Oriental Lilies The Queen Of Summer Gardens Most people call many different plant species as lily . However, some of these plants they mistook as lilies do not really belong to the lily family. The daylily, calla lily and surprise lily are not exactly true lilies at all. True lilies belong to the genus Lilium. Spring would be the best time to apply fertilizers with phosphorus-rich formula. When applying these fertilizer, always follow the label directions. Be careful when cultivating the soil, if the lily shoots get damaged, it is possible that they would not regenerate. Be careful for letting water in when cultivating. You can visit their gardens to see for yourself how the flower beds look like and how the owners are tending to their plants. After knowing enough information about the process, you can then decide if you are up for the challenge. If you are ready to go for it, here are some basic tips that can help you in the process. These hardy bulbs need very little care but can surprise anyone by eventually growing into a large cluster of flowering stems. To have a longer-lasting series of blooms, you can choose a combination of early, mid-season and late-blooming cultivars. This way, you can have flowering lilies for months on end. Another style would be to make a raised bed, with the same planting dimensions for the bulbs (4 to 6 inches deep). The raised bed is for superb drainage. The individual plant needs around half a foot of space (6 inches) around them (radius). Fertilizer The best time to fertilize lilies is giving a little well-balance fertilizer at the time the shoots emerge and the next application is a month later. 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. You need to avoid these bulbs. Watch out for any bulb discolorations, like grey and brown spots, since they are evidences of fungus and molds. If you are looking for lily plants, then make sure to pick out lilies that have green leaves and firm stalks.