Garden

[wagirl]

I love the fragrant lilies and plant a few new ones every year, in huge pots on my back deck. Should have dozens of plants coming back but only a few grow back each year. So my question is--- should I dig the bulbs up in the late fall to store and re pot in early spring? Pots are stored outside under covered deck. I'm in west Wa state. 

Thanks

[JustJazzmom]

The bulbs do best in the ground -- they do naturalize (create more bulbs)  over time, but I do understand with deer and other mammals liking to eat them so I can see why you want to keep them in pots. With that in mind, keep the pots outdoors as the bulbs need to be chilled for a specific time frame (about 6 weeks) to create the buds.

Containerized lilies also might rot away due to the water always being added to the pot. Hopefully you have drainage holes in your pots. 

[pattypeep]

@wagirl Are you speaking of star gazer lilies? If so, I live in Western WA also and I leave my bulbs in the ground all year.

[JustJazzmom]

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@pattypeep wrote:

@wagirl Are you speaking of star gazer lilies? If so, I live in Western WA also and I leave my bulbs in the ground all year.

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Star Gazer lilies are a true lily like other Asiatic lilies (the white ones seen at Easter are also Asiatic) 

Not to be confused with Oriental lilies. Yeah, I wonder why the two lilies (Asiatic vs. Oriental) have 2 different names. Will have to google why.

[wagirl]

twopeas -- yes I have the star gazer as well as the asiatic/ oriental. 

No they don't get water this time of year. Should I replace old soil with fresh every spring?

[pattypeep]

@wagirl I'm not sure about the watering, but I would think some may be needed. @JustJazzmom might better answer this question. As for new soil, it seems logical to refresh the soil and I am planning to dig mine up, refurbish the soil and replant. Hope I don't kill lthem. I suspect, as with other bulbs, they regain their strength by using up what is in their stems and stalks. My whole area where mine are needs to be amended, anyway.

[wagirl]

twopeas--I'm not really a gardener, more a wanna be. However this year may be more difficult to do much---I broke my wrist in that ice rain thing we had a few weeks ago, so am one armed for awhile. I live in Woodinville; where are you?

[pattypeep]

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@wagirl wrote:

twopeas--I'm not really a gardener, more a wanna be. However this year may be more difficult to do much---I broke my wrist in that ice rain thing we had a few weeks ago, so am one armed for awhile. I live in Woodinville; where are you?

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@wagirlIf I step out on my deck, I can see the Seattle sky line, including the space needle. I'm so sorry that you broke your wrist. It seems to take a long time to heal a wrist. I vaguely recall my dad taking us to Woodinville to visit relatives many years ago. I don't know the name. I've not remained close to distant relatives. I had a bad issue with a knee last year that kept me from gardening, so I hired some guys to help. I'm looking forward this year to working myself more, but have to be careful with my knees because I will be needing knee replacements in the future. If I remember correctly, you went through breast cancer. I did as well back in 2001. I feel blessed to have remained healthy and I pray the same for you.