After Easter, Don't Toss the Lilies: Plant Them

Don't throw out those Easter lilies after the holiday is over. They make great perennial plants. (Photo from arttoday.com.)

If you like plants, chances are good you will buy an Easter lily or receive one as a gift before the holiday is over. But you can make the gift last longer than the Easter season by planting the lilies instead of tossing them once the Easter Bunny's gone.

With some 8 million to 10 million plants coming to market, greenhouses, Easter lilies are the fourth-largest potted floral crop after poinsettias, mums and azaleas.

One of their best characteristics is they can be planted to reappear year after year.

Since their normal bloom time is in June, it's a challenge for the industry to have the plants forced into peak bloom at Easter, a holiday that can occur any time from late March to late April.

Achieving success with lilies planted in the garden is not difficult.

If you want to plant your lilies, wait until they have finished blooming. Then tip the plant out of its pot and gently break up the root ball.

Plant outdoors in a sunny location with well-drained soil rich with organic matter. Good drainage is a key to successfully growing lilies.

Plant the lily bulb 3 inches below ground and mound an additional 3 inches of soil over the bulb. Plant bulbs about 12 to 18 inches apart and water in thoroughly.

As soon as the foliage begins to die, cut the stems back to the soil surface. New growth will emerge.

Like most lilies, Easter lilies like their roots in the shade and their heads in the sun. A thick layer of mulch will provide that environment.

If you are buying a blooming Easter lily for yourself or someone else here are a few tips:

• Look for a plant that is esthetically pleasing from all angles, not too tall or too short.
  
• Choose one with flowers at various stages — some fully opened blooms, some tight buds and some buds about to open.
  
• Select plants with dark green foliage. It's a sign of good health.
  
• As the flowers of the potted lily mature, remove the yellow anthers before the pollen starts to shed. This gives the flower a longer life and keeps the pollen from staining the white flowers.
  
• Cut off flowers as they wither to promote more blooms.