Lilies Overwintering: Complete Guide

  • By: TheWalledNursery
  • Time to read: 4 min.
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Lilies are one of the most captivating flowers, with their large, energetic blooms and striking reds, whites, and purples. They’re an excellent choice for anyone who wants to add some excitement to their home in the dead of winter.

However, lilies need a lot of special care to thrive throughout the rest of the year. If you want your lily to last beyond its initial burst of color and continue adding vibrancy to your indoor space throughout winter, follow our lilies overwintering guide.

What To Do With Lilies Over Winter

Lilies can be planted in your garden, but lilies will die off throughout the winter period. Instead, you can plant them indoors in pots, as long as they stay cool and above freezing year-round.

There are many different types of lilies. Some prefer to be kept warm all winter, while others prefer to be kept cool and moist. We recommend some online research to find out which type of lilies you have and what it needs for winter care.

If you overwinter your lilies indoors, you’ll need to prepare the pots with proper drainage holes, and then repot the lilies into a free-draining soil.

You can also repot your lilies into a larger pot if the roots are getting crowded.

You should also cut off any leaves that have turned brown or yellow. This will make more energy available to the roots, which will help them stay healthy and survive the winter.

Tips For Caring For Your Lilies In Winter

The best way to take care of lilies in winter is to make sure they have plenty of water. Water indoor lilies once a week.

Also, check that the containers are properly draining. Took must water stored through cold conditions can cause the roots to freeze or rot.

Lilies are tropical plants, so they will thrive when kept warm. When your lilies are indoors, keep them near a window that gets lots of sunlight each day.

What Temperature Is Too Cold For Lilies?

Anything below 0° Celsius lilies will struggle to survive.

Lilies can withstand heat up to 90 degrees Fahrenheit and cold down to near-freezing temperatures. However, they cannot tolerate the absolute extremes of hot and cold.

Should You Cut Lilies Back For Winter?

It is best to trim them after the first frost of fall has passed but before the ground is frozen, but removing the old leaves is not necessary.

On the other hand, some researchers say that doing so gives more energy to the roots and can make your plant much healthier over winter.

Is It Harmful To Leave Leafs On?

Once they turn brown, the plant no longer requires them, but leaving them on does no harm if you choose not to remove them.

How Far Back Should You Cut?

When the lily flowers have faded, cut back the stems to the foliage. Don’t cut the leaves until they are completely brown and lifeless.

Although the yellowing leaves are less attractive, they are still producing energy that the bulbs will use to grow next year.

When should you Lift The Bulbs And Replant Them?

After the flowers have faded in the fall, the bulbs may be gently dug up and divided if necessary.

However, it is a smart plan to apply some compost or other nourishment to the same location where you will be planting.

Can I Use Multi-Purpose Compost?

Yes, lilies can use multi-purpose compost as long as it’s peat-free.

we recommend using John Innes composts as It’s simple to take care of when you are watering or feeding them because they are soil-based. For most lilies, John Innes No. 3 is the best multipurpose compost.

You should choose a large pot and fill half of it with peat-free, multipurpose compost to grow lilies.

Place five or six lily bulbs on the surface of the pot, with their roots in the compost and their growing tips pointing upward.

Conclusion

Lilies can be planted in your garden, but they will die off throughout the winter period. Instead, you can plant them indoors in pots, as long as they stay cool and above freezing year-round.

The best way to take care of lilies in winter is to make sure they have plenty of water. Water indoor lilies once a week. Make sure not to overwater outdoor Lillies, over watering in cold conditions can lead to roots rotting or freezing.

Anything below 0° Celsius lilies will struggle to survive

You should cut Lillies back before winter and remove any dead leave to allow more energy to be stored within the bulbs.

The bulbs should be lifted and replanted after the flowers have faded in the fall, the bulbs may be gently dug up and divided if necessary

When to apply winter fertilizer?