If you missed an autumn planting of lily bulbs now is a good time to plant some to catch up for this year.

Quick Tips

• In spring plant the new bulbs at a depth of three times the height of the bulbs. If you plan to leave bulbs in the ground leave about twice the width of the bulb inbetween  (closer if you will be lifting them each year).
• Planting in threes or fives will give a good show if you chose healthy bulbs with plump scales.
• Lilies like  a rich fertile soil so incorporate some slow release fertiliser. As they start flowering give them a liquid feed of high potassium fertiliser.
• Keep watered during dry spells but never let them be waterlogged.
• Lilly beetles can be a red pain. The eggs eat leaves and stems and deposit a black sludge. Pick off and crush the beetles, they can fall to the ground to avoid the slow gardener.
• After flowering cut back the seed heads before they leach out the goodness from the bulb  trying to set seed. Leave to die back then cut off at soil level.
• Try some bulbs in big pots.