Tiger lilies are a perennial blooming plant producing showy orange blossoms with black accents during the summer. Tiger lilies are at home in a sunny flowerbed and provide a beautiful tall backdrop to shorter blooming flowers. One tiger lily plant often produces several orange blooms. Both experienced and novice gardeners can grow tiger lilies year after year with reliable success. Plant the tiger lily bulbs in the autumn and prepare for a spectacular show the following summer.
Prepare the growing area any time during September or October. Work the soil with the garden spade down to a depth of approximately 12 inches. Remove any rocks and other debris from the soil as you work it. Add a 2-inch layer of compost to the top of the soil and work this in with the spade. Rake the soil surface smooth to finish planting preparations.
Dig holes for the tiger lily bulbs. Space holes 10 inches apart for bulbs over 3 inches wide. Make the holes deep enough so that the bulbs are beneath 5 inches of soil. Make holes for smaller bulbs 6 inches apart and deep enough so that the bulbs are beneath 3 inches of soil. Place the tiger lily bulbs into the prepared holes and cover firmly with soil.
Provide water for the newly planted bulbs immediately. Add approximately 2 inches of shredded mulch around the planting area to conserve soil moisture and prevent weeds.
Watch for the tiger lily plants to sprout the following spring. Fertilize the tiger lily plants in the spring and again in the early summer by mixing the fertilizer with water according to package recommendations for the size of your growing area.
Clip off blooms after they wilt. Allow the other foliage to remain on the plants until autumn because this will nourish the bulbs. Cut off the foliage after the first frost and discard.