Lily care

I've got that bedraggled lily bed by the side of my deck stairs. Or is that under them? Either way, I need to dig up those bulbs and replant them in an orderly fashion. The lilies need dividing and removed from underneath the hostas. However, the plants are still healthy, which makes me loathe to do it. I need to do it soon, first frost is coming. Maybe the tops will go brown before then...

I wouldn't have chosen daylilies for the spot, except maybe Designer Daylily Custard Candy that Burpee's been hawking. Tasty. But as I was saying, lilies aren't really my thing. I enjoy the flowers, but the leaves are messy and annoying the rest of the summer. I'd have gone with iris if I wanted a bloomer like that. There are a few iris in that spot. So, I guess it works.

Now, while I'm procrastinating digging up the lily bed, I did some research on the care of lilies. Or daylilies rather. I found a good page on Breck's site. The spot does have a bit of a slope, and I haven't seen enough rain to tell how it drains, yet. There is also plenty of sun, so that should keep them happy, especially if I provide a better alternative to shading the roots than growing IN the hostas. Maybe nasturtium or that periwinkle/creeping myrtle which is already under the stairs in that excedingly weedy area.

I'm still debating with myself as to whether or not I want to improve the soil, or at least put down some real soil. They seem to be growing fine in the clay. They're making lots of little lilies, at any rate. Which is one of the reasons why I'm undertaking this little adventure. If I want to improve the soil, I'll have to buy soil. That's money I'd rather not spend. But I do need some more soil for the vivarium, so it won't go to waste. I guess I'll price a bag at Walmart and make the decision then. Basically, I've got till the ground freezes to move them. Or wait till next Spring. But that's a bit long to wait. I'd rather have it prepared this Fall. I've got a class in the Spring, and there are so many seeds and annuals to prepare and plant and weeds to keep after, so the more I have done now, the better.

I do need to mulch them after I put them in, so more trips to the mulch pile. I wish I could haul more home at a time. But small car and small bins kinda squash that idea. I'll also need to plant them so that there's about an inch of soil above the tuber. Hopefully it won't all wash away. And the site says to fertilize after peak blooms, well, I don't think that's going to happen, unless I get some really good compost going. Which reminds me, I need to see about getting a compost container on Tuesday when I'm off....