How To Lift And Store Lily Bulbs, How To Store Lillies Over Winter

How To Lift And Store Lily Bulbs, How To Store Lillies Over Winter

Lily bulbs don't like sitting in cold, wet soils over the winter and so it is at this time of year, November/December, that I look to lift the plants from the ground. To a certain extent, the time at which I lift my bulbs is dependant upon how wet the ground is, and so I will lift the bulbs a little earlier if it looks like the wet, cold weather is in for a while.
Before lifting the bulbs you should wait until the stems have turned brown.

Tools required;
Border fork or hand fork if your bulbs are planted in the ground
Clean and sharp secateurs or a sharp clean knife
Hand brush
Newspaper and storage box
Plant labels

As Lillies will readily produce small offspring bulblets/cormlets, that are attached to the main stem , you don't want to try to pull the plants out of the ground. If you try to pull the plants from the ground you will find that the stems break to leave the bulbs still buried and with the possibility that you also damage the bulbs too.
If planted in the ground then use a border fork or hand fork to gently lift the whole root structure and bulbs from the ground. A fork is a much safer option than trying to use a spade.
Insert the fork a few inches away from the base of the plant, pushing the fork tines into the soil by about 6 inches (20cm). Gently lever the fork handle downwards to loosen the Lilies from the ground. Watch for any of the small bulblets falling off from the main bulbs.
Place all dug up Lily bulbs onto a clean surface or into a container where you will notice if any parts of the bulb, or bulblets, come free from the main bulbs.

If, like me, your bulbs have been growing in containers then you just need to use your hands to remove the soil that is surrounding the bulbs.
It is a good idea, whilst emptying the container, to check for signs of any pests that are in the compost or hiding under the rim of the pot. The main pest to look for is the Vine Weevil grub. It is a creamy coloured grub that has a brown head, and they love to chew plant roots and bulbs.

For the first stage of preparing to store the bulbs

Remove as much soil as possible from around the bulbs and roots. Do not try to scrap the bulbs as that will damage them at this stage.
Using the secateurs or knife carefully cut away the roots, but without trying to remove all from the bulb.
Make sure to place a label in with each variety of bulb that says which the variety is, as once the bulbs are cleaned up its very difficult to tell them apart.
Lightly wrap the bulbs in newspaper and place the bulbs upside down into a container to allow any excess moisture to drain out of the stem and roots, whilst also allowing the bulbs to harden. Any remaining soil still on the roots will also dry out and fall off.
The container needs to be placed in a dry position, preferably somewhere that is warm but a shed or garage is normally fine.
Leave to dry for 2 or 3 weeks.

Once the bulbs and roots have dried out;
If you have not done so previously then you can start by removing any of the small bulblets that have formed around the base of the main bulb. These bulblets can be put to one side for growing on over the subsequent years, to produce extra plants.
Using secateurs or a knife all the remaining roots and stem sections can now be removed from the bulbs
Give the bulbs a gentle brush down to remove any remaining soil.
Use a suitably sized container that has a lid, and fill the inside base and around the edges with some fresh newspaper. The newspaper will aid in moisture absorption as well as providing some insulation.
Wrap the individual bulbs in fresh newspaper.
Place the clean bulbs upside down in the container to store for the winter period until you look to plant again in March/April.
Make sure to place the lid firmly on the container but add some ventilation holes.

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[SantinaCrolla]

I've just done my Oriental Lilies'. I did mine a little differently, though. Took them out of the pots. Shook off the soil. Trimmed off roots & pulled away any remaining stems. Washed each bulb in a bucket of tepid water using a brush to clean away all traces of soil. Placed them all in a large cardboard box upside down on crumpled news paper. Left them in there to dry for 3 days. In another large box I have a tray of Sulphur to protect the bulbs from rot during storage. I put each bulb or bulblet into the tray of Sulphur and used a teaspoon to cover the bulb in Sulphur. I shake it off, then I drop the bulbs straight into a clear plastic bag filled with vermiculite. There are about 10 bulbs of each variety in each bag. I have labeled each bag & stored them in a cardboard box. I just need to put the box in the shed on a dark shelf now & they will be ready for replanting in late spring. I have to go through the same process with my dahlia's, next. Just waiting for the first frost to hit them before I can bring them in :-)

[meighme]

Really nice and straight forward. Thanks hoping all goes well with winter storage. A nice thing to do so that you can look forward to them in the spring, save money and re-use what is perfectly good.

[linehaullife]

I live in Kansas City Missouri and I have lilies in my front garden. I’ve never had lilies before. The first frost of the season is on its way and I was wondering how to care for them during the winter. I found your video very helpful thanks.

