Hey everyone! I bought some lilies last year, and they grew really well. However, I'm quite new to taking care of them and handling bulbs in general. I've searched for guides on how to split them, including when to do it, what to look out for, and possible dangers, but I haven't found anything useful—just vague advice like "just split them" without any visuals. They seemed to winter okay and are starting to sprout now. Can I dig them out and see the individual bulbs? Is it a good time to split them, or have I missed the window? Here's a link to a picture for reference: https://imgur.com/a/KtZ71ys.
1 Answer
The right time to split lilies can really depend on the type you have. Some varieties produce new bulbs next to the old ones, while others create stolons some distance away from the main plant. If they’re in pots, it’s not as crucial since they’re contained. Personally, I’d recommend splitting them in autumn once they’ve finished blooming, since the old stems will still be there to help you locate them. But be careful—lily shoots and roots are pretty delicate. If you choose to split now, try to minimize any damage. You could also just pot them all into a bigger container or plant them directly into the ground; after just one year, they're unlikely to be congested yet.
Good luck with them! Lilies can be so rewarding once you get the hang of it.
Thank you! That's exactly the info I needed. I have some in pots and some in the ground, and I moved the ones in the ground to pots for winter since I wasn't sure if they'd make it. Unfortunately, my small greenhouse doesn’t have enough room, but I'll plant most of them back out again.