UK gardeners urged to avoid 1 thing while planting lilies
Lilies can transform any garden, but a common mistake could hinder their growth. Uncover the expert advice that could make all the difference for your blooms.
A horticultural expert has warned amateur gardeners of the one commonly overlooked mistake they must avoid when planting lilies.
Lilies are one of the easiest ways to spruce up even the dullest of gardens and are a firm favourite amongst even the most novice of gardeners as they offer a beautiful, low-maintenance option for your lawn.
The plant is quite forgiving and can reliably bloom year after year once established, but some of the most common mistakes which hamper its growth occur at the planting stage.
Horticultural advice channel, Walking Talking Gardeners, on YouTube, shares various videos explaining how to elevate your garden and take proper care of your plants.
Hosts Lorna and Simon both share an extensive list of expertise and experience, with the latter holding an honours degree in Commercial Horticulture also from Greenwich University, studying under the esteemed Douglas Harris, Head Gardener for the Rothschild's Estate, in Buckinghamshire.
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Simon also commands more than 25 years of experience in the horticultural industry and shared the key mistakes to avoid when introducing lilies to your plot.
In a video focusing on Canna Lilies, Simon notes that there are "generally two ways that one would buy Canna Lilies and that is as pre-packs in the Spring or as plants that are flowering in a pot at the local garden centre."
He adds that buying the pre-packed option may pose problems, as "you cannot be sure what that plant is in that bag" when purchasing.
"If you absolutely want to get the right plant for your money, then you are going to need to buy plants in pots...in your garden centre," He adds.
But, the mistake to avoid when planting the lilies pertains to pre-packed tubers and how to use them.
"If you're buying early in Spring, once you've taken them out of the pack, don't plant them directly into the ground," he warns.
"It is not going to be warm enough for them to initiate sprouting and roots. When you get them, plant them in a pot and put that pot in the warmth, preferably a greenhouse.
"But, certainly, somewhere with minimum temperatures of about 10 °C because, as soon as it hits 10 °C, it's going to start growing.
"[If] You put them in the ground and you're going to have a massive delay before that thing starts sprouting, and that means you're going to have a massive delay later on in the year before it starts flowering.
"So, if you want it to get big and you want early flowering, then put those tubers in a pot, put that pot somewhere warm...once temperatures are great outside, harden them off and put them in the ground."
Another tip the expert handed out for growing your Canna Lilies includes watering them regularly to establish them quickly.
"Give it a good bucket of water, once a week to really get it going...they are drought-resistant, but if you want them to grow, if you want it to look floriferous, then make sure you give them extra water."
