Fertilising guide
How to fertilise Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis)— schedule & NPK
Also called May lily, May bells, our lady's tears.
About Lily of the valley
Convallaria majalis · also called May lily, May bells · flowering
Lily of the valley is a shade-loving perennial with broad green leaves and tiny fragrant white bells in late spring. Spreads by rhizome to make ground cover. Severely toxic to pets and people — every part contains cardiac glycosides.
Convallaria majalis is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial of Europe and Central Asia (naturalized in temperate North America and invasive in parts of the northern US), forming a low 8–12 in groundcover of arching white bells.
Needs little feeding; an annual topdressing of leaf mold or compost suits its woodland nature better than synthetic fertilizer.
Growth habit: Rhizomatous spreading perennial
What fertiliser lily of the valley actually wants — and why
Lily of the valley feeds for next year, not this one — the critical window is after flowering, while the leaves are still green and recharging the bulb.
A low-nitrogen, potassium- and phosphorus-leaning bulb fertiliser (something like 5-10-10) or bonemeal at planting. High nitrogen grows floppy leaves and rots stored bulbs.
For the language behind the three numbers on the bottle — what nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium each do — see the NPK ratio explained entry. The short version for lily of the valley: match the feed to the job the plant is doing right now, not to a generic “plant food” on the shelf.
How often to feed lily of the valley, and which months
Feeding only earns its keep while the plant is in active growth and can use the nutrients — pour feed into a dormant or low-light plant and it simply builds up as root-burning salt. For lily of the valley:
Leaf-mould top-dress in spring. The rhythm: a bulb feed at planting, a light feed as leaves emerge, and — most important — a potassium feed straight after flowering while the foliage is still green and feeding the bulb. Never cut the leaves off early.
The dormant-season rule matters more than the exact interval: skip feeding entirely when lily of the valley is resting. For the wider context on indoor feeding rhythms across the seasons, the houseplant fertiliser schedule walks through the year month by month.
What strength to mix for lily of the valley
Use the bulb-feed label rate for lily of the valley; the timing (post-bloom, leaves still green) does far more for next year's display than the concentration.
Feeding always goes onto already-damp soil, never dry roots — water lily of the valley first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the lily of the valley watering schedule.
Signs you are over-feeding lily of the valley
Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for lily of the valley:
- Tall, floppy, soft leaves that flop over (too much nitrogen).
- Soft or rotting bulbs lifted at the end of the season.
- Lush foliage but few or poor flowers.
Signs you are under-feeding lily of the valley
- Progressively fewer or smaller flowers year on year ("going blind").
- Small, weak bulbs and thin foliage.
- Bulbs that fail to come back at all after a few seasons.
If the symptoms point at watering, light or roots rather than nutrition, the full lily of the valley care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.
Flushing and leaching the salts
Bulbs are not container-flushed like houseplants; the equivalent is not over-feeding and lifting/dividing congested clumps of lily of the valley every few years so they are not competing for nutrients.
Organic vs synthetic feeds for lily of the valley
Organic options
Bonemeal worked in at planting plus a mulch of garden compost or well-rotted leaf-mould is the traditional, reliable approach for lily of the valley. UK: blood, fish & bone or Westland Bulb Food; US: Espoma Bulb-tone or bonemeal.
Synthetic / liquid feeds
A proprietary bulb fertiliser at planting and a high-potash liquid (tomato feed) after flowering — UK: Westland Bulb Food then Tomorite; US: Miracle-Gro Shake 'n Feed Bulb or a bloom booster post-flower.
Brand names are examples, not endorsements, and UK and US ranges differ — check the label’s own NPK and dilution rate, since formulations change.
Fertilising lily of the valley — frequently asked questions
What fertiliser does lily of the valley need?
A low-nitrogen, potassium- and phosphorus-leaning bulb fertiliser (something like 5-10-10) or bonemeal at planting. High nitrogen grows floppy leaves and rots stored bulbs. Lily of the valley feeds for next year, not this one — the critical window is after flowering, while the leaves are still green and recharging the bulb.
How often should I feed lily of the valley?
Leaf-mould top-dress in spring. Leaf-mould top-dress in spring. The rhythm: a bulb feed at planting, a light feed as leaves emerge, and — most important — a potassium feed straight after flowering while the foliage is still green and feeding the bulb. Never cut the leaves off early.
What strength of feed for lily of the valley?
Use the bulb-feed label rate for lily of the valley; the timing (post-bloom, leaves still green) does far more for next year's display than the concentration.
What does over-feeding lily of the valley look like?
Tall, floppy, soft leaves that flop over (too much nitrogen). Soft or rotting bulbs lifted at the end of the season. Lush foliage but few or poor flowers. Cutting or tying off the leaves of lily of the valley as soon as the flowers fade is the great bulb mistake — the bulb recharges through those leaves for weeks afterward, and removing them early means a weak or blind display next year.
Should I flush the soil of lily of the valley?
Bulbs are not container-flushed like houseplants; the equivalent is not over-feeding and lifting/dividing congested clumps of lily of the valley every few years so they are not competing for nutrients.
Keep reading
- Lily of the valley care — the full brief (light, soil, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water lily of the valley — the watering schedule
- The houseplant fertiliser schedule — feeding through the year
- NPK ratio explained — what the three numbers on the bottle mean
- How to fertilise peace lily
- How to fertilise bird of paradise
- How to fertilise hoya
- All 200 fertilising guides in the Growli library