Lilies in autumn: care and preparation for winter shelter, pruning

Lilies are perennial flowers that require careful care. To ensure that these bulbous plants thrive and bloom consistently, it's important to follow the rules for preparing them for winter. Timely pruning will protect the bulbs from dangerous diseases, and special shelter will protect them from severe frosts. What care should be taken for wilting lilies in the fall to ensure lush and prolonged flowering next year?

Preparing lilies for winter

Varietal lilies don't tolerate low temperatures well and are prone to freezing. If the plants aren't properly prepared for winter in the fall, flowering will be sparse the following summer. In winter, the bulbs attract pests, and spring flooding promotes rot. Therefore, even in warmer regions, lilies need to be prepared for the onset of cold weather. All preparations should be completed by early October.

Autumn care for garden lilies includes the following procedures:

• stem pruning;
• mulching;
• application of fertilizers;
• treatment against diseases and pests;
• covering the bulbs in the ground.

Pruning lilies

Lilies finish blooming around mid-July, and novice gardeners tend to prune them immediately. Removing shoots too early will only harm the plants. Even after flowering, vital processes occur in their vegetative parts, causing the bulbs to grow and accumulate nutrients. Therefore, it's important to allow the plants to gain strength, which is necessary for frost resistance or rooting during spring planting. Wait until the shoots die back on their own.

Pruning lilies for winter is carried out in 2 stages:

1. In August, the capsules that have formed instead of flowers are removed with pruning shears so that the plant does not waste energy on ripening the seeds.
2. When the stems have withered and dried out, they are cut off at ground level. Stumps up to 15 cm tall can be left. Pruning is best done between late September and mid-October.

Caring for flowers before and after pruning

When caring for lilies in the fall, prepare them for winter. Once the plants have fully bloomed, they are fed with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers: "Kemira Autumn" complex, superphosphate, and potassium magnesium sulfate. Before applying the fertilizer, thoroughly moisten the soil around the plants to avoid burning the roots. Warm water should be used when preparing the fertilizer. The fertilizer infuses the bulbs with nutrients, restoring their strength and preparing them for winter. These lilies are frost-resistant and awaken more quickly in the spring.

In early September, stop watering the flowerbed to prevent the bulbs from rotting. Spray the lilies twice with a copper sulfate solution. This preventative treatment will protect the plants from fungal diseases during rainy weather. After pruning the bushes, add a 20 cm layer of compost or rotted manure under each stump. Mulch will help keep the bulbs warm during the winter and will provide excellent organic fertilizer for the emerging lilies in the spring.

Covering lilies for the winter

https://youtu.be/Y-OHCyOBuCE

Many lily species don't require any special care in the fall. They simply need proper pruning and insulation. Tiger lilies, Asiatic and Oriental hybrids overwinter well in uncovered beds in regions with mild, snowy winters. Flowers growing in northern regions are susceptible to frost damage. It's best to play it safe and cover the flowerbed with a thermal mat. This should be done before the onset of autumn frosts. The optimal time is from mid-October to early November.

Cover for bulbs overwintering in the garden can be made from pine branches, wood shavings, rotted leaves, or spruce branches. In northern regions, lilies are additionally covered with a special covering material, which can be purchased at a store. To keep the pine needles firmly planted and prevent them from blowing away in gusts of wind, they are covered with a layer of peat. The needles will protect the bulbs from slugs and harmful insects. In the spring, when the weather becomes consistently warm, the covering is removed. If it is removed too early, the shoots may freeze during subsequent frosts. If the covering is removed too late, the stems will thin out, and few flowers will be produced.

Which varieties are dug up in the fall?

Wild and localized lily varieties overwinter well in the garden. They need to be dug up every 3-4 years to separate the bulbs and replant them. Otherwise, the plants become crowded, and flowering becomes weak. Frost-hardy varieties only need a light covering to prevent them from freezing. Even harsh winters are no problem for marsh lilies, Daurian lilies, and saffron lilies. In southern and central regions, where winters are snowy and warm, the bulbs are transplanted to a new location during autumn digging. Tiger lilies, martagons, candidums, and OA hybrids can be left in the flowerbed for the winter.

What should you do with lilies growing in unsuitable climate conditions? Exotic varieties that are susceptible to winter frosts should be dug up in the fall. Otherwise, they will die at the first hard frost, even under cover. Oriental, trumpet, and American hybrids should not be left in the flowerbed overwintering, as their bulbs are easily damaged by frost. Asiatic and LA hybrids require annual digging. Otherwise, they will not bloom again. These varieties tend to produce numerous offshoots, which rob the central bulb of nutrients needed for full bloom.

When and how to dig up bulbs

It's recommended to dig up lilies in the first ten days of September. Each variety has its own timeframe. The bulbs are dug up when the plants have finished flowering, turned yellow, and drooped. After flowering It takes 30-45 days for the lilies to replenish their nutrients and grow. Even if the plants haven't wilted by early October, they should still be dug up for winter storage.

A garden fork is suitable for removing lily bulbs from the ground, as it won't damage the roots. Digging is done after trimming the stems. If you plan to store the bulbs indoors until spring, prepare containers or a bag in advance. The process of digging lilies involves the following steps:

1. First, the soil is well moistened.
2. The dug-up bulbs are shaken of soil. They are then inspected for disease. If necessary, any brown areas are removed, and the cut surfaces are sprinkled with crushed charcoal.
3. The formed babies are separated from the mother bulb.
4. Lilies are washed in water, then placed in a solution of potassium permanganate or malathion for 40 minutes.
5. To protect the bulbs from spider mites, they are treated with a rich soap solution prepared from laundry soap and warm water.
6. The disinfected bulbs are sprinkled with wood ash and sorted.
7. The planting material is dried in a shaded place, cutting the roots to a length of 7-10 cm.

Methods for storing bulbs

https://youtu.be/-jBZ8Jma_uI

Before storing, the bulbs are separated into large and small specimens. They are placed in a dark, ventilated area. The optimal temperature is 0 to +5°C. These conditions prevent the bulbs from sprouting prematurely. Lilies can be stored in a basement, or in urban areas, on a balcony or in a refrigerator. lilies can be planted into flower pots. Place them in a cool, bright spot. Moisten the soil as the top layer dries. When the weather warms up, plant the bulbs in the garden.

Some gardeners use a dry overwintering method, while others prefer a wet method. In the first case, the bulbs are covered with dry soil and covered with a water-repellent material. The soil is lightly moistened twice a month. If mold is detected, the bulbs are treated with a solution of potassium permanganate. In the second case, the lilies are placed in a plastic bag filled with damp peat or sand. You can also place the bulbs in a plastic container with wet wood shavings or moss. The containers are sealed with a lid, pre-drilled for air circulation. Lilies overwintered indoors require planting and care.

The main mistakes of amateur gardeners

The lily is a beautiful flower that requires careful care throughout the growing season. Beginner gardeners often make the following mistakes:

1. They do not apply fertilizers in the fall, believing that only flowering plants need to be fed.
2. The stems are cut too early or the lilies are forgotten to be pruned for the winter.
3. Do not dig up varieties of lilies that are prone to freezing.
4. The resulting babies are not seated.
5. Flowers are not covered correctly for the winter.
6. They do not adhere to the deadlines for removing the cover in the spring.

To avoid losing valuable specimens, it's essential to properly prepare lilies for the coming winter. Depending on the variety's characteristics, each gardener decides for themselves whether to dig up the flowers in the fall or provide them with adequate cover. However, it's important to remember to divide the bulbs in a timely manner. Therefore, experienced gardeners sort their planting stock annually and create favorable storage conditions for them until spring.