Growing lily of the valley in pots

 

The botanical name of lily of the valley plant is Convallaria majalis. Growing lily of the valley in pots indoors is very possible. Lily of the valley plant is an herbaceous perennial, hardy in USDA plant hardiness zones three through eight, Lily of the valley plant grows from a rhizome, a fleshy underground stem, and is sold as a pip, a rhizome with roots growing from its bottom and a small bud at its top. If you wish to grow lily of the valley plant in pots, bundles of the lily of the valley pips are commonly available at garden centers in late fall.

 

Growing Lily of the Valley in Pots Indoors

Lily of the valley plant can be grown in pots. The following are the steps on how to grow lily of the valley indoors;

Step 1: Put on your garden gloves and then loosen a bundle of lily of the valley pips. You need to remove all string or rubber bands holding the lily of the valley pips together, and then shake off all the packing material.

Step 2: Place the lily of the valley pips in the bottom of a bucket, and then put enough cool water in the bucket to cover the entire mass of the lily of the valley pips. Allow them to soak in the water for several hours.

Step 3: Moisten standard, loam-based potting soil, and then place a small quantity of it in the bottom of an eight to ten inch-diameter plant pot that has bottom drainage holes. If you are growing lily of the valley in pots it's best to have a pot that is taller than it is wide; it will be better able to accommodate the plants long roots.

Step 4: Remove the lily of the valley pips from the bucket, and then trim their roots if the pot is not tall enough for them. Make sure you use a clean, sharp knife. It won't harm the lily of the valley plant if you have to trim one to two inches from the roots.

Step 5: Place the lily of the valley pips in the pot with their buds facing upward and their roots facing downward. Separate the lily of the valley pips slightly so that either one to two inches of space is between them or they are spread evenly throughout the pot.

Step 6: Fill the areas around the lily of the valley pips with the moistened potting soil. Adjust the lily of the valley pips depth so that the soil will just barely cover the tops of the buds.

Step 7: You have to place the pot in bright, indirect light in a room that is about sixty to seventy degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure you keep the soil consistently moist but not soggy. No fertilizer is actually necessary for the lily of the valley plant, which will grow from the pips.

 

Can Lily of the Valley Grow Indoors

To grow lily of the valley indoors the following are some of the things you will need:

-         Room thermometer

-         Watering can

-         A trowel

-         Bucket

-         A 8- to 10-inch-diameter plant pot with bottom drainage holes

-         A garden gloves

-         A clean, sharp knife

-         A standard, loam-based potting soil 

 

Lily of the Valley Growing Tips

Trim back the lily of the valley plant stalks of the delicate white or pink, bell-shaped flowers after they fade, but also keep watering the plants until their foliage turns yellow.

You can plant the faded lily of the valley specimens in the ground in spring in a shady spot where their roots have room to spread and form a colony. Be aware that the lily of the valley plant can be invasive, which is actually one reason to grow the lily of the valley plant in pots even if you intend to eventually move it outside.

You can also plant the lily of the valley into an outdoor pot in early spring, if that is your intention. Once more, a deeper pot is desirable as it provides more space for the lily of the valley plant roots.

 

Lily of the Valley Poisonous

All parts of the lily of the valley plant are highly toxic if eaten. Make sure you keep the plants out of the reach of small children and pets.