How to Grow Turk’s Cap (Martagon) Lilies

Water

During the growing season, allow the top inch or two of soil to dry out between water applications.

The plants are somewhat drought tolerant when established, but as with all bulbs, do not allow the soil to become waterlogged and soggy, as this will cause rot.

Fertilizing

To keep the soil lightly friable and replenish nutrients, add a top dressing of organic matter in the form of compost, leafmold, rotted manure, or worm castings each fall.

For new plantings, use a one-inch layer of mulch, using bark, leafmold, shredded leaves, or straw spread on top of the bulb beds.

Add a two-inch layer for established plantings applied in early spring.

To feed during the growing season, apply a slow release fertilizer with a balanced or flower-boosting formula scratched into the soil in early spring and again in midsummer.

Balanced fertilizers have equal portions of the major nutrients, such as 5-5-5 (NPK).

Burpee Enhanced All-Purpose Plant Food

You can find Burpee Enhanced All-Purpose Plant Food, with an NPK ratio of 5-5-5, available at Burpee.

Flower boosting formulas typically have a higher level of potassium, like this bloom boosting formula from Burpee, with a ratio of 4-6-4 (NPK).

Burpee Natural Organic Bloom

Alternatively, a liquid or water-soluble formula can be applied monthly to the root zone starting in early spring after new growth emerges.

Containers

If you want to cultivate Turk’s cap lilies in containers, keep the mature size in mind – they can grow quite tall and need a large planter to anchor them and for the bulbs to spread.

Also, containers must have drainage holes in the bottom to prevent the soil from becoming waterlogged – wet soil is a leading cause of bulb rot.

I like to prepare my containers by adding a layer of porous materials over the drainage holes to keep the water moving freely away from the bulbs.

1. Fill with a good quality potting soil enriched with one part of organic materials such as compost, manure, or worm castings.
2. Mix in a generous part of grit to improve drainage. I find most commercial potting blends are slow draining and Turk’s caps must have good drainage to keep the bulbs healthy.
3. Stir in one tablespoon of bone meal for each bulb planted.
4. Nestle the bulbs into the soil at a depth of three times their diameter.
5. Backfill with soil and firm gently over the bulbs.

Place containers in a full to partial sun location and water lightly to settle the bulbs in place.

Cultivars to Select

Turk’s cap lily bulbs can be a little hard to source but can be found at retailers that specialize in bulbs and online.

Here’s a sampling of what’s available for the home gardener:

Martagon Mix

If you can’t decide what colors to choose, why not try a mix?

Martagon Mix

A handsome selection of mixed Turk’s cap lily bulbs in shades of cream, maroon, peach, and pink are available in packets of three, six, or 12 bulbs at Eden Brothers.

Manitoba Morning

Pretty as a prairie sunrise, ‘Manitoba Morning’ features blooms of rosy mauve and banana yellow boldly dotted in maroon.

‘Manitoba Morning’

Bulbs are available from Hirt’s Gardens via Walmart.

Sunny Morning

Bright and cheerful, ‘Sunny Morning’ has golden yellow petals heavily freckled and spotted in deep maroon.

‘Sunny Morning’

Bulbs are available from Hirt’s Gardens via Walmart.

Maintenance

Deadhead the plants when all of the flowers are spent and dried.

Use clean, sharp shears to remove the flower spire just above a set of healthy leaves.

If you’d like to encourage self-seeding, you can leave the spent flowers in place and cut off the seed pods when they are empty.