Cover smaller bulbs with about 3 inches of soil. Water the bulbs after planting to settle the soil. In colder growing regions, mulch the ground above the bulbs after freezing weather. Lilies respond well to ample feeding. In spring and early summer, apply a complete fertilizer or a combination of organic nutrients that provide adequate amounts of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus.
Shoots sometime emerge in early spring before the last frost.
If a heavy frost or freeze is predicted, cover the lilies so the buds will not be ruined. Do not cultivate deeply around your lilies since there are feeder roots near the surface of the soil that can be easily damaged. Depending on the variety, blooms begin in May and continue through September. For cut arrangements, the blooms will last longer if the buds are cut when they are fully colored. Be aware that cutting more than one-third of the length of the stem will weaken the bulb for next year.