Transplanted lilies have made space for a backyard fire pit. Two seasons ago, I planted lilies in an area that I thought would be undisturbed. This year, my husband suggested putting a fire pit there. I thought that was an excellent idea, so I told him we would have to wait until fall. Experts recommend transplanting lilies in late September or early October, depending on the zone. Although the lilies did not need dividing, they still needed to be saved.

Above shows just how much the lily bulb changed in a year and a half. All of those came from a singular bulb! When I started digging them up, I had to be very careful not to damage the tender surface. Some were nicked, unfortunately, because it was difficult to see where everything began and ended. It is always smart to start digging far away from the stem. One of the most important things to remember when moving lilies is to do it quickly so that the flesh doesn’t dry. So, I preemptively dug a couple holes in the new area before exposing them to the air.

After gathering all of the lily bulbs that I could find, I separated the different varieties. I put pineapple lilies on one side of the gladiolus garden and the white ones on the opposite side. When planting, be careful to deposit large bulbs 5 to 6 inches below the surface and small bulbs 3 to 4 inches below the surface. Also, keep them 8 to 12 inches apart. It is important to put mulch or compost over them to protect them from extreme temperatures. That doesn’t need to be done until just before the first frost though.

Transplanted Lilies

There isn’t much to see of the transplanted lilies, but they should come up next year. I kept the green attached to the bulb so that it could absorb more nourishment for the winter. Very soon, I will purchase some mulch to cover the whole garden since both gladiolus and lilies need protection.