Lily Growing Tips

Lilies come in a variety of colors and sizes.  There are border lilies that are mid-sized that may be grown along a walkway or encircling a tree.  

Then there are the smaller lilies; Stella de Oro or happy returns that look good grown in the front of the garden. In the back or in the center grow  Asiatic, Orientals, and tiger lilies in the back of the garden.  These lilies will add interest and height to your flower garden.

If you want to add an exotic appeal to your yard and garden then grow tiger lilies.  The lily is a summer-blooming flower that will produce flowers in July and August.   

Lilies that bloom in my garden.   

Growing Lilies

Lilies are easy to grow. Plant the lily bulbs in the fall.  Nursery-grown lilies are planted in spring after the danger of frost has passed.  

Grow lilies in full sun to part sun in well-drained acidic soil. If you have extremely hot summers then lilies will welcome partial shade.  My summers are hot with temperatures soaring into the 100s.   

My lilies have four hours of the morning sun, four hours of partial shade in the afternoon, and four hours of the late afternoon sun.  I shelter them from the peak heat and they are healthy. 

Planting Lilies

Clear your garden site by removing grass, weeds, and rocks.  Loosen the soil to sixteen inches deep.  Dig a hole that is six inches deep.  Add some bone meal and then set the fat flat end of the lily in the center of the hole the slightly pointy side should face up. 

Backfill the hole with the remaining soil and water the lilies well.  For multiple planting of lilies space your lilies 12 to 18  inches apart.

Tips
When lilies are above the ground apply mulch around them to help to maintain moisture and to discourage weed growth.
In autumn cut your lilies back.

Then add three inches of mulch on top of the lilies this will protect them throughout winter.

 Here are some tips on growing Asiatic lilies in a container: 

  

Container Herb Garden

A herb garden that is grown in a container has many features as it allows you to transport your herbs outside during the summer and bring them back inside when the weather turns cold.  A container garden is also a good choice for a person who has limited space. If you have a small yard or if you live in an apartment that has a sunny balcony a container garden is all you need.

You can grow herbs in any type of container as herbs are not picky and will grow well in clay pots, window boxes, wheelbarrows, terracotta, or even vintage tin container.  Search for unique containers at garage sales, estate sales, and flea markets. The possibilities are endless when it comes to planting herb container gardens.

A few years ago I had a client that collected vintage bathtubs, baby beds, mailboxes, and bicycles.  She had them lying in her gardens as features.  I convinced her to allow me to use them as containers and to grow herbs in them.  I moved the bathtub close to her pond and planted lavender in it.  The vintage iron baby bed held an assortment of herbs; sweet basil, sage, lemon balm, and thyme, with creeping rosemary growing off the sides.  I moved the iron bed close to the patio area and set up a solar spotlight to highlight the herb arrangement at night.  My client was thrilled with the herb container gardens.  

When it comes to growing herbs in containers I would suggest that you use what you have anything that will hold soil and allows the herb comfortable growing space will work, provided that you have water drainage holes at the bottom of the container.

image by freerangestock.com

When you are ready to plant your herb container garden choose a combination of herbs that suit your needs. If you like to cook you may want to grow culinary herbs if you like to make soaps, potpourri, or natural mosquito repellents you would want to grow fragrant herbs and if you like to heal your body naturally you would grow medicinal herbs.  You can grow herbs easily from seeds or from a nursery-grown plant. 

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