Troubleshooting Lily Bulbs: Why They’re Not Growing

“Why are my lily bulbs not growing?” is a common question in the gardening community. There's hardly anything as disheartening as anticipating the bloom of your lilies, only to find no sign of life later. With a deep understanding of these magnificent  plants, I’m sharing some tips to help you successfully grow gorgeous lilies.

Why Are My Lily Bulbs Not Growing

Lily bulbs may struggle to bloom and produce flowers due to several common issues, including poor sunlight exposure and poorly drained soil that causes rotting. Lack of nutrients necessary for a healthy bloom and plant diseases can also stop plants from growing. Other culprits preventing your lilies from reaching their full potential include incorrect planting depth and overcrowding that restricts development.

For the most part, lilies are very reliable plants for summer gardens. However, some care is required for lilies to bloom year after year. When a lack of bloom occurs, here are some things to look for.

1. Insufficient Sunlight

Most lilies require full sun or at least 6 hours of sunlight for beautiful blooms. Make sure your lilies are in an area with maximum sunlight. Changes in the garden, such as the expanding canopy of trees or shrubs, might be causing the Roselilies to receive less sunlight. 

You can move your lilies or you can prune some of the trees and shrubs. Just opening up a little more light can make plants bloom.

2. Absence of a Well-Drained Soil 

Make sure your lilies are in a well-draining area. Most lilies hate wet feet and require well-draining soil for blooms and to thrive.

Check to make sure your lilies are not in wet soil. If they are, move the plants to a location with better drainage, or you can improve the soil for drainage where they are. 

3. Lack of Nutrients and Fertilization

Lily bulbs need nutrients to bloom. The nutrients from the compost are passed into the soil and by doing this each year, you can achieve good quality soil. It is a chore I look forward to as it means winter is over and spring is here.

If compost is not available, you can use any balanced fertilizer consisting of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus or 8-8-8 to 20-20-20 fertilizer ratios. The best time to apply is when you see growth, when buds are forming, and after buds fade. This will let your bulbs receive the maximum amount of nutrients at the right time.

4. Incorrect Planting Depth

Lilies should be planted at least 4 inches deep. In our USDA Climate Zone 4 gardens, I plant lily bulbs 6 inches down to prevent bulbs from suffering from thawing and freezing patterns in winter. At this depth, soils may not be rich enough in nutrients so additional nutrients are required through compost or other balanced fertilizer. 

Each spring, I add compost to our perennial beds, especially our lily beds. I simply take a well-rotted or heat-treated compost and dress the beds and around any plants at a depth of 1 inch. Use the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map | USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map to determine which perennial plants are most likely to thrive at certain locations.

5. Overcrowding

It's common for lilies to multiply, and as lilies multiply, the plants may be overcrowding themselves. A bulb may not bloom if the pots are too small or the plants are root-bound. Early spring or early fall is a great time to correct this issue.

Know where your bulbs are sprouting from, go out about 6 inches, dig straight down, and make a circle around the area where the bulbs are. While 6 inches from the center of the bulbs may seem large, you do not want to damage flowers that may be growing. I check our lilies every few years and typically remove half the lily bulbs in that location and find new homes for them.

6. Plant Diseases

Plant diseases lurking in the garden soil or the ground itself can be a significant root cause preventing Asiatic lilies like Tiny Ghost or Oriental lilies like the TriColor from emerging and producing next year's flowers. Fungal infections, such as basal rot, can attack the bulb, preventing root development and shoot formation during the growing season.

Viruses can also weaken the bulbs of species like the Gizmo Lilium longiflorum, leading to stunted growth or complete failure to sprout. Diseases affecting the foliage can weaken the bulb, impacting its ability to produce healthy growth in the current season.

How Do You Encourage Lilies to Grow

Lilies are easy flowers to care for and are super reliable. With a little bit of care and maintenance, your lilies can be the jewels of your garden. 

• To promote healthy growth, plant pre-chilled bulbs to establish root systems before winter dormancy, especially for cold-hardy Matric Asiatic lilies and Claude Shride Martagon lilies.

• Some species are nutrient-demanding, like the Eyeliner LA Hybrid lily. In such cases, apply a balanced fertilizer when shoots first emerge and again after flowering to support blooming the following year.

• Provide proper drainage through raised beds. Add sand or gravel to the soil for species like Volvic Trumpet lilies to prevent bulb rot.

• Mulch around lily bases to retain moisture, regulate soil temperature, and suppress weeds, helping varieties like White Lily Tiger lilies and Apricot Fudge LA hybrids maintain energy for blooming.

• Apply a layer of organic compost around Isabella Double Oriental lilies to improve soil structure and provide slow-release nutrients. This encourages healthy growth throughout the growing season and enhances blooming the following year.

Related Questions

How to Prune Lilies to Help Them Bloom?

During summer, removing spent flowers and cutting the stem back to the first set of healthy leaves can help you prune deadhead lilies. For Oriental lilies like Stargazers, cut stems back to 2/3 their original height after blooming. Martagon varieties, such as the Manitoba Morning, remove only the spent flower heads while leaving the stem intact.

How Long Does It Take for Lily Bulbs to Sprout?

Most lilies from the Lilium family will emerge about 4-6 weeks before the last frost. You don’t want them to emerge too early, as a harsh frost could damage bud development. Depending on the variety, the blooming season for most lilies typically runs from late spring to early fall.

Why Is My Bulb Not Sprouting?

If your lilies have not sprouted, they may have been subjected to a rodent’s meal or squirrels have been known to dig them up and bury them somewhere else in your garden. Additionally, lilies can dry out if not properly kept or exposed to extreme winter freezing with no snow cover. Lack of balanced fertilizer, foliage, or excessive mulch could cause lily bulbs to be damaged.

Conclusion

Knowing why your lily bulbs aren't growing can guide you in making the necessary adjustments, potentially rescuing this season's bloom. As you implement these solutions, you'll discover which one can encourage your lilies to thrive, letting each season bring new knowledge to help your plants flourish.