How to Grow Lilies In the Northeast

Begin your lily planting after the ground thaws and temperatures rise over 60 degrees F. Although these are hardy bulbs, and will survive winter in your area, they do best with warm, springtime starts. Last frost may fall as early as April 13 in New York City and as late as mid-June in Lake Placid, New York. Contact your local university extension or cooperative extension for a schedule of frost dates in your area.

Find appropriate spots for your lilies before you start your planting. All lilies do best in full sun every day and in sites that offer space, quick drainage and good air circulation. The bulbs rot in standing water, while the plants grow leggy and sparse and refuse to bloom if they don't get enough sun. Find a large site and allocate 1 to 2 feet of space for each bulb.

Dig into the top 8 inches of soil in each individual site and add 4 inches of organic compost to build loose, deep soil for root expansion. Add bone meal to the top 3 inches of each site to encourage bulb health and quick rooting.

Plant lily cultivars according to your color and size preferences. All Asiatic and Oriental lilies are hardy to this region, so your choice need not depend on hardiness. Plant large bulbs 4 to 6 inches deep in your planting sites and smaller bulbs 3 to 4 inches deep, always with the pointed ends facing up. Pat the soil down gently over each bulb.

Water each site until the ground is wet to a depth of 4 to 6 inches, then lay 3 inches of organic compost on the ground between the sites to maintain soil moisture and keep weeds down.