It works on lilies just as fine.) Planting time Lily bulbs (in mild climates) can be planted anytime the ground is not frozen solid and dry enough to dig a hole. Fall and early winter planting will flower at the expected time and planting in late spring will flower later than the expected time . Lily bulbs planted soonest grow and perform better. Gardening Tips: Keeping Your Lilies Blooming Lilies, are not only for gifts for sorrowful occasions, they can also be given during anniversaries, used in weddings and home decorations. They are very fragrant and available in any color or color combination. There are two ways in planting lilies: it could be through planting seeds or bulbs. Shapes and forms Lilies are grown mostly from bulbs made of scales that overlap. (In China, some species use the bulbs for food.) Some grow from underground stems called rhizomes. Lilies that grow under the sun sport leaves that are narrow and have parallel veins. Those grown under shades have wider leaves with net veins. They need to be kept moist, too. You can plant them either in the fall or spring, whenever the bulbs are available. After planting (6 to 10 inches apart and 4 to 6 inches deep into the soil), fertilize them lightly every month with 4-8-4 organic fertilizer just as the shoots emerge. Stake and protect tall lilies from the wind. According to experts, it is best to buy a bulb with a sprout of not more than one inch. what you need are solid roots with the sprout just developing. Check those garden sacks that you buy from garden centers. Aside from checking the growth of the sprout, you also need to see if the bulbs are dried out. They hold more soil and there is less chance for the bulbs to be frozen or baked inside. All pots must have the all-important drainage hole at the bottom. Another concern would be the depth of the pot. Lily bulbs need at least 4 inches of soil on top and another inch at the bottom of the pot. Soil Lilies love sandy soil.