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Edinburgh, Scotland Sco

Hi Folks, It's been an awful long time since I posted and am looking for some help.
My beautiful Martagon lilies, Lilium martagon Arabian Knight have failed/aborted flowering this year. They have been gorgeous in the past 2 years since planting and left to die back naturally. Is it too late to start feeding the bulbs now or am I better to wait until spring and new growth begins to show? And what would be the recommended feed? My other species lily L. leichtilinii growing around 8ft away is doing perfectly well and gearing up for flowering, it was treated the exact same. Any advice is greatly received.



20170713_131517

Answers

 

I would give them a good, balanced feed now, to build up the bulbs as much as possible. They may need more pampering next year, before blooming in 2019. Also check that the amount of shade hasn't increased too much.

15 Jul, 2017

 

Feed until the foliage dies back using something like half strength tomorite. They seem to be very close to the fence and you may need to lift and move them once they died down completely.

15 Jul, 2017

 

They do look as if are undernurrished, don't they. Now is the time to feed and, if you have such, something like well rotted farmyard manure would be good as the soil looks rather thin and gritty. As you probably don't have the manure then a high pottasium liquid feed like tomato fertiliser weekly until they die down and then mulch with a rich, humus based soil conditioner

15 Jul, 2017

 

Thanks all.
Tug - no increase in the amount of shade, quite the opposite as I cut back the Cotinus quite hard last year. A good feed is what they shall have!
Thank you MG, I think you are right re the fence. I'll build them up first with a view to finding them a spot elsewhere.
Bulba - I too thought they were looking a bit peely wally, which was the basis of me thinking there was a problem. The soil isn't too bad albeit a bit stoney but I do have a half bag of farmyard manure looking to be used up as it happens.
Thanks everyone.

15 Jul, 2017

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