Lilies are considered heavy feeders among bulb flowers. For this reason, they can cope with the substrate in which they were planted for two years. The flowering slows down by the third year at the latest. This can be prevented by regular fertilization.
How often and with what should you fertilize lilies?
Lilies should be fertilized one to three times per year to promote vigorous growth and abundant flowering. Suitable fertilizers for lilies are blue grain, horn shavings, compost and rhododendron fertilizer. Lilies grown in pots need fertilizer every two to four weeks.
Fertilizing lilies – several reasons
Fertilizing lilies is beneficial for several reasons. On the one hand, fertilizer is recommended if the lily is growing poorly. The nutrient upgrade also helps others if the lily:
- not blooming or weaker
- stunted
- has become more susceptible to illness
- often attacked by pests
How often should you fertilize?
Basically, lilies are easy to care for when it comes to fertilizing. It is enough to fertilize them once a year. But more frequent fertilizer applications are better. A lily can be supplied with fertilizer twice to three times a year. Lilies in pots are the exception. They should be provided with a suitable fertilizer every two to four weeks.
Suitable fertilizers for lilies
You can use different fertilizers to fertilize your lilies. Most types of lilies do not tolerate fresh manure. If you fertilize with manure, it should be at least 2 years old and well rotted. Other organic or mineral complete fertilizers are better suited for fertilizing. Important: They should not contain too much nitrogen. The following fertilizers are considered proven for lilies:
- Bluegrain
- Horn shavings
- Compost
- Rhododendron fertilizer
Proceed correctly when fertilizing
First of all, it is advisable to add compost to the soil when planting lilies. Very sandy soils in particular must be enriched with compost or humus. After the lilies are planted, they are fertilized directly on the planting site every spring.
The plant should not be hit when fertilizing. The fertilizer only goes on the root area. Until flowering begins, you can fertilize once or twice, for example with liquid fertilizer. To ensure long flowering, fertilizer can be added in summer. After fertilizing, water abundantly so that the fertilizer can absorb into the soil.
Tips & Tricks
The last time of the year you should fertilize is in August. Applying fertilizer later increases susceptibility to frost. The lily bulbs can be damaged in winter.
