wet soil that stays soggy, especially during winter. A lily bulb sitting in waterlogged soil can rot before it has a chance to grow.
Before planting, improve heavy clay soils by adding compost or other organic matter. This improves drainage while also adding nutrients for healthy root growth.
Most lilies prefer a slightly acidic to neutral soil with a pH between 6.0 and 6.8. However, many garden lilies are adaptable and will grow well in average garden soil as long as drainage is good.
If you are unsure about your soil, a simple soil test will tell you the pH and whether amendments are needed. Avoid adding lime unless your soil is too acidic, since lilies generally do not prefer alkaline conditions.
Fertilizing Lilies
Lilies are not heavy feeders, but they appreciate a little extra nutrition when they are actively growing.
When planting new bulbs, mix compost into the soil around the planting area. Avoid placing strong fertilizer directly against the bulb because it can damage the roots.
In spring, when lily shoots appear, apply a balanced slow-release fertilizer or a bulb fertilizer around the plants. A second light feeding after flowering helps the bulb store energy for next year's blooms.
Avoid high nitrogen fertilizers. Too much nitrogen encourages tall leafy growth but can result in weaker stems and fewer flowers.
Ornamental grasses:
Small ornamental grasses make excellent companions because their leaves add texture and hide the lower part of lily stems.
Small shrubs:
Dwarf shrubs can provide structure behind lilies and make a good background for tall varieties such as trumpet lilies and Oriental hybrids.
When choosing companions, avoid aggressive plants that spread quickly. Lilies do not like having their bulbs disturbed, and constant competition can weaken the plants over time.
Division:
Lily Clumps should be planted right away.Bulblets:
They produce on the lily stems just below the soil surface. Detach in the Fall and plant two inches deep in the garden.Bulbils:
Form in leaf axils. Remove in Fall and plant as you would peas.This is when a nursery bed comes handy. Otherwise, comes spring I have no idea where all of my stuff is.
Lily Seeds:
Start indoors and plant outdoors after frost.It may takes about three weeks to see the first lily leaf.
Add your seedlings to the nursery bed after they're big enough to handle.
Scales:
Snapped off the bulb can grown into bulblets if you grow them indoors in damp peat moss or vermiculite. Using Ziploc bag works fine for this.Freezing and Thawing:
This creates havoc with lily bulbs but heaving the soil and damaging the lily roots. Mulching in the fall keeps damage to a minimum. If in the spring you find some bulblets heaved and growing on top of the soil - just plant them back in."Why Are My Lily Leaves Turning Brown?"
- lily beetle damage
- botrytis (grey mould
- poor drainage
- too much shade
Roots:
Lily roots form mainly at the basal plate at the bottom of the bulb, but some varieties will grow their roots close to the soil surface. When cultivating don't dig deeper than a couple of inches. Root damage can increase diseases.Transplanting:
I like transplanting my bulbs in the Fall. By then the bulbs have gone dormant and there's less chance of damaging anything. However, I've also transplanted in the spring without any problems.Lily Pests and Problems
One of the most serious lily pests in some parts of Canada is the scarlet lily beetle (Lilioceris lilii). This bright red beetle feeds on lily leaves, flower buds and flowers and can quickly damage plants if left unchecked.
The scarlet lily beetle is established in many areas of eastern Canada, including Ontario and parts of Quebec and the Maritimes. Some regions, such as British Columbia, have not had widespread populations, so gardeners should check with local sources for current information in their area.
The easiest way to control lily beetles is early detection. Check your lilies regularly in spring when new growth appears. Cultivate the soil to expose hiding beetles. Remove adult beetles by hand and check underneath leaves for eggs and larvae.
Healthy lilies grown in good soil with adequate sunlight and drainage are better able to recover from minor pest damage. Avoid stressing plants with poor soil conditions, drought, or overcrowding.
Other lily problems can include:
- Yellowing leaves caused by natural aging after flowering
- Poor growth from bulbs planted too deeply or in wet soil
- Fungal problems during cool, damp weather
- Stem damage from wind on tall varieties
A little prevention goes a long way. Give lilies good air circulation, avoid overhead watering when possible, and remove damaged leaves during the growing season.
Pests:
Red Lily Beetle and Slugs at homes-n-gardens.com"I learned quickly that lilies are not just planted and forgotten. A quick walk through the garden in spring can save a lot of frustration later."
Other than that, they seem to be pest free for me. Happy Gardening!
Are all Lilies Fragrant?
No. Asiatic Lilies are not Fragrant and have smaller blooms whenOriental Lilies are very fragrant with larger blooms. I have both and love the fragrance in the yard.
Growing Lilies with P.Allen Smith
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