How to Grow Pips in a Pocket

You can mail-order prechilled lily-of-the-valley pips, also known as rhizomes or rootstock. Once your pips arrive, gather the following materials: potting mix, sphagnum moss, Better Than Rocks, a bucket full of warm water and a pocket pot.

Soak the pips in warm water for an hour. Trim the roots, keeping them at least 4 inches long but short enough to fit in the pot.

Next, cover the bottom of the pot with a 1- to 2-inch layer of sand. Add premoistened potting mix to just below the pot's lowest pockets. Plant several pips in each pocket, and cover the roots with potting mix.

Cover the potting mix with a small handful of dampened sphagnum moss to keep the mix in place. Then use scissors to cut a 2-by-8-inch chunk of Better Than Rocks and stand it in the center of the pot. This will create a channel to facilitate watering and drainage.

Once you've filled any open areas, cover the pips with potting mix. Slowly water plantings in the center pot, allowing moisture to channel into the pockets. 

After planting, set the pot in a 60-degree area with indirect light from a north or west window. When buds develop, move the pot to a spot in the house where you can enjoy your blooms, or place it outside if weather permits.