How to deal with lilies after they bloom?
Let me tell you about some related knowledge of green plants on how to deal with lilies after they bloom. Here is a detailed introduction.
Lilies are very popular as cut flowers, with a strong and pleasant fragrance. Many flower enthusiasts enjoy growing lilies. Lilies are actually easy to grow bulbous flowers, but if not properly cared for after blooming, the bulbs may become smaller, and they may not bloom the following year. So, how should we care for lilies after they have bloomed?
Methods for dealing with lilies after blooming
When lilies are in bloom and need to be used as cut flowers, you can cut the stem with the flower attached, depending on the height of the vase, but it is recommended to keep at least half of the stem and leaves, not cutting them all off.
If not using them as cut flowers, after the flowers fade, cut off the withered flowers, but be careful to only cut the faded flowers, not the leaves or the stem. Retain enough leaves for photosynthesis, as we need the leaves to produce nutrients to nourish the bulbs.
After pruning the faded flowers, it is necessary to fertilize the lilies promptly. You may wonder why we need to fertilize after the flowers have bloomed, but lilies are perennial bulbous plants, and we need to nourish the bulbs to restore and even grow larger, so they can bloom normally the following year.
If ignored after blooming, the bulbs of lilies consume a lot of nutrients during flowering and receive no replenishment afterward, which can weaken the bulbs, and they may not bloom the following year, or they may bloom fewer, smaller flowers.
After pruning the faded flowers from lilies, continue to apply a high-phosphorus and potassium fertilizer every 3-5 days to help the bulbs recover. When nutrients are sufficient, small bulbs will also grow on the upper part of the stem near the soil. These small bulbs, after one or two years of care, can also bloom.
How to deal with lilies after blooming?
The post-bloom management of lilies should continue until the stems and leaves turn yellow and wither. After the above-ground parts have completely withered, stop watering and fertilizing. For lilies planted in the ground, the bulbs can be left in the soil, making sure there is no waterlogging. For potted lilies, it's best to dig up the bulbs because they can easily rot during dormancy if left in the pot.
The dug-up lily bulbs should be placed in a cool, well-ventilated area and planted again when the weather cools down in autumn. If it's very cold in winter, you can wait until spring.
If you want lilies to bloom in autumn, you can bury the bulbs in well-drained perlite or sand after lifting them, then place them in the refrigerator for 40 days at or below 5 degrees Celsius to help the lilies complete their vernalization. After planting in autumn and germination, they will bloom.
It should be noted that although cut lilies are available all year round, the best time to grow lilies at home is in spring and autumn. Now that it has entered summer, although the lily bulbs available now (C-S) have gone through vernalization and can theoretically bloom after planting, the high temperatures in summer can easily cause abnormal development in lilies, leading to bud drop.
Also, flower enthusiasts in southern regions should note that if you want lilies to rebloom the following year, you need to lift and refrigerate the bulbs in summer, as the natural temperature cannot complete vernalization, and the lilies will not rebloom.
That's the detailed introduction on how to deal with lilies after blooming. I hope you will like it!