How to Care for an Asian Lily

Select a well-drained site receiving six to eight hours of daily sun for your lily bulbs. The lilies perform best in organically rich, pH-neutral soil. Bulbs in consistently wet locations are susceptible to rot. Asiatic lily bulbs multiply vigorously. Give them a site with room to spread.

Plant your bulbs after the last spring frost, or in early to midfall.

Plant your lilies in a group of three to five identical bulbs. If you're planting multiple groups, leave three to five feet between them, depending on plant size. Use the spade to dig up the planting area to a depth of 6 inches. Break up any soil clods with the hoe or cultivating fork.

Set small bulbs eight inches apart at a 2- to 4-inch depth. Plant large bulbs one foot apart and 6 inches deep.

Protect fall-planted bulbs from cold with a 4- to 6-inch layer of compost, leaves or mulch. The extra insulation gives their roots more time to establish before the soil freezes. Remove the protective covering after the final spring frost.

Give your lilies a spring application of high-phosphorus 5-10-10 fertilizer. Work it into the soil with the hoe or cultivating fork at the manufacturer's recommended rate.

Check your lilies for warm-weather aphid infestations. The fluid-sucking, pinhead-sized insects appear in groups on the stems and buds. Wash them off with the garden hose and sprayer attachment.

Water your Asian lilies around their bases early in the day. Overhead watering leaves the foliage wet and at risk for fungal disease.

Remove your lilies' blooms by pinching them off at the base with your fingers as soon as they fade. This preserves energy the plants would otherwise spend in producing seed. Asian lily bulbs continue to store food produced through photosynthesis as long as their leaves are green. Wait until their stems and leaves turn yellow after flowering before using the stem cutters to cut them back.