Home & Garden Trees & Houseplants

How to Separate Lily Plants

By Home & Garden Last updated Wednesday, April/24/2024

1). Insert a garden fork into the ground close to the lily you want to dig up and separate. Work carefully to avoid nicking or slicing through the bulbs.
2). Remove the clump of bulbs and roots. Gently brush off large clumps of excess soil.
3). Rinse the bulb mass to get a good idea of how many bulbs you have to remove. Be careful not to damage any little bulblets that may be sticking to the root crown.
4). Pull off all the smaller bulblets that may be dangling from the plant. Place all of the bulblets in a half-bushel basket.
5). Find the center crease of the main or larger bulbs. Twist and break off the offsets. Use a sharp knife if they don't twist off easily. Add them to the basket.
6). Dig new planting holes at least 4 to 6 inches deep. Insert one bulb per hole, about 2 inches apart. Water well. The larger separated bulbs will produce stems and flowers within a year.

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