Why Won't My Lilies Bloom? archived

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Do you mean lilies or day lilies?

I have a bunch of lilies of different colors in my "lily garden." (I have a few small gardens.) Some years, I get a ton of them--like this year--and others, not so many. This year, this beautiful bright pink one bloomed and I don't recall ever seeing it before.

They may need fertilizer or new top soil--it's worth a shot. But you also have to remember, that every living thing has a life cycle and the current plants may just be dying. Separating them may help new bulbs grow.

Sorry for my ignorance...not sure if they are day lilies or just lilies...I recall the flowers are the orange ones. I am seeing them around town a lot. The green leaves appear healthy. I will try the fertilizer...what's best? Can I just use the Miracle Grow that I have to hook up to my hose? Or do they need something special? I will also try to divide them...I assume that I should do this in the early fall? Or can I do it after the so-called "blooming" season?
Thanks!

I've read that if you don't divide them every 3-4 years the roots will crowd each other and they will not bloom. Try separating them and see if that makes a difference.

Thanks MelissaH. When should I do that? Can I do it now or is it too hot and should I wait for Sept/Oct?

They could also be Tiger Lillies which are just starting to bloom at our house.

I would do it in the spring and don't worry they will bloom that year. I divided a large day lily into 3 smaller clumps in late May and they are now blooming.
Although you can probably do it in the fall before the leaves die. The only concern I would have about doing it now is that it's been hot and you may need to tend to them every day for a while to keep them moist and going.

Divide or move in fall, same time as you would plant if you had new ones. Daylilies = strappy, long, "fountain" type leaves coming up from the ground. Other lilies = shorter, stiffer-looking leaves coming out all along the stem.

If they are similar to irises, you can wait until they have bloomed and rested for a few weeks, then cut back the foliage to a few inches and lift the plants and separate them. I've also waited until the fall or even the spring.

Day lilies bloom all summer, though, so it might be best to wait for fall. Good luck!

Thanks everyone. I checked them last night. A few on the side of the house now have long stems that appear they will bloom soon. In the back along the perimeter of the house, I see no stems at all. The leaves are the strappy long leaves that come from the ground, so based on mjc said, I guess they are day lilies. Once the ones on side bloom, I'll know for sure. I will try and split them in the fall as well and see what next summer brings.

Thanks again!

Meihua, it just dawned on me that something might be eating your buds before they can bloom... Do you see stalks that look as if they have been chewed or cut off? Or just not getting many stems at all?

I'll check tonight. I didn't notice last night.

Interestingly, along my garage, I just planted a slew of perennials this spring. My dianthus and phlox were both eaten and are dead, dead, dead! One of my butterfly bushes also has holes in the leaves and I need to go to a nursery with a sample leaf to see what I can do to help it before it too dies!

I don't grow dianthus but my phlox are routinely eaten but some have managed to survive for some years and bloom some. Frequent spraying does help but let your guard down for an instant and wham!

My lillies are JUST blooming this weekend!

BTW, daylily blossoms are quite edible and different colors have different flavors.

http://www.henriettesherbal.com/archives/best/1996/hemerocallis.html

If day lilies don't get enough sun they won't bloom. That could also be the problem.

what about Black Eyed-Susan? When we moved in 10+ years ago, our garden was filled with them. Now, the leaves come up, but we rarely see flowers.

Maybe they are too crowded? Do they seem like they could use more space, poolmom?