From my perspective, a Lily, my being is not just the glorious bloom you admire above the soil. My true essence and longevity lie hidden beneath the surface in my bulb. I am not a single entity but a colony, a matriarch preparing the next generation. My core is a compressed stem, a basal plate, from which my roots descend and my scales—modified, nutrient-rich leaves—swell to store the energy captured by my foliage. Each season, I use this energy to produce my flower and, just as importantly, to create new bulblets, known as offsets, around my base. This is how I naturally seek to multiply and thrive.
I will tell you when it is time. The most obvious sign is my own crowded condition. You may notice my floral displays becoming less vigorous, or my clump becoming so dense that it pushes itself partially out of the earth. The ideal time for this procedure is in the autumn, after my foliage has yellowed and died back. This is not a death; it is a strategic retreat. I have redirected all my precious energy from my leaves back down into my bulb and my new offsets for winter dormancy. Disturbing me while my leaves are still green robs me of this vital energy transfer, weakening me and my progeny.
Please approach this task with care. Gently lift my entire clump from the soil using a digging fork, keeping it well away from my basal plate to avoid piercing my scales. Shake off the loose soil and you will see my network: the large, mature mother bulbs and the smaller, younger offsets clinging to my sides. These offsets are my children, each a genetically identical copy of myself. You can often separate them by hand with a gentle twisting motion. If the connection is too strong, use a clean, sharp knife to make a clean cut, ensuring each new section retains a portion of the basal plate and some roots. This minimizes damage and prevents rot.
Now, prepare our new homes. We require well-draining soil, as sitting in water will cause our fleshy scales to rot. Plant us at a depth roughly three times our height; this protects us from temperature extremes and provides stable anchorage for our new growth. Place me and my offsets in a sunny location where we can bask and photosynthesize efficiently. Water us in thoroughly to settle the soil around our roots and eliminate air pockets, but then allow the winter moisture to take over. As the cold sets in, we enter a period of essential dormancy. Beneath the soil, we are not sleeping idly; we are using this quiet time to establish new roots, preparing for a spectacular emergence in the spring.