[ampersand.]

Thanks for posting - it`s given me confidence to look after the lilies I bought this year. I`d be so chuffed if they do flower again so fingers X`d!

[mostlysky]

Thanks for the info, so clear and detailed. Very much appreciated!

[milesaway]

I love doing this on a nice Fall day. I lay down a tarp, I have my garden hose next to me and a bucket of water. I dump the pot on the tarp and sift out the dirt the best I can. The loose potting soil goes back in the pot and the bulb soaks in the bucket. After awhile I hose off the bulb, cut the stem and remove any bulblets. Any potting soil on the grass is good for the grass. I dump the dirty bucket water on my other plants. I usually replant them in the garden or give some away. I’m gonna try storing them like this this year.

[monb]

Thank you for such an informative video- getting back into gardening after years of not being the biggest fan !

[TelfordTrace]

Hi, really useful video, I've just lifted my lilly bulbs today. When do you plant them again?

[pennyhoward]

I missed my chance as I was pretty ill with Covid when you posted this video, but I’me keeping my fingers very crossed. Happily, I’ll know when to do it in 2022. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👏🏻

[gfxgirl]

Hello! Thank you for such an informational video.
Just one question.. after I have wraps them in newspaper and place them in pots what type of environment should I store them in some things such as a cool basement or the garage. I live in the United States, where we have very cold winters, so the garage would be subzero temperatures.
Thank you so much

[joythornz]

Thank you, you have very direct and clear instructions which is easy to follow. I want to know once the bulbs are cleaned, dried and wrapped on newspapers, how and where do you store it? Does it have to be in a box, a container and does it need light or darkness for storage? What temperature does the bulbs needs in the storage in order to keep it good for the next planting? Sorry, my first time taking care of lilies (Asiatic ones) hence the questions.

[sheilaclark]

Hi. I have just always left my lilies in pots to die back naturally and they generally come back the next year. This year however, although they grew, they were disappointing and I have cut down the withered stems to ground level, which I know now, too late, this is incorrect! Can I remove the bulbs and overwinter them in newspaper and start again with fresh soil next year - or shall I dispose of all the bulbs ( which are still in the pot) and buy fresh bulbs. I guess they would be a few years old. Your advice would be much appreciated - thankyou.

[Pareshbpatel]

Vary useful video on how to over Winter Lily Bulbs. Thanks.

{2024-10-20} - Subscribed!

[adamburbridge]

Hi, great video. I have a question. Im in the NE England, and have a huge Lily plant in a whiskey barrell planter. Ive had it 5 years now, and in the autumn, i cut it right back, then it grows back bigger and better, every year. I love it. It's in full bloom right now, and looks magnificent. Problem is, the planter is starting to fall apart, and im about to move home in the next 6-8 weeks. It's very heavy, and due to fragility, im not sure the planter will survive the move, so my thoughts are i dig up the bulbs, over winter them, then re-plant directly in the ground inthe new home in the spring. My concern is lifting the bulbs too early. Will i be ok lifting the bulbs in August / sept? And following the process you describe in your video? Thanks

[eleverett]

Thank you for the information! A great friend of mine gifted me and my girls Easter lilies. They are white with pink and burgandy inside. I live in Oklahoma. I have had my lilies for over 20 years in the same space. I had moved a few times since. Sadly, they have gotten smaller and smaller. I'm trying to save them because they have a significant meaning to me. The bulbs were larger when I had to pull them up. It's been 4 years and they are smaller than a grape, some blueberry size! Any advice other than what you have given is appreciated! ❤

[NG-mvwe]

Here in the Canada/Toronto where I live. We have too much snow and rain in the February or March, then if I start the bulbs off in pots inside, how many time do I water the bulbs in a week or month? Thanks. 😊🙏

[kona]

Hey thanks for the information, I noticed a little bulbs popping out of my mulch from the base of a Lily that I planted last year, which led me to this video. I have a question though. After I'm finished prepping all of my bulbs in the fall, where do I store them over the winter? Should I store them outside in the cold in my shed? Or maybe in my basement? Does it matter?

[celenabutler]

Do you just put them back in the pot in the newspaper overwinter or do you put them in a paper bag?

[judystewart]

11/13/23 how do I keep the lily bulbs from drying out? They look like old garlic bulbs. I am trying to store them to move to South Carolina in the spring.

[kimvanderheijden]

Okay, so im new with all this, and i believe i have a stargaze lily, but im not sure. Can you please tell me when you plant the bulbs (if mine has new ones) and when do you cut the stem off?