| How do I grow your Oriental mix lilies in containers on my deck? |
| Choose containers with several drainage holes in the bottom. Lilies like lots of room for their roots, so find planters or pots that are at least 12 inches deep. Use regular potting soil to fill the containers, or use one-part compost to two-parts of potting soil as your planting mix. Fill the container part way with mix, plant the bulbs, and top off with additional potting soil. The bulbs should be planted six-inches deep. Supply water until it drains out the holes in the bottom of the container. This will help settle the bulbs and eliminate any air pockets in the soil. Then keep your containers over the winter months in a place that stays above freezing, like in a garage. When frosty weather is over, take the containers outdoors and place in a partly shady area. The foliage should begin to appear when the weather warms, and the bulbs will flower in mid-summer. Lilies like their roots cool and their tops in the sunshine. Water frequently enough to keep the soil from drying out, but not so often that it stays soggy. Lilies never go completely dormant so even while in a protected place over the winter months, make sure the soil never dries out. |
