Home > Projects >

How to Force Lily-of-the-Valley

You will need: Lily-of-the-Valley roots, Compost, Pots

Lily-of-the-Valley is not the first plant you think of for forcing to have the flowers indoors, but it is ideal for a cool, well-lit spot out of direct sun and the fragrance is wonderful.

Best time to do it:

Step 1

When you purchase a pack of lily-of-the-valley, you should get several roots that are either dormant or just coming into growth. Separate them to see how many you have.

Step 2

Trim the roots to make them easier to pot, cutting them to about 5cm with clean, sharp secateurs.

Step 3

Pot individually, or together in a larger pot, using fresh, sterile multipurpose compost. The tip of the shoot should be just above the compost. Water and allow to drain.

Step 4

Stand in a cool, well-lit spot out of direct sun, as they are edge of woodland plants. Keep the compost moist, but not wet. After flowering, you can plant them out in the garden in a shaded area, where they will flower for years to come.

Related FAQs

Ask a gardening question:

Latest Gardening News

Join Mr Fothergills & Darlac in The Chelsea Chop

RHS Celebrates National Gardening Week

BIG Changes for RHS Shows

A Good Garden Boosts Property Price More than Extending

Gardening Projects for April

---

How to prune for coloured stems

How to Care for Bulbs after flowering

How to plant through weed-suppressing membrane

How to take Dahlia cuttings

Latest Gardening Videos

---

Pruning Raspberries

How to Grow Orchids

Taking and Growing Chrysanthemum Cuttings

Pruning a Rose Bush

Treating white fly and red spider mite

Weed Control Using Mulch

All Videos

Explore Gardens from Around the World

Singapore Botanic Gardens
Singapore

Royal Botanic Garden Sydney
Sydney, Australia

Medellin Botanical Garden
Medellin, Columbia

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden
Cape Town, South Africa

Majorelle Garden
Marrakesh, Morocco

Gardens of Versailles
Versailles, France