They need a chill period but they can't tolerate the pot freezing solid. If kept too warm, they'll probably start to grow (maybe too early). Not sure what the maximum temperature to allow the chill period is. Maybe someone else can expound.

It's easiest to just plant them in the ground and let Nature take care of it.

Plant the pots in the ground and leave them there.

per above ... and repot in spring.. is one way ... this realy is the easiest.. and less stressful ...

if you had on oldfashioned root cellar.. you could store them there... today ...most modern basements are too hot to maintain dormancy. which is what you need ... you dont want them waking up in mid winter ...

you could also dig a 4 foot hole.. put all the pots in it.. and cover over with a ton of fall leaves... basically making your own root cellar.. lol ... but that might be considered a bit work intensive.. ya think.. lol..

ken

Hi Roxanna,

I also have 5 potted up lilies that have spent their summer on the deck and are still growing. These are all lilies that I grew from bulbs that I purchased on eBay and Easy to Grow Bulbs. All bloomed successfully but one which is still growing and may bloom later.

I had originally intended to attempt to winter these over in our unheated attached garage but as the summer goes on I find myself looking for places to plant them! The main reason is is that I've already put in a spring order to B&D lilies and don't want to end up with too many in pots next year. These new bulbs I will treat the same way and worry in the fall how to overwinter them.

I will probably choose a couple and store them in garage as an experiment. I am in the same zone 6b as you. I've read on-line where people leave them outside under a deck but I'm not quite ready to try that.

The advice to plant the pots in the ground wouldn't work for me as I'm far beyond being able to dig holes! If we're going to dig a hole then they're going to stay in the ground! Next year there will always be more lilies that make their way to spending the summer on our deck!

Good luck with what ever you do.