If you have a unheated garage, take large nursery pot and put your lilies in there mixed with moistened peat moss. Keep them in the dark and cold (below 40F). Once they begin to root and sprout, plant out ASAP! You can also individually pot up your bulbs so you don't have a hard time untangling roots and shoots when you're ready to plant. Just make sure they're in a fast draining potting mix and well watered before going into the cold garage! Good luck! Riz

Susie, as northerner said, the lilies will freeze if you leave them in pots above ground over the winter. Are you sure that the bulbs rotted because of the soil being too damp? As you said, the bulbs have been there for 10 years. Has anything changed that would cause more moisture, such as a large tree or a hedge that was removed? If not, I doubt it's because of wet conditions. If you say that you had squirrels eating the shoots, the bulbs might still be there. Have you checked? Is there another place in your garden you could bury the pots over the winter, like a vegetable patch where they might be safe from squirrels? You could keep them there while the shoots are still tender enough to be appetizing for squirrels and other rodents like rabbits and mice or voles. and then move them. I lost a lot of my lilies last year to voles who ate the emerging shoots and some other creature that dug up the bulbs. I got some new bulbs at a good price a while ago and what I did was loosely wrap some chicken wire around each bulb before planting them in pots. I'll bury the pots in the vegetable garden soon. In springtime, I'll remove the bulbs from the pots and plant them in their designated spot. I'll bury a piece of chicken wire a few inches deep in the ground above the bulbs so squirrels can't dig them up and I'll be protecting the emerging shoots with crates or maybe those wire wastepaper baskets you get at the dollar store, or maybe just by throwing a nylon net over them. Seems like a lot of work, but if you're a lily lover like me, you know it's worth it.

Here's some info: Production of Hybrid Asiatic and Oriental Lilies1 Michael R. Evans and Ron Beck2 From University Of Florida Extension "Precooling Requirements Asiatic and oriental hybrid lilies require a cold treatment of a minimum of 6 and 8 weeks, respectively, at 34 to 36°F before planting for rapid shoot emergence and flowering. Additional cooling is not harmful. Once the bulbs are precooled, they should not be exposed to temperatures above 36°F for extended periods of time or premature sprouting will occur. Bulbs which will be used for late forcing (usually after February) are usually frozen in peat and maintained at 28°F. Holding the bulbs at this temperature prevents sprouting, reduces loss of the bulb's energy reserves and minimizes disease problems. However, bulbs must be totally vernalized before freezing. Further, the case must have adequate moisture since freezing temperatures are very drying and the bulbs can dehydrate easily. Allow for free flow of air between and around cases, and do not allow bulbs to thaw. If bulbs are allowed to thaw, and then refrozen, flower buds may not develop properly. When bulbs are needed for planting, or when frozen bulbs are received from a supplier, defrost the bulbs slowly at 45 to 55°F for one to three days, or until the bulbs are thawed. As soon as the bulbs are thawed, they should be planted. If planting is delayed, sprouting and disease problems may occur." Here is a link that might be useful: Univ Florida extension publication

i have successfully overwintered oriental lily in the 13"pot(about 9" deep) : 2 bulbs together with english ivy. i wrapped the pot in big-bubble plastic and set it inside an even bigger empty pot and put some mulch on top and overturned plastic dish to sort of keep the water off and trap the heat. but i am in zone 6 - i have it on north-east loggia that has no sun at all in winter, so no warming up, no rain. i was mostly afraid that they will rot and read that it's best to cover the whole top with clay saucer. i read in balcony forum that other people keep orientals in pots over winter outside successfully. the pots freeze completely of course. and this winter had some pretty harsh weather, colder then usual - i am in nyc metro area. but they are blooming very nicely now.