Plant Asiatic lilies for early summer color

 

Asiatic lilies are some of the easiest and most reliable plants you can have in your garden. They are perennials in our area, meaning they come back every year. Not only that, they multiply quickly. Every season you’ll have more lilies in your garden, all coming from your original planting. You can plant lilies from bulbs you purchase in early spring or from 1 gallon containers.

There are several advantages of planting container grown lilies instead of bulbs. First, you can see the plant is healthy and thriving, which means the root system is established. Second, in many cases the plant has started to bloom, so you can see what the flower actually looks like. Asiatic lily flower stalks can range from 18" to over 4'. These stalks are sturdy and typically will support themselves, without the need to stake them. Asiatic lilies will do well in full sun or partial shade. Once you’ve selected the site, amend your existing soil by adding 2" to 3" of compost, manure and peat moss, worked in to about 8". Asiatic lilies like well-draining soils and the compost, manure and peat moss will enrich your existing soil and improve drainage.

If you’re planting bulbs, place each bulb about 4" deep and about 6" apart.

If you’re planting established lilies, dig a hole as deep as the container, add some bone meal, remove the plant from the container and set it in the ground at the same height it was in the container. Fill in around the plant and water thoroughly. In a short time, your Asiatic lily will begin to flower and will continue to bloom well into July.  Asiatic lilies will provide color to your garden just as the spring blooming plants like iris and peonies are beginning to fade. The Lily Looks™ series of compact Asiatic lilies are great for containers, rock gardens and massed together along the borders of your garden. Asiatic lilies are popular with gardeners everywhere because of their low maintenance and big, bright, long-lasting flowers. Here are a few of the many choices of Asiatic lilies:

'Hope',

'Country Yellow',

'Rocket',

'Skyline',

'Ting Padhye'.