How to Grow a Columbia Lily

Plant Columbia lilies in early autumn, after the blooming season of established lilies is done and they have gone dormant. Plant the bulbs in the ground, as the root systems for these lilies quickly grow too large for most pots. Select an area away from other flowers that gets at least a half day of sun and where the soil also stays moist but drains well.

Test your soil using an at-home kit. Your soil needs to be between neutral and acidic. If your soil is alkaline, mix 2 tbsp. of white vinegar with 1 gallon of plain water. Work the solution into the soil with a gardening fork.

Dig a hole for each bulb slightly larger than the bulb circumference and about a half inch deeper than the bulb height. Place each bulb root-side down into its hole and cover with a half inch of soil. Pat the soil gently with your hands.

Water the lilies once a week, twice a week in extremely hot areas. While the lilies are blooming, turn 5-10-10 fertilizer into the surrounding soil once a month.

Sterilize your gardening clippers and snip off exhausted lily heads at the base. At the end of the blooming season, once all foliage has turned yellow, cut each lily down to the soil with your sterilized clippers.

Watch for pests such as lily beetles, Japanese ladybugs and aphids. If you notice any of these on your Columbia lily, spray the soil around the flowers with a systematic pesticide. The lily will absorb the pesticide through its roots. When pests munch on the foliage, they ingest the pesticide and die.

Remove blue mold, which is not dangerous, with your fingers. Avoid over-watering your Columbia lily so it doesn't contract botrytis, a fungal infection, or basal rot. If you notice yellow streaking on the foliage, a sign of basal rot, dig up the bulb and dip it in fungicide solution before replanting. White spots on the leaves may indicate the lily has botrytis, so spray the foliage with fungicide, following instructions on the container exactly.

Control viruses before they become a problem. Don't plant other bulb flowers near your Columbia lily. Dig up, remove and dispose of any Columbia lilies that show evidence of a virus, including disfigured growth, breaks in the color of the leaves or petals, mottled foliage or a decrease in spread or height.