3 weeks ago I received some small lily seedlings from a relative. They're supposed to be tall, with white flowers and red long stamens. The only advice my relative gave me was to water the seedlings regularly and watch out for red beetles.

Since I've never grown lilies before I would need some help what to do with them next. Currently they're about 15 cm tall and some leaves are still coming out.
How and when should I transplant them? I'm guessing I'll have to separate them a bit? When can I plant them into the garden? If I'm correct they like rich and well drained soil and sunny positions?

Thanks in advance for any help, If and when I get them to flower I'll send a picture as a reward.

Wishing a nice day to everybody

Ivan

Mark out a grid pattern so you end up with three across and four down the length - 12 seedlings in all. You can do a row and fill as you go. Fill up to nearly the brim of the box and water lightly. You can add about half a measure of sharp grit to four measures of potting mix.

Or you can plant your seedlings individually into 6" pots at this stage. Later they will need something larger, however.

Lilies aren't partial to superphosphate. They get brown bits on their leaves from the fluoride.

Many of the lilies have a set of basal roots which store the food for them to get started in the new season.

Once they get growing, though, they form stem roots ABOVE the bulb. That's why they get planted quite deeply. It's those roots that support the stem, leaves and buds.

When they come up next year you can use a sparing amount of slow release fertiliser to help them grow on and form bigger bulbs.

You might not see flowers for three years.

As the bulbs get larger you might want to plant them out into a special area free of perennial weeds. They like the edges of deciduous shrubberies/woodland for the dappled light and leaf mould but they don't like to compete with surface roots from trees such as maples.