Expert: Kenneth Joergensen - 9/25/2006

Question
I live in Northern Michigan and about 4 years ago I planted lillies in a rock garder. Now they have doubled and are breaking out of the ground.  I want to leave some there for next spring so I am told I have to dig them up and divide them...I want to know how to store the ones I take out and how long can they be stored.  Someone told me to take them out and store them in the freezer.  I don't have an extra refrigerator.  Some ideas please.

Answer
If you dig up lilies now, take the larger bulbs and replant them elsewhere. Do not store.

If you must store, do so in ventilated bags (onion sacks) with DAMP (not wet, not dry) peatmoss sphagnum or wooden shavings. The roots and bulbs must NOT dry out or they will die.

You can freeze the bulbs, but they must be kept at 31-32F - NO COLDER. A regular household freezer wont work.

If you wrap the roots and bulbs in damp peatmoss sphagnum or wooden shavings and store in a fridge for the winter you can replant next spring.

My preference is to dig lilies in the fall and replant elsewhere in the garden this fall as opposed to trying to store lilies over the winter.