Plant Doctor Archive

Sad-looking lilies

Question SINCE we moved to a beach property our lilies have been no use at all. The flower buds aren’t at all healthy-looking and the leaves have turned brown and shrivelled. The lily bulbs were all bought last year. Do lilies not like being by the sea?

Answer  IT sounds as if your lilies are suffering from damage caused by exposure to salt-laden winds. Try planting them in the most sheltered parts of your garden away from wind blowing directly off the sea. Most lilies prefer full sun, but can also do well in light shade, so perhaps you could try them among shrubs or on the leeward side of the house. They thrive best in free-draining soil, but if your soil is very sandy, you could mix in compost or other organic matter to improve its moisture-holding properties. Water them occasionally in dry periods.

Weekend Gardener, Issue 165, 2005, Page 24