Proper Timing for Lily Pruning and identifying sections to spare for blooms in the upcoming year
In the world of gardening, lilies are a popular choice for their vibrant blooms and sweet fragrance. To ensure a successful flowering season next year, it's essential to follow some key steps in caring for your lilies.
Liam Cleary, the garden retail director at Old Railway Line Garden Centre, recommends waiting until both the stems and leaves of your lilies turn yellow or brown before cutting them back. This approach balances encouraging rebloom and supporting bulb health through the feeding phase.
The process of cutting back lilies is simple. Wait until the flower petals have browned and started to fall off, typically in August or September. At this stage, remove the spent blooms by snipping just above a pair of leaves. It's important to avoid cutting the green leaves, as they continue to photosynthesize and feed the bulb, ensuring strong flowering the following season. Only once both the stems and the leaves have turned yellow or brown and the bulbs become dormant is it safe to cut the foliage back to a couple of inches above ground level.
Annelise Brilli, a horticultural expert from Thompson & Morgan, emphasizes the importance of not cutting the leaves of lilies too soon, as they continue to feed the bulb and ensure good flowering the following year. Liam Cleary also advises gardeners to leave the foliage well alone until it has died back.
Cutting back lilies redirects the plant's energy, preventing it from focusing on seed production and ensuring more flowers the following year. So, it's crucial to this process.
To carry out this task, you will need a pair of secateurs or garden snips. A garden trug, such as the Heritage Garden Trug from B&Q, is also needed to collect the plant material.
Sophie King, Gardens Editor at our platform, is always on the lookout for the latest garden trends and loves sharing growing hacks for every space. She joined the our platform team as Gardens Editor in June 2024.
When cutting back lilies, it's essential that you steer clear of the leaves while they're still green. However, for flowers that didn't bloom on species like Asiatic or Oriental lilies, breaking the bud off with hands may be possible.
For suitable secateurs and garden snips, consider the Darlac Compact Plus Pruner and Niwaki Garden Snips from Amazon. These tools will make the job of cutting back lilies easier and more efficient.
Remember, removing spent blooms after the flowering period is one of the most important steps in learning how to grow lilies, especially if you want them to bloom again next year. So, follow these expert tips and enjoy a beautiful display of lilies in your garden year after year.
After the flowering season, remove spent blooms by snipping just above a pair of leaves to redirect the plant's energy towards reblooming, a vital step in the process of caring for your lilies. It's important to only cut the foliage back to a couple of inches above ground level once both the stems and the leaves have turned yellow or brown and the bulbs have become dormant.
