Lepord Lillies

I put in some plants this spring. They didn`t bloom,the tips got brown. My question is should I let them dry out like other bulbs, or keep them green? Thanks</p>

Leopard lilies Lilium pardalinum tend to grow in damp spots next to creeks, and are considered a 'wet-growing' lily. On the other hand, this species is very widely distributed in the wild, and is somewhat adaptable. I would think that in a drier region, it would be adapted to drier growing conditions. It would also help to know the age of the bulbs. It takes a few years for the plants to really get going. Mid-summer to fall is a drier time in the wild for most plants, so it would make sense to taper off on the watering. This would be especially true for clay soils. This time of year you don`t want to keep the bulbs really wet. Maybe light watering every 2 weeks or so would work, but it`s hard to say without knowing more about your climate and soil. If the bulbs were in pots, I`d say move them to a shaded spot and just very lightly sprinkle them once a week - just enough to keep the bulbs from drying out, but letting them get dry enough to go dormant. So, the bottom line is, don`t drown them at this time of year, but don`t let them get too dry, either. Good luck, Lori Hubbart</p>