How to Plant Oriental Lilies With Bulb Shoots

Dig oriental lilies up for division in fall, after the plants finish blooming. Dividing during dormancy keeps the plants from going into shock. Dig up oriental lilies that are 3 years old or older and pull the roots from the ground.

Brush away the dirt until you can see the bulbs clearly and look for natural divisions in the bulbs. Each division should have roots and foliage growing from it. Use scissors, a knife or your hands to separate the bulbs at these divisions. Pull all the old foliage off each new bulb.

Replace some of the bulbs in your original site and move new bulbs to new locations. Look for sites that get full sun for six to eight hours every day and do not puddle. Oriental lilies will rot in standing water and won't bloom in shade. Make sure that any new site is large enough to support several new plants.

Turn quick-draining soil into the top 6 to 8 inches of soil in the new location. Add organic compost for additional nutrition, to give yourself a mixture of one-third natural soil, one-third quick-draining soil and one-third organic compost. Plant new bulbs 3 to 6 inches deep in groups of three to five, with 12 inches of space around each bulb. Cover with amended soil and water with 4 to 5 inches of water.