Lily bulbs can be planted anytime the ground is not frozen solid and is dry enough to dig a hole without making clods. In the mild climates, they can be planted in the fall and early winter and you can expect flowers starting that spring. If you plant in the early spring, the flowering stems will produce later and the stems may be a little shorter than usual if hot weather comes quickly. The following winter will automatically reset the lilies' clocks regulating them to the standard blooming time. Lilies bloom at similar times to when the roses begin to flower.

Plant your bulbs as soon as you are able. If you can’t plant them right away, store them in a cool-but-not-frozen place above 28°F. Your garage is a good place for temporary storage. Keep the bulbs in the dark because exposure to light will make them sprout quickly, and then they must be planted right away.

If you want to make up for a late start, you can pot your bulbs and leave them in a "root cellar" environment until sprouts appear. They will begin to form roots at very cool temperatures, as long as moisture is adequate. When it is warmer, you can move the pots outside or transplant the rooted mass with its emerging shoot right into the garden.

The planting spot should have good drainage with at least half a day of sun. If it's too shady, the stems will lean a little toward the light. Full sun is necessary if you are doing mass plantings. Since lilies can be bothered by botrytis, a fungus that spots the leaves in prolonged cool, wet weather, choose to plant your lilies in a spot where after a rain, it dries out quickly.

Plant the bulbs 4" to 6" deep. In the summer they prefer to stay cool, so deeper planting is a good idea. Deeper-planted bulbs will be really well anchored, with roots above and below the bulb. Another way to accomplish deeper planting is to make a raised bed. This also assures superb drainage, which is important for lilies. A radius of at least 6" per bulb gives each stem some elbow room.

Loosen up the soil at the bulb and lightly pat the soil on the top and once the warm sun starts to hit the planting spot regularly, the little shoots with start to rise. If you want to fertilize, put on a little well-balanced fertilizer at emergence time and then about a month later. Lilies do not actually need to be feed unless your soil is really poor. Too much nitrogen can produce lush leaves but weak stems, and bulb rot can occur in hot, wet areas; so do not overdo it. Lilies only rarely need more water after flowering. The Asiatics, Trumpets, and Orienpets are well adapted to dry summer areas, if they have enough water until flowering time. Since the Orientals don't flower until August, they will need watering during hot, dry summers. Mulch your lilies in the summer to help keep the bulbs cool and the watering to a minimum.

Lilies bring beauty, color, fragrance, and enjoyment to your garden for many years.