Is it necessary to dig up lilies for the winter, preparing shelter, when to prune and how to store

Many summer residents grow lilies in their gardens or flower beds to decorate their summer cottage. These are beautiful flowers that bloom in the first half of summer and bloom for 30-40 days. Before planting such flowers, you need to figure out whether you need to dig up lilies for the winter.

Do I need to dig up lilies for the winter?

It is quite difficult to answer this question unequivocally, since everything depends on the characteristics of the climate in which the plant is grown. For example, if the winter in the region is quite warm, then it is not necessary to dig up flowers. However, despite this, before wintering you will have to dig up the plant in order to get rid of weakened old bulbs that will definitely not be able to survive the winter.

You should also consider the type of lily that is planted in the garden. Some varieties of flowers do not need cutting, as they are resistant to temperature changes and frost. These plants include varieties bred in Asia. Oriental hybrid flower types do not tolerate nighttime drops in temperature and may not survive winter cold.

At the beginning of September they are dug up, transplanted into pots and left until spring in rooms with a temperature of 5-10 degrees.

Preparing shelter for the winter

It is recommended to prepare the place in which the flowers will be stored before digging. It must meet the following requirements:

• Moderate humidity. The dug up plant should not be stored in conditions of high humidity, as it will deteriorate and begin to germinate.
• The temperature is above zero. The shelter should be relatively warm so that the temperature does not drop below zero degrees.
• High-quality ventilation. The plant needs air, and therefore there must be normal air exchange in the shelter.

Flower pruning

Before digging, autumn pruning of inflorescences is carried out. They must be cut very carefully so as not to accidentally damage the plant. Experts advise using a sharp blade or garden shears.

Timing and features of excavation

Digging time depends on the variety being grown, as some can be removed in late autumn.Most often, gardeners remove lilies from their beds immediately after flowering - in late August or early September. It is very important that digging is done after the leaves of the plant turn yellow. Yellowness on the leaves indicates that all the useful components have passed into the bulbs, and the plant is ready for winter.

When digging up lilies, you should not use a shovel, as it can damage the root system. It is better to use a pitchfork, which is easier to dig up the onion. They are buried in the ground to a depth of 7-8 centimeters, after which the flower is dug up and carefully removed from the ground.

What to do with dug up bulbs?

Inexperienced gardeners do not know what to do with flowers in winter and how to properly care for them.

Cold storage

Most often, dug up bulbs are stored in ordinary refrigerators. Before placing them there, you need to familiarize yourself with the features of this storage method. To preserve the plant, its bulbs are placed in plastic bags filled with moistened peat. Only after this can they be placed in the refrigerator.

The main advantages of this method include the ability to control the temperature, thanks to which the bulbs will not spoil until spring.

In the cellar or basement

Residents of private houses and summer cottages prefer to store flower bulbs in basements or cellars. In such rooms, a low positive temperature is maintained at any time of the year, which helps preserve the bulbs until planting in the spring. However, if the cellar is too old, the temperature may drop below zero in winter. Therefore, before storing lilies in the basement, you need to make sure that it is secure.

In flower pots

There are situations when, when storing bulbs at home, they begin to sprout. In this case, you will have to immediately plant them in pots with soil mixture. If this is not done, the seed will deteriorate and will be unsuitable for planting in the spring.

Is it possible to leave the bulbs in the ground?

Some gardeners are afraid to dig up lilies and leave them in open ground. This is quite dangerous, especially if the flowers are grown in northern regions with harsh winters. However, experienced gardeners assure that under dense snow cover the bulbs overwinter normally and do not deteriorate.

It is necessary that the snow shelter be at least fifteen centimeters thick.

If there is no snow cover, the likelihood that the plant will die is extremely high. Therefore, to be on the safe side, the area where the flowers are grown is covered with an insulating layer of pine paws, dry spruce branches and peat. When creating an insulating shelter, it is spruce and coniferous branches that are used, since they are the most reliable. The shelter is removed in the spring, when the frosts end and the temperature rises to 5-7 degrees.

People who plan to leave bulbs in the ground for the winter should remember that this method is used only when growing frost-resistant varieties. This storage method is not suitable for oriental hybrids, as they will die at the first frost. Even an additional polyethylene coating will not protect hybrid varieties from low temperatures.

Mistakes in caring for lilies in the fall and when preparing for winter

Some gardeners do not properly care for lilies during preparation for wintering. There are several most common mistakes that you need to familiarize yourself with:

• Watering. People who grow flowers often water them even in the fall.However, experienced gardeners advise stopping moistening the soil with lilies 2-3 weeks before digging. If this is not done, the dug up bulbs will absorb moisture and germinate in the winter.
• Incorrect feeding. Sometimes gardeners stop feeding lilies along with watering. Because of this, the bulbs do not have time to stock up on nutrients for the winter and die even after being dug up. To prevent this from happening, mineral fertilizers in the form of mixtures of superphosphate and potassium are added to the soil in the fall. When fertilizing, 10-12 liters of fertilizing liquid are consumed per square meter.
• Premature pruning of flowers. Often people who first started growing lilies cut the flowers at the wrong time, which leads to their death. Pruning is carried out only after the inflorescences have bloomed and begun to fade.
• Late digging of bulbs. The most serious mistake that leads to the death of flowers.

Reproduction during storage

Winter is considered the most suitable time for propagation of lilies. When performing this procedure, bulb scales are used. The reproduction process is carried out in several stages:

• Preparation of scales. First, they do the preparatory work, during which all the scales are separated from the bulbs. This is done very carefully so as not to damage anything. They can be separated either manually or using a sharp blade.
• Soaking. The detached scales are soaked in a fungicidal solution or manganese liquid. In this case, they should soak for about 40-45 minutes.
• Drying and storage. All soaked scales are washed with water, dried and placed in a container filled with peat. In a month and a half, adult bulbs will sprout from them, which can be planted in a flower bed in the spring.
• Planting.Before planting young bulbs, they are carefully removed from the peat pot. Then they are placed in dug holes and watered.

Conclusion

Lilies are common flowers that are popular among gardeners. People who want to plant them on their site for the first time must understand the timing of digging up lilies before the start of winter, as well as the peculiarities of their storage, propagation and planting in the spring.