Lillies...again

[mutantpoodle]

this year all my lillies flowered together...very nice but I want to stagger next year.
I have sorted into three groups
1)...left in pot and left ooutside........(hoping to be late flowering)
2) ..left in pot but stored in unheated greenhouse...(to flower before the above) ??
3).. dug up for planting in spring and in stages for staggered flowers..........if I am lucky!!

my question is...in respect of the bulbs dug up....they have roots and are covered more /or less in soil
should I remove all the soil?
if so is it best to soak bulbs to remove soil or let dry and hope soil will not be a solid lump?

what do you experts do...and does it work for 100% amateurs

[Dod101]

Surely the flowering period has more to do with the variety than how the bulbs are kept so I do not think that 1) and 2) will give you much difference. 3) might but I am not convinced.
As for removing soil, I would remove as much as you can now but just leave the rest. I cannot see that whether you remove the rest or not is going to make any difference on the flowering period or anything else. I am always slightly concerned about leaving my bulbs outside in pots but it seems that as long as they are not waterlogged they are fine. I usually try to give them at least a top dressing in spring to encourage them.

Dod