We and our advertising partners use cookies on this site. Please see our Terms of Use for further details.

Garden.Help Logo Graphic

About Us | Terms of Use

Diagnose plant problems and treat garden pests

Gardening News

General Help

Specialists

Have a go...

Win and Save

Interactive Tools

Plant Doctor


More...

Home / Projects /

How to Force Lily-of-the-Valley


Difficulty: 3 / 5

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:

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Step One:

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 1 of How to Force Lily-of-the-Valley

Step Two:

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

Step 2 of How to Force Lily-of-the-Valley

Step Three:

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 3 of How to Force Lily-of-the-Valley

Step Four:

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.

Step 4 of How to Force Lily-of-the-Valley

Related FAQs


Ask a gardening question:


Looking for more garden ideas for this month? Try another project or watch a gardening video for some more inspiration.

Latest Gardening News



Gardening Projects for June


Learn about How to: Maintenance Pruning
Learn about  How to Care for Early-Flowering Clematis
How to: Maintenance Pruning

Difficulty: 2 / 5

Learn about How to water when on Holiday
Learn about How to repair a lawn - Patches
How to water when on Holiday

Difficulty: 1 / 5

How to repair a lawn - Patches

Difficulty: 2 / 5

Gardening Ideas


Plant Specialists

Diagnose orchid plant problems and improve orchid care
Orchid Doctor
Diagnose fruit plant pests and fruit plant problems
Soft Fruit Doctor
Do a soil test to find out your soil type
Soil Doctor
Diagnose pest and disease problems with fruit trees and bushes.
Top Fruit Doctor


Gardening Tools

Learn which plant pests attack which types of fruit.
Fruit Pests
Learn when and how to prune different types of plants
Pruning Guide
Learn which plants will grow in your soil
Soil pH Guide
Learn when and how to plant different vegetable seeds
Vegetable Planting Guide