Lirio Trocadero

The Lilium Trocadero is a plant that thrives in humus-rich soil, not appreciating limestone and poorly drained soils: its bulb dreads excess moisture in winter. You may want to place an impermeable film over the base in winter to protect it from excessive rainfall. Ideally, plant it in October or in spring, burying the bulbs 15 cm deep in a pocket of soil mixed with leaf compost. It will tend to elongate significantly if planted in too shady a spot. To maintain strong stems, choose an open area with a sunny but not scorching exposure. Surround the bulbs with a sand pocket to prevent rot and slug attacks, while allowing them to grow more easily. Mark the planting location, as growth only starts in March-April. Protect young shoots from frost in case of severe cold. If red insects appear, treat them promptly; they are red lily beetles whose larvae can devour all the leaves. The most effective method is to catch them by hand; be careful as they drop as soon as touched, so place a box underneath. Otherwise, treat regularly with permethrin. After flowering, it is useful to cut the faded flowers halfway to keep the bed beautiful during the summer. The bulbs of this lily multiply rapidly and can be divided every 3 or 4 years. If you prefer not to divide the clumps after four years, the dense cluster of bulbs will produce numerous, shorter stems with fewer flowers per stem; the plant will then resemble a dense shrub, which is very aesthetic. To achieve 2 m stems with 30 to 40 buds each, it is imperative to divide the bulbs.

Tip for planting lilies in compact soil: The scaly bulbs of large lilies fear clayey soils that suffocate them and cause rot. In Eastern Europe, the following technique is used to help these bulbs survive the winter. Plant them on 'benches' built above ground level. These benches consist of a first layer of gravel, on which tightly packed branches are placed. The whole is then covered with a thick layer of leaf compost, 20 to 30 cm deep. Plant the bulbs in the compost, where a few ground-covering plants can also be grown.

On the terrace, you can create sumptuous potées with lilies. Choose a container that is wide and deep enough (at least 16 cm in diameter for 1 bulb). Fill it with a mix of leaf compost and sand. Plant the lilies in groups of 3 to 5 bulbs, 10-15 cm apart, then water thoroughly. Place the pots in a cool room, or outdoors once the frost has passed. The ambient temperature should be around 12°C. When shoots appear, move the pot to a veranda or a very bright room, at a temperature of around 18°C. Apply liquid fertilizer twice a month until floral buds appear.