March 28, 2013

Here is a tip for what to do with your Easter lily when it is done blooming.  Do not throw it away.  You can save the bulb and plant it outdoors…..

 Post-holiday care is easy. After the flowers fade, remove the lily flowers and clip any browning leaves. Place the plants in a sunny area and water as the foliage matures. As soon as the danger of frost is past, plant the lily in a sunny, well-drained garden spot. Place the bulbs a few inches deeper than they were in the pot. Fertilize with an all-purpose garden fertilizer at this time.

The old top will wither and die, but soon afterwards, new shoots should emerge and the plant will bloom again in July or August.  This is the natural bloom time.  The lilies are forced to bloom for Easter.  The Easter lily is not always reliably hardy, and may not make it through a harsh winter.