How to Grow Lilies As a Cut Flower

Hoe a planting site that is in the sun at least six hours a day to remove weeds.

Loosen the ground with a pickax and shovel. Spread a 2-inch layer of manure or other organic matter over the turned surface.

Cart enough topsoil in to build a 6-inch-high raised bed. Incorporate the new topsoil with the native material and manure uniformly. Use a shovel. Rake the top of the mound to level and firm it. Rake the edges to create a slope.

Submit a soil sample to the county cooperative extension office. If the ground is too acidic, the report you receive back will tell you how much lime to apply to the lily bed to raise the pH. Hybrid lilies require an acid level between 6.3 and 6.8. Apply the lime to the raised bed, as recommended.

Dig planting holes 1 foot apart from each other after the ground thaws in spring. Make the holes 2½ times as deep as the bulbs' diameter.

Plant the bulbs and cover them with topsoil. Tap the surface to remove air pockets and to firm it.

Irrigate the lily bed at planting to the depth of the bulbs.

Fertilize the plants when the stems first emerge through the surface. Distribute 1 lb. insoluble nitrogen per 1,000 square foot evenly and water it in.

Continue to irrigate the bed to bulb depth as the plants develop and flower. Do not allow the soil to dry out. In addition, irrigate the plants after each harvest.

Pick lilies when the bulb closest to the ground turns from green to the color of the flower without blooming. Cut the stems at the base when the temperature is below 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Immerse the cut tips in a container with water immediately after cutting the flowers.