Caring for Your Easter Lily after the Holiday

As the Easter season begins to wind down you might be thinking about what to do with the Easter Lily that you purchased or were given fo the holiday.  After the last bloom has withered and has been cut away, you can continue to grow your Easter Lilies’ outside in your garden to enjoy them for years to come.

 To plant your Easter Lilies outside, prepare a well-drained garden bed in a sunny location with rich, organic matter.  Good drainage is the key for success with lilies. If necessary, raise the garden bed by adding good soil to the top of the bed to ensure adequate drainage.

Plant the Easter Lily bulb 3 inches deep in the ground.  Space the bulbs 12 to 18 inches apart in the garden. Spread the roots and work the prepared soil in around the bulbs and the roots. Water immediately and thoroughly after planting to remove air pockets.

Cut the stems back to the soil surface when the original plants begin to die back.  Do not remove the foliage too soon because you will prevent it from storing food reserves. New growth will soon emerge. These Easter Lilies were forced under controlled greenhouse conditions to bloom in March-April, will bloom naturally in the summer.  You may be rewarded with a second bloom later this summer, but most likely you will have to wait until next June or July to see them bloom again.