Stargazer Lilies are one of the most common types of lilies to be grown in pots, and the best part about them is that you can grow them in pots both indoors and outdoors as well. Generally speaking, if you live outside of the Stargazer Lily’s preferred hardiness zone which is between Zones 4-9 then it is a good idea to grow them in pots. As a word of caution, if you have never grown Stargazer Lilies indoors then you might find its fragrance simply too overwhelming.
Stargazer Lilies are extremely easy to grow in pots, all you need is a simple clay pot, some high-quality potting mix, and the right fertilizer. Indoors the potted Stargazer Lilies should be placed next to a window that gets a couple of hours of full sun, outdoors the potted lilies should stay in partial shade. Stargazer Lilies are somewhat drought tolerant and oftentimes what kills them is overwatering, so make sure that your pots have drainage holes and that you do not overwater them.
If you want to grow Stargazer Lilies in pots then my personal recommendation is to use the largest bulbs you can find Click here to check it out on Amazon.com
If you have a relatively small plot of land and you want to maximize the colors and the textures in your garden without committing your lilies to one specific spot then potting them is an excellent idea. Stargazer Lilies are not as sensitive as some might think, most people when they see their beautiful flowers think that this plant has to be high maintenance, but the truth is far from it.
Not only Stargazer Lilies can be grown in pots but they will actually thrive in them, especially if you provide them with a good potting mix. If you want to know how to take care of potted lilies then check out my recent article How To Care For Potted Lilies ( In 7 Easy Steps ).
How To Grow Stargazer Lilies In Pots
To grow Stargazer lilies in pots, start by choosing a large container with drainage holes to allow excess water to escape. Fill the pot with a well-draining potting mix enriched with organic matter. Plant the Stargazer lily bulbs about 6-8 inches deep and 12-18 inches apart, ensuring that the pointed ends are facing up. Place the pot in a location that receives full sun to partial shade. Water the lilies thoroughly after planting and keep the soil consistently moist, but not overly saturated.
Fertilize the lilies every few weeks during the growing season with a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer. As the plants grow, provide support by placing stakes or a trellis near the lilies to prevent them from toppling over. Remove any spent flowers to encourage continuous blooming. Protect the potted lilies from extreme weather conditions, such as frost or excessive heat.
Use Clay Or Terracotta Pots
Choosing a good pot will be your first step, and probably one of the most important ones. As a general rule, I highly recommend you use clay or terracotta pots, as these let air circulate in the pot which is beneficial for the roots and the lily bulbs are less likely to rot. There are a lot of beautiful, plastic, and even ceramic pots, but I would stay away from them. Plastic pots tend to simply cook the entire plant if placed under the full sun.
Plastic and ceramic pots do not let air circulate in the pot, and as the potting mix starts to age it will clump up and it will create small pockets of water. All lilies are prone to bulb rot, so make sure to use a pot that has drainage holes, for some reason not all pots have them. If you want to know what to do with your lilies after they have flowered then check out my recent article What To Do When Lilies Have Finished Flowering? ( Top 6 Chores ).
Use Only Large Stargazer Lilies Bulbs
The simple truth is that the bigger the lily bulbs are the higher the chances are of them flowering in the current year. If you can handpick the bulbs which you will pot then make sure to get the biggest ones. In case you can find in your area Stargazer bulbs that already have the stem and a couple of leaves then these are also good. On the other hand, if you are on a tight budget, and God knows we all are, then buy the cheapest Stargazer Lily bulbs you can find.
It will take around 2 years until the smaller bulbs will flower, but until then you can admire its beautiful leaves and stem. If you want to pot Asiatic Lilies then check out my recent article first Do Asiatic Lilies Spread? ( How Fast? ).
Use A High-Quality Potting Mix
Even if you have a small garden from where you can get soil for free, I would highly advise not using it, mostly due to parasites, and other unwanted critters in the soil which could damage the bulbs. This is especially true if you have clay soil in your garden, as I have previously mentioned Stargazer Lilies are prone to bulb rot, so they do not mix well with clay soil. There are a couple of potting mixes that are specially made for lilies, but most of them are useless.
Just look at some of these lily potting mixes and all of them are focusing on different minerals and nutrients, so odds are that somebody is wrong. My suggestion is to get a well-balanced potting mix, and you can supplement as needed in the future. My advice is to stay away from potting mixes that contain pesticides as they do harm the beneficial bacteria which are needed for the Stargazer Lilies to grow strong and healthy.
Grow Them In Partial Shade
Most lilies love full sun, but they tend to suffer if placed in full sun and are also potted. Potted lilies tend to be a little bit more sensitive, their nutrients and water are relatively limited, so they can be prone to wilting. If you place the potted lilies outside then make sure to place them in partial shade, as there is less water evaporation in partial shade and the Stargazer Lilies are less likely to wilt.
On the other hand, if you are growing your Stargazer Lilies indoors then you have to place them next to a window where they get direct sun. The main reason why you have to keep them in partial shade outside and in full sun indoors is due to the temperature fluctuations, indoors the temperatures are more or less constant and it is less likely for the plant to get stressed out.
Fertilize
When it comes to fertilizing Stargazer Lilies you have two options, either use a slow-release fertilizer or a foliar fertilizer. Both of them have their pros and cons, but in my experience, lilies tend to grow a lot better with foliar fertilizers, especially in pots. Slow-release fertilizers are also good but odds are that you will simply wash it away as you are watering the lilies. The foliar fertilizer should be used once every two weeks, do it more often and you might damage the plant, so less is more in this case.
Ideally, you should fertilize the lilies with foliar fertilizer in the evening, this way they will have enough time to absorb it during the night. If you spray the foliar fertilizer on during the day and the potted Stargazer Lilies are also in full sun then you will notice small burn marks on the plant, it’s best to avoid this damage.
Deadhead The Spent Flowers
Once your lily plant is mature enough it will start flowering, at this point you have to keep an eye on it. Remove the spent flowers and do not allow them to produce seed heads. This way you force the plant to grow more flowers if it can or, to start storing more nutrients in the bulbs which will result in more flowers next year. Remove the pollen if you are growing your Stargazer Lilies indoors, as the pollen tends to get everywhere and it really stains everything.
Cut Back The Potted Stargazer Lilies In Autumn
Stargazer Lilies need a dormancy period to be able to flower next year and even some cold exposure. If you live in a relatively warm area without any cold winters then you can simply not put the lily bulbs in the fridge as you can do with many other bulbs. Simply cut back the plant to the ground once it has lost its leaves and the stem is also starting to get brown. After this you can actually leave it in the pot, just place it in a cooler place than usual.
Just keep in mind that even if the plant is dormant it will still need the occasional watering, like once every two weeks, this will keep the bulb hydrated. It is very important not to overwater at this period as the bulbs will simply rot away.
Key Takeaways
- To grow Stargazer Lilies in pots use clay or terracotta pots, plant the largest bulbs, use a high quality potting mix, grow them in partial shade, and use a good fertilizer.
- Make sure to use a wide pot rather than a tall pot as its roots are rather shallow.
- Keep in mind that Stargazer Lilies need a dormancy period and some exposure to cold in order to flower the next year.
