Lily of the valley lovers can hardly wait for the spring flower to reveal its pretty bells and fill the air with its intense scent. But did you know that you can grow lily of the valley indoors? Then the flower will bloom in winter.
How do you grow lily of the valley in a pot?
To grow lily of the valley in pots, dig up the rhizome from the garden in November and plant it in a pot with soil, sand and potting soil. At 20 degrees and good humidity, the plants sprout leaves and flowers within a few weeks.
How to prefer lily of the valley
- Dig up rhizome
- Fill pot with soil
- Insert rhizome the right way up
- cover lightly with soil
- set up at approx. 20 degrees
- keep moist but not wet
Dig the rhizome from the garden in November. You are not allowed to take rhizomes from the forest, nature conservation prohibits this.
Garden soil is suitable as a substrate, which is mixed with potting soil (€10.00 at Amazon) from the hardware store and some sand.
The pot should have a diameter of twelve centimeters and a drainage hole at the bottom so that no waterlogging can form.
Keep moist until flowering
The rhizome is only covered with a little soil in the pot. The eyes must protrude slightly from the ground.
Keep the soil well moist, but avoid waterlogging, as the rhizome will then rot. Place the pot on a windowsill that is neither too cold nor too warm. 20 degrees is ideal.
It takes a few weeks until the leaves appear and after another two to three weeks the flowers appear.
Plant out after flowering or keep cool
The flowering can be extended if you do not place the pot in the warm living room. Once the lily of the valley has faded, you can plant the rhizome back into the garden.
If you want to continue caring for the lily of the valley in the pot, place it in a cool, shady location after flowering. Don't forget to water it occasionally so that the soil doesn't dry out.
In November, bring the pot back into the house to grow the lily of the valley again.
Tip
Lilies of the valley in the garden are absolutely hardy and do not need any special protection. If you grow lily of the valley in a bucket or pot on the terrace, winter protection is necessary because the soil must under no circumstances freeze completely. Overwinter the plant in the basement or cover the pot with bubble wrap.
