After lilies

owd potter

My lilies have done their thing and are now fading. How should I treat them now?
Should I remove the flower heads and leave the stems and leaves to die back into the bulb for next year?
Should I leave the bulbs in the pots placed in some forgotten corner until next year or lift and store them? 
Owd.

Fairygirl

Yes - to all of that, although lifting and storing is a personal choice. I've never done it
Some people do it to prevent them getting too wet, but I put them in the shelter of a house wall and have never had a problem, even with our hefty rainfall. If they have a suitable medium to grow in, it shouldn't be an issue.

I often give mine a liquid feed too at that point - seaweed/tomato - just to give them an extra boost when they're in pots. 

Zenjeff

Same here in the northeast plenty of rain ,left in pots feed them with tomato feed, when they first show in spring I feed them with fish blood and bone meal ,they come back every year never had any problems with rot .

owd potter

Thanks @Fairygirl
@Zenjeff spectacular display. Mine were over too quickly.
Do you know if maybe there are other lily varieties to prolong the flowering period? 

Zenjeff

Hi mine don’t all flower at the same time regal Lilly’s first then orientals then lotus,have a look at this supplier.https://www.hwhyde.co.uk/catalog/39?user_sort_by=prName_asc

louise.colley

I had issues this year with lily beetles! Should I replace soil in my pots if so? I’ve left in pots for the last 3 years but this year the flowers were the worst I’ve had. Advices welcome 

Kate.harri

The Lily Beetle is a menace on anything Lily. I usually use Pravado. The Beetles are a bright red and can be picked off and squashed...do not drop them. It’s the larvae they leave behind that does the damage.

https://gardening.which.co.uk/hc/en-gb/articles/115000181269-Lily-beetle

BobTheGardener

All of my lilies have given a pretty poor show this year compared to normal.  The ones in pots (which I water regularly) fared better so I suspect those in the ground were affected by the drought conditions we had here for several months.  They all get attacked by lily beetle, for which I always keep an eye-out. I've seen reports that neem oil or home-made garlic sprays can keep them away so I'll be trying that next year (although I fully expect to still be picking them off and crushing them as usual!)

owd potter

Much to be said for a healthy dose of neglect it seems. As suggested ^ these were deadheaded, fed, and consigned to a forgotten corner.
They have responded well and seem to have multiplied?, I do not recall there being so many shoots last year.
Can I split and repot them now?