Usually, lilies should only be cut back just below the first flower saving as many leaves as possible to produce a bigger bulb, a bigger plant and more buds per stem for next year. The fact that you have less buds on the original plant is one probable cause. It is not, however, necessarily related to all those new little ones. Lots of the newer lily hybreds commercially available today multiply rapidly. Another probable cause of low bud count is simply that the lily has been in the same spot too long and needs to be lifted and divided. Generally, when a lily is no longer flowering normaly-assuming no cut back--it should be lifted. There are other lessor factors for lower than normal bud count too, but those are usually temporary annual influences.

Well I'll be sure not to cut back till late fall. I'll see how many buds emerge next yr. Then if they are still fewer I'll dig em up. They have been in the same spot for 6-8 yrs. The one group are trumpets and the other are those tiger lily's, orange with black spots curled back petals. Thnx.

"They have been in the same spot for 6-8 yrs"

This is quite a long time for them to go without dividing the clump. Split the clump this year rather than wait another twelve months.

And the most general practice is to not mix(or plant near) common tiger lilies with other lilies. Its thought that tiger lilies can harbor viruses without showing symptoms. So, if in fact you have trumpets (even tho they are resistant to most desease) its something to think about.

Thanks for all the good tips, I know nothing about growing lily's. I don't have my lily's mixed together, they are all in seperate beds, what luck. I'd like to remove the tigers I really hate orange. I'm off to the Lily nursery today to see what I can find. Again thnx..

Mark

After the bloom and the petals fall off, I cut just below the bloom for cosmetic purposes. Hasn't hurt my lillies at all. Then I wait for the yellowing in the fall to make more drastic cuts, but as hostaholic says, never cut more than 1/3 of the stalk at a time.

I cut mine down to the ground last year right after they bloomed and boy was that a dumb move... They still had buds this year but far far less. I am not touching them this year until they die back in fall or turn brown/yellow.

AdamKr, waiting for the leaves to yellow applies to tulips and daffodils. The old principle for replanting lilies said 3-4 weeks after blooming, and the stems are usually removed on the occasion. So I doubt that keeping leaves 'forever' is that important. Big bulbs you buy have more flowers. Their flower buds were removed just before blooming, so they grew bigger. You cant expect just as many flowers from the same bulb next year, especially not without proper fertilizing. So your observation was correct but conclusion was wrong as far as I know.