Easter lily questions

I bought some Easter Lilies, leftovers, bargains, that had the blooms cut off. I have them in the pots they came in, sitting in a sheltered location. I've been keeping them watered and see little ones comming up along the edges of the pots. Should I be letting these plants dry out and go to sleep, or keep watering them for a few weeks longer to give the little ones a chance to grow? What about fertilizing them in the pots? I've given them mild liquid fertilizer from time to time, but usually just water. I plan to set them out in flower beds eventually. Will they survive a zone 5 winter? Do I need to mulch them? What would be their normal bloom time? How tall will they be? Anything anyone could tell me would be great. You can tell I'm new at this. Thanks.

I'm in zone 9, so I can only tell you so much ...

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I "rescued" some Easter Lilies a couple years ago. I had no clue either. I left them in their own little pots, and watered them like every thing else until they started to die back on their own. Then I pretty much stopped watering them (but they still got rain). After they went completely dormant, I dug 'em up and planted them all in one big pot. (There were three to begin with).

They've been there in that pot in full sun ever since. They get watered with everything else, MG occasionally, osmocote at the beginning of spring (February, here). I chop off the dead stuff after it's dead. There are now 8 in the pot (and a few babies). They bloom for two weeks in May. This fall they are going in the ground.

Cheri'

MaryE, first, why don't you go to "Preferences" under "About You" on the menu on the right side, and add your zone so it automatically shows up on your posts?

As to Easter lilies. I plant my new ones in the yard every Easter. Some survive, and some are not hardy even to my zone so it's no waste if they don't because I cannot keep them in pots here anyway. (There may be a way, I just don't know it.) All bulbs need bone meal. I add about a Tbs. or 2 in the planting hole with a little dirt on top so the bulbs don't actually touch the bone meal. Then twice (spring and fall) I give them all a top dressing of more bone meal.

The ones that survive bloom after my asiatic lilies (late June here) but before the oriental lilies in July. The oldest bulbs put out about 8-10 blooms, probably some are from 'babies' amongst the bulbs. They get around 18" tall.