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Carefully lift the plant out of the ground and brush away the soil so that you can clearly see the bulbs. You should avoid digging the plant up when it is in the growing season, as this can affect its ability to produce future flowers. To do this, you can dig up your original stargazer lily during any time of year that the plant does not have leaves or flowers, though early spring or late fall is preferable. These can be removed from the main bulb and planted up separately to create a new set of lilies. Stargazer lilies produce offshoots from their bulbs, which are essentially baby bulbs. Mulch will also help the soil to retain moisture. This insulates the soil, keeping it cool in summer and warm in winter. In order to keep the bulbs and root systems cool, apply a layer of mulch over the soil. However, they do like to have cool roots.
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They thrive in the hot temperatures that come along with this. These plants are truly sun lovers and like to have their foliage, stems, and flowers bathed in the sun and heat all day long. They grow easily in all of these zones but do particularly well on the warmer end of the scale, where summer temperatures are consistently between 80 and 90º F. Stargazer lilies are hardy throughout USDA hardiness zones 3 to 9.
STAR GAZER LILLIES FULL
Stargazer lilies grown in full sun will have much sturdier stems and will not require staking ( Gardenia). If this happens, the stems will not be able to hold the weight of their large flowers and will droop over unless they are staked. They will tolerate partial shade, but this can be problematic.Īs the plants stretch out to seek more sun, their stems become leggy. With around 8 hours of full sun each day, these plants will produce large luscious blooms. Stargazer lilies should be grown in a full sun position for the best results. If your lilies show signs of lily mosaic virus, Botrytis or bulb rot it should simply be pulled and thrown away before the fungus spreads to other nearby plants. The bulbs, stems and flowers of stargazer lilies are generally hardy and resistant to pests, though they can fall prey to fungal diseases if they are too moist.
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Once all of the greenery on the plant’s stem has died it can be cut at the soil level. Leave the foliage alone as long as it stays green because the bulbs gather energy from them as they die back. When the stargazer lily bloom is exhausted, cut it off of its individual stalk in order to prevent seed pods from forming. Make sure to provide water after fertilizing. The lilies will flower heavily if they are provided with a high-potassium fertilizer when they are first planted and every two to six weeks throughout their growing season. A layer of mulch applied over the dirt will help keep the bulbs cool and help retain moisture. Water at the soil level rather than from overhead, as pouring water from overhead can harm the flowers. They will do well in moist soil, but too much water can lead to the bulbs rotting, so do not water until the soil feels dry, and then do not oversaturate. Stargazer lilies need about one inch of water per week after they have been planted. Your bulbs will do best if you provide them with a dose of fertilizer immediately after planting and then cover with a few inches of mulch. Fill in the hole with loose soil, ensuring that the bulb is fully covered. Dig a hole six to eight inches deep and eight to 12 inches apart for each bulb, then plant with the pointy end facing upward. If your bulbs are frozen, allow them to thaw out for a few hours before planting. If planting in a container, make sure that there is enough room for the roots to grow and that drainage holes are present. To plant stargazer lily bulbs, choose a spot that gets direct or partial sun and that has soil that is moist but not saturated. Stargazer lily bulbs can be planted in either the early spring or the fall. Because the plants grow to nearly three feet tall, they can be planted at the back of a garden behind other plants, and because their stems are so sturdy they require no staking or support. Bulbs are best planted in groupings to create focal points and an attraction for butterflies and hummingbirds. They do as well in containers as in gardens.
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Stargazer lilies are sturdy, tall plants that thrive in almost any type of soil as long as they get sufficient sun. Stargazer lilies are perennials grown from bulbs and do best in USDA hardiness zones 3 through 8.
STAR GAZER LILLIES UPDATE
By Jo Cosgrove | Ecological Gardener, Horticulturist, and Educator – last update on December 2, 2021
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