How to overwinter Oriental lilies in large containers

Hi--you are all such experts; I am embarrassed to ask such basic questions but I haven't found the answers to my satisfaction in my reading.
I have 12 Oriental lilies, un-named because they came from a White Flower Farm collection called "A Perfumed Garden."
I planted them last fall in large containers (three 12-inch) and a 3 ft. long raised bed. They bloomed ( and were scented) beautifully in late June and July and won my heart completely. Now they are winding down--beginning to turn brown. What do I do to overwinter them? So far I know that I can cut off the completely brown stalk (but not till then), but how do I overwinter them--in their pots in an unheated garage? Outside, in their pots in zone 7a? Do I keep watering until the ground/pots freeze? As you can see, I am clueless.
Thanks in advance.
--Emily, who is a newbie to "winter," having recently moved from central coast CA

Can you plant them in the ground? That would work.
I have had success with containers in the garage, just this year, without problems. I watered until early winter then again in spring, otherwise I just let them be.

This message was edited Oct 3, 2006 7:09 PM

Thanks, Magnolialover, for the information about keeping yours in the garage. I guess what confuses me is that last fall I just planted them in their containers and there they sat, outdoors, all winter, with little caps of snow, until they began to sprout in the spring. I am wondering if this would work again this winter. . .or if I just lucked out with them, and now they need more specialized treatment, like being kept in a garage-type environment.
I COULD plant them out but I am reluctant because I like being able to move the pots up close and personal onto my deck. . . but I want to do what's right for my babies.

Zone 7 is different than Zone 5. It may work for you outside. Here they would get damage. Maybe you'll hear some advice on that from someone closer to your Zone.

www.plantlilies.com has an interesting approach to burying lilies in pots for the winter. They are in Canada and are retail lilly growers, so I figure they know. I do know people that leave pots of lilies outside in a sheltered spot with success, but I have had too many pots crack to do this. However, I think in zone 6 you should be able to put the pots in the garage with success. Patti

Thank you, everybody, for your advice. bbrookrd, I read that link to plantlilies.com with fascination. They make it sound easy --and I note that they always use black plastic 2-gal. pots, which presumably won't crack. What I'm gradually coming to understand is that it's not the freezing of the soil that is potentially damaging, but the alternate freezing and thawing--"frost heave" I believe it is called.
I think I will bring the pots in to the garage (DH will not be pleased because he thinks that the garage is HIS realm and it is packed with car-stuff!) I'll wait till all foliage is brown, and then clip it off and leave them alone until. . .March? April? How do you know when to resume watering?
Thanks so much for the help.
--Emily

Hi Emily!
A lady I do gardening work for here in town had 18"diameter clay pots potted with Oriental lilies. They sat for 2 years in the same spots and bloomed beautifully both years. I was amazed, because she'd done little to maintain them. Having seen that, I think your zone would be pretty safe.
Neal

I buried 42 2gall. pots today. Not all orientals. Many that will go into a garden bed I haven't finished yet - and time marches on here. Don't know how many more days we will get before a really hard frost. Still picking tomatoes daily. In October -- amazing. Global warming.......
inanda

I've had good success with both Orientals and Asiatics in large foam pots overwintering outside on my balcony. I always plant in the fall for next spring's bloom. You shouldn't have any trouble leaving them outside where they are in your zone.

I have had some oriental lilys in pots, for years, left outside all winter, with no problems. They come up and bloom just fine.

Thank you, all who replied to my questions. I feel more reassured that I can probably do EITHER--leave them in their pots outside, or bury them a la plantlilies.com, and they're still likely to be OK in zone 7a. Good to have so many informed gardeners to help me. Thanks!

Hi everyone,

Im new to this forum and new to oriental lilies. I plan on growing my new lilies from buggy crazy in 18 quart containers. They havent arrived yet and I am wondering what type of planting mix you use for your lilies. I also wonder what depth to plant them. Do you water them during the winter? We dont get much snow cover here. I plan on putting the containers on a patio that faces southwest. Any help would be appreciated.

Lillyz

Hi Lillyz,

I'd be concerned about Orientals getting enough protection in a pot with SW exposure. Winter freezing and thawing could be damaging. Some zone 5 lily growers use extra protection even for Orientals planted in the ground. Do you have an unheated garage or some other cool place where you could overwinter the pots?

Lilies also like cool roots, so if the pot gets SW sun the soil may get too warm.

In the ground I plant Orientals with 8" of soil above the bulb, but in a pot you may want to plant a bit shallower. But remember that lilies form feeder roots (that also hold their tall stems upright) above the bulb on the stem, so be sure to put enough potting medium above the bulb for plenty of roots.

Best of luck,
Neal

Hi Lillyz,

I'm in Denver and have grown Orientals in containers for years. I'm north facing though. I plant them 8" deep or more, depending on what else I have in the pot. The lilies always go on the bottom with a few inches of soil beneath. Whatever planting mix you use (I use Pro-Mix), I always amend it with a lot of perlite so that the lilies have good drainage, especially in the bottom of the pot. I put the pots close to the wall, so that they don't get too cold. I mulch the pots with about 2" of small cedar bark nuggest, so the alternating cold and warm weather has never posed a problem with frost heave. I don't think you'll have to worry about that if you mulch. I plant them with bulb food too.

How big is an 18 qt. pot in diameter? I use 16-22" foam pots which tend to keep the roots at the right temp.

Neal,

The garage that is unheated and I think thats where I will put them. I guess the south to west facing wall is out. Which is ok, I want to do it the right way.

Revclaus,

The 18 qt containers are 15 inches in diameter. I dont know where to get foam pots, do you have a link or could you tell me where I could by them locally? Im not married to these pots yet :), I can still take them back to where I bought them.

Thank you so much for your help in answering my questions. I appreciate all the help that you have given me. Im going tomorrow to go buy some cedar bark chips
I just hope it doesnt get below zone 5 weather this winter.

Thanks again,

Lilly

Lilly, I get them at Lowe's. They're a little on the pricey side, but I've got six big pots that I've had for 6 years, and many others for 4-5 years, so you don't have to replace them much.

Here's a good view of one of my foam pots with tulips in it.

revclaus--do you follow the same procedure for your tulip bulbs? Just wondering....

Yes, I plant all my bulbs in pots in layers. In rereading my post it sounds like I plant the bulbs close to the pot wall, but I meant the pot gets put up against the building wall.

revclaus,

Do you water your pots during the winter if there is no snow or rain?


Lilly (who needs all the info she can get :)

Yes, about once a month, but not enough to rot the bulbs.

My friend Jackie has a perennial business. She winters over LOTS of lilies in pots every year. She allows them to freeze and does not water at all until March when she brings the pots out into the air. She tells me the secret is put them on the NORTH side of an unheated buliding so the spring thaws/freeze cycle doesn't wake them up.

Good idea! I'll try that this year, no water, see what happens.

Northside of a buliding--no sun. Water them once a week until they freeze--then no water.