Lily care
Welcome to our comprehensive guide on Lily care! At Bloom & Wild, we understand that nurturing and maintaining the beauty of your lilies can be a rewarding yet delicate task. Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just starting to cultivate these exquisite flowers, this page is your go-to resource for all things "lily care." We've gathered essential tips, insights, and expert advice to help you ensure your lilies thrive and grace your space with their stunning blooms. Whether you have Asiatic, Oriental, or any other variety of lilies, you'll find valuable information here to make your lily care experience a success. Let's embark on a journey to discover the secrets of growing and nurturing these enchanting flowers.
When should you plant lilies?
Lilies are great flowers for the garden and very easy to look after! If you want to plant your own, you can bury the bulbs any time from early autumn through to spring. Ideally, autumn is the best time to plant your lily bulbs as this gives the roots enough time to settle in before the cold winter hits to give your lilies a better chance of blooming in the summer.
Where do lilies like to grow?
Lilies are grown outdoors from the bulb. In nature, they grow in bright sunny spots and tend to bloom in summer and autumn (depending on the type of lily). Although they look fabulous in a garden, they also make great cut flowers as their blooms can last up to three weeks! Impressive, we know. This is because the florist cuts and sends them to you while they’ll still be in bud to protect their delicate petals (and give you extra days to enjoy your flowers).
Are lilies poisonous to pets like cats and dogs?
Yes - lilies are known to be highly toxic to cats, so if you have any feline friends in your home, we recommend that you don’t have lilies around.When it comes to dogs, you will probably want to steer clear of lilies too. Although deadly lily poisoning is rare in dogs, there are lots of other reactions that can occur if they get their paws on your fresh bouquet.Although it’s true that there are varieties of lilies that are non-toxic to dogs (The Pruvian, Tiger Lily and Easter Lily to name a few), they can still cause nasty digestive reactions if eaten by a curious canine. To avoid any upset tummies, we have crafted a selection of pet friendly blooms that are perfect for those with pets.
How to care for a peace lily?
Peace lilies are loved for their glossy leaves and elegant white flowers. In recent years they’ve become a bit of a cult houseplant because of their easy-going nature.When it comes to caring for your peace lily, remember that they’re tropical plants that are comfortable on a forest floor. For this reason, your lovely peace lily will thrive in high humidity and low sunlight (but if you want bright-white blooms, the more sunlight the better!)Day-to-day care is pretty simple with a peace lily. She’s a hardy sort and only requires enough water to keep the soil moist. Temperatures above 16 degrees are ideal for peace lilies. And once you’ve found a spot that suits, the maintenance is minimal for such a beautiful bloom.
What do you do when lilies have stopped flowering?
You can expect your lilies to bloom once a season, but when that time is over you will need to take away the faded flower. Simply snip the dead flowers from the plant once it’s stopped flowering so that it doesn’t continue to waste energy trying to make seeds.When taking the flower off, be sure to protect the leaves as these need to stay intact to provide nourishment for next season’s blooms.
White lilies symbolise purity and rebirth
1) We love lilies, but once they’ve opened and bloomed, they can shed a bit of pollen. To avoid staining, pinch off the stamens (the yellow or orange bits in the centre of the flower). To remove a stain from clothes (which can be difficult), pat the stained area with sticky tape and never wet the stain.2) Before you even put them in water, trim 3-5cm off the ends of the stems at an angle. This gives the cut ends as much surface area as possible, so when you pop them in a vase with water, they can drink up as much water as possible.3) Fill your vase ¾ full of clean water and stir in your flower food.4) Re-trim your stems 3cm and refresh the vase water (and flower food) every few days so that it’s not an effort for them to drink nice clean (bacteria free) water.5) Keep your bouquet away from areas of direct sunlight (like window sills) and heat sources (like radiators). Cut lilies will dehydrate and fade faster in these situations! Try popping them on a coffee table away from a window instead.6) When it comes to caring for peace lilies, remember that they are in fact tropical plants so your peace lily will thrive in high humidity and low sunlight. But if you want bright-white blooms, the more sunlight the better!
How should you arrange lilies?
1) Cut your stems into 4 different heights (like stadium tiers). Trim at least 3-5cm off the tallest, then use the height of your vase to guide the shortest (you’ll want the smallest flower heads to sit a few cm above the rim of your vase).2) Criss-crossing any foliage into your vase first (creating a tipi-like structure). This can be used as a support system for your flowers when you add them!3) For a really full look, style your bouquet from one side only. It’s what the experts call a front-facing bouquet. So as you start arranging, don’t spin your vase as you add the flowers.4) Pop your tallest lilies in the back of your vase. The two medium heights in the middle and finish by adding your shortest lilies at the front.For more information on lilies, visit our 5 frequently asked questions about lilies..Lilies are known to be highly toxic to cats and so we strongly suggest that our bouquets that contain lilies are not sent to cat owners. For a full list of flowers that are and aren't toxic to pets, visit our pet safe FAQs. You can also shop our pet friendly flowers.