You’ve enjoyed the beautiful trumpet blooms and sweet fragrance of your Easter lily all through the holiday. Now that the flowers have faded, you might be wondering, can you replant Easter lilies? The answer is a resounding yes. With the right care, you can transplant your potted lily into your garden where it can thrive and bloom again for years to come.
Can You Replant Easter Lilies
This process is all about helping your plant transition from a forced indoor bloom to its natural outdoor life cycle. Easter lilies (Lilium longiflorum) are perennials in warmer climates. They just need a little help adjusting after their holiday showcase. The goal is to encourage the plant to store energy in its bulb for next season’s growth.
Why Replanting Your Lily is Worth It
It saves money and reduces waste. Instead of composting the plant, you give it a second life. A successfully transplanted lily can bloom again in mid-summer. Over time, a single bulb can multiply and create a lovely colony in your garden. You also get to enjoy its iconic fragrance in your outdoor space.
What You’ll Need to Get Started
Gathering a few supplies makes the job easier. You don’t need anything too fancy. Here’s a basic list:
- A garden trowel or small shovel
- Well-draining potting mix (if repotting)
- A larger container with drainage holes (optional)
- All-purpose, slow-release bulb fertilizer
- A sunny spot in your garden with good drainage
- Mulch, like shredded bark or straw
Step-by-Step: Preparing Your Lily for Transition
Don’t rush to move the plant outside immediately. It needs a period of acclimation. Follow these steps to prepare it properly.
1. Continue Caring for the Foliage
After the blooms fade, snip off just the flower heads. Leave the stem and all the leaves intact. This is crucial. The green foliage is the engine of the plant, photosynthesizing sunlight to recharge the bulb below the soil. Keep watering it when the top inch of soil feels dry, and give it bright, indirect light indoors.
2. Harden Off the Plant
Once all danger of frost has passed and you have consistent spring weather, start hardening off your lily. This means introducing it to outdoor conditions gradually. Place the pot in a sheltered, shady spot for a few hours each day. Over a week or two, slowly increase its time outside and expose it to more direct morning sun. This prevents shock from the sudden change in environment.
3. Choose the Perfect Planting Site
Location is key for future blooms. Easter lilies love sunshine. Pick a spot that gets at least 6 hours of direct sun each day. The soil must be well-draining. Lilies bulbs will rot in soggy, waterlogged ground. If your soil is heavy clay, you’ll need to amend it with compost or consider planting in a raised bed.
Two Main Replanting Methods
You have two good options: planting directly in the garden or upsizing its container first. The choice often depends on your climate and goals.
Option A: Planting Directly in the Garden
This is the best long-term solution for most gardeners. Here’s how to do it:
- Dig a hole about 6 inches deep and twice as wide as the current pot.
- Mix some compost and a handful of bulb fertilizer into the soil you removed.
- Gently remove the lily from its pot, teasing apart any circling roots.
- Place the root ball in the hole so the bulb will be about 3 inches below the soil surface. Backfill with your enriched soil.
- Water thoroughly to settle the soil and eliminate air pockets.
- Apply a 2-inch layer of mulch around the plant to conserve moisture and keep roots cool.
Option B: Repotting into a Larger Container
If your garden soil is poor or you want to keep it portable, repotting is a great alternative. Choose a container at least 12 inches wide with excellent drainage holes. Use a high-quality potting mix. Follow the same planting depth guidelines, and be sure to water it well after repotting. Container-grown lilies will need more frequent watering and feeding than those in the ground.
Caring for Your Replanted Lily
Your work isn’t quite done after planting. Consistent care through the growing season ensures a strong bulb for next year.
- Watering: Provide about 1 inch of water per week, more during hot, dry spells. The soil should be moist but never soggy.
- Fertilizing: Feed every 6 weeks with a balanced liquid fertilizer through the summer. Stop feeding by early fall.
- Staking: The tall stems may need support, especially in windy areas. Use a single stake and a loose tie.
- After Bloom Care: Once the summer blooms fade, repeat the process. Cut off the spent flowers but leave the stem and leaves until they turn yellow and die back naturally in the fall.
Overwintering for Success Next Year
In colder regions (USDA zones 6 and below), your lily will need winter protection. After the foliage dies back, you can cut the stems down to the ground. Apply a thick, 4- to 6-inch layer of mulch over the planting area after the ground first freezes. Straw, leaves, or pine boughs work well. Remove the mulch gradually in the spring as new growth appears. In warmer zones (7 and above), a normal layer of mulch is usually sufficient.
Common Problems and Simple Solutions
Even with good care, you might encounter a few issues. Here’s what to look for.
Yellowing Leaves
Some yellowing of older leaves is normal. If many leaves are yellowing quickly, it’s often a sign of overwatering or poor drainage. Check your soil moisture and ensure the planting site or container drains freely.
Lack of Blooms Next Season
If your lily grows leaves but no flowers the following year, it usually means the bulb didn’t store enough energy. This can happen if the foliage was removed too early the previous year. It can also be caused by insufficient sunlight or lack of fertilizer. Be patient; it may bloom the second year after transplanting.
Pests to Watch For
Keep an eye out for red lily leaf beetles (bright red insects) and their larvae, which can skeletonize leaves. Hand-pick them off or use an appropriate organic insecticide. Aphids can also be a problem but are easily managed with a strong spray of water from the hose.
FAQ About Easter Lily Care
Can I save my Easter lily for next year indoors?
It’s very challenging. Easter lilies require a specific cold dormant period to rebloom, which is hard to replicate indoors. For most gardeners, replanting them outdoors is the much more reliable method.
How long will it take for my replanted lily to bloom again?
When planted outdoors, your lily will adjust to it’s natural cycle. It will likely bloom in mid to late summer of the same year you plant it. After that, it should settle into blooming in early summer each subsequent year.
Are Easter lilies poisonous to pets?
Yes. All parts of the Easter lily plant are highly toxic to cats, and can cause kidney failure. They are also toxic to dogs, though less severely. If you have pets, ensure you plant them in an area your animals cannot access.
Should I divide the bulbs when I replant?
Not initially. Just replant the entire root ball as is. After a few years in the garden, if the clump becomes crowded and flowering decreases, you can dig up the bulbs in the fall, gently separate the offsets (smaller baby bulbs), and replant them.
My lily is tall and leggy. Is that normal?
Potted holiday lilies are often grown to be tall for display. Once in the garden with stronger sunlight, future growth should be more stocky and sturdy. You can stake the plant if it seems to be leaning to much.
Replanting your Easter lily is a rewarding project that extends the life of a beautiful plant. By following these steps—caring for the foliage, hardening it off, choosing a sunny spot, and providing consistent aftercare—you give that holiday bulb a permanent home. With a little patience, you’ll be rewarded with graceful, fragrant blooms that mark the arrival of summer in your garden for seasons to come.