Daylilies Are Perennials
Some Daylilies are dormant with their foliage dying back completely, others are
evergreens, there is also a wide range in between referred to as semi-
evergreen.
Daylilies have tuberous, somewhat fleshy roots and have strap or grass-like
leaves that arch gracefully making clumps attractive even when not in bloom.
Clusters of blooms appear at the top of a mostly leafless stem, known as a
scape, which grows above the foliage. Sometimes there is branching on the
scape allowing for multiple blooms each day. The Daylily bloom itself is only
open for one day hence the name Hemerocallis, “beautiful for a day”.
Plants are propagated mainly by division, which will provide an exact replica of
the parent plant. You can also grow Daylilies from seed, but as with human
children each offspring will be different. More on that later.
Modern day hybridizing has allowed Daylilies to come in a wide range of colors,
shapes and sizes, except blue, but they're working on that. Bloom sizes range
from miniature to very large, available in single, double, spider and unusual forms.
Location, Location, Location .....
Most Daylilies do best in full sun. They will tolerate part-shade conditions, but
require a minimum of six hours of direct sunlight per day to bloom well.
Daylilies will adapt well to almost any kind of soil and are almost pest free. A
relatively new pest, Puccinia Hemerocallis or daylily rust, affects mainly the
foliage. Daylily Rust is said to die when exposed to prolonged exposure to
freezing temperatures so it won't survive our cold winters.
Daylilies do not grow well near trees such as Maples, Poplars or Beeches
because the tree roots rob the soil of moisture and nutrients. They do however
do well under deep rooted Pine trees that create light shade.
When to Plant ...
Daylilies can be planted any time after the ground thaws, however it takes about
six weeks for Daylily roots to adjust to a new location so all plantings and
transplanting should be done at least six weeks before the ground freezes.
If planting a clump, less time is needed as the roots have not been disturbed.
Planting Bare-Rooted Daylilies
Bare-Root Daylilies, especially those received through the mail, should be
soaked for a few hours in water. If you want, you can add a weak solution of
liquid fertilizer.
Dig a hole larger than the root ball, and down at least a foot to loosen the soil.
Form a mound in the center of the hole. Set the plant in place with the roots
spread on all sides of the mound. Never plant Daylilies with the crown (where
foliage and roots join) more than 1 inch deep. Add the soil around the roots
firming it as you go. When the hole is half full with soil, water it very well to insure
good soil to root contact, and then add the remaining soil. Firm the soil again,
leaving a slight depression around the plant to act as a reservoir and water
thoroughly.
A good mulch of wood chips or leaves will help to preserve the moisture in the
summer, as well as helping to control the weeds.
Planting a Daylily Clump
Nothing could be simpler, simply dig a hole large enough for the clump to be
planted. Put water in the hole, add the clump and replace the soil over and
around it. Press firmly around the diameter to be sure to eliminate any air
pockets. Water well and add mulch if desired.
Spacing
You should plant your Daylilies no less than 18" to 24" apart on each side.
Labeling
Label each of your Daylilies with some type of permanent marker to identify
them. A plant loses much of it's value when it's identification is lost. Some day
when you are dividing clumps, you may want to trade a few fans for something
new, and knowing the name will get you a lot more potential traders. Many
garden forums on the internet offer their members opportunities to trade plants.
Dividing Daylilies
As Daylily clumps grow over the years, it will become necessary to divide and
separate the plants. If clumps are allowed to grow too large, plant performance
will suffer and over crowded clumps will have fewer blooms.
Daylilies can be divided every three to four years. Some prefer to transplant in
early spring, but you can also transplant after bloom season, when the days grow
cooler.
Dig the entire plant up and gently pull the leaf fans apart, with each division
having a minimum of 2 fans. In large clumps it may be necessary to cut the
division with a sharp long blade knife. My favorite tool for dividing Daylilies is an
old screwdriver. Stick it into a space where it looks like it could easily be
divided and twist and turn to loosen a division.
I always dig my clumps with a digging fork, it's so much easier on both the plant
and the gardener.
Some Daylilies are dormant with their foliage dying back completely, others are
evergreens, there is also a wide range in between referred to as semi-
evergreen.
Daylilies have tuberous, somewhat fleshy roots and have strap or grass-like
leaves that arch gracefully making clumps attractive even when not in bloom.
Clusters of blooms appear at the top of a mostly leafless stem, known as a
scape, which grows above the foliage. Sometimes there is branching on the
scape allowing for multiple blooms each day. The Daylily bloom itself is only
open for one day hence the name Hemerocallis, “beautiful for a day”.
Plants are propagated mainly by division, which will provide an exact replica of
the parent plant. You can also grow Daylilies from seed, but as with human
children each offspring will be different. More on that later.
Modern day hybridizing has allowed Daylilies to come in a wide range of colors,
shapes and sizes, except blue, but they're working on that. Bloom sizes range
from miniature to very large, available in single, double, spider and unusual forms.
Location, Location, Location .....
Most Daylilies do best in full sun. They will tolerate part-shade conditions, but
require a minimum of six hours of direct sunlight per day to bloom well.
Daylilies will adapt well to almost any kind of soil and are almost pest free. A
relatively new pest, Puccinia Hemerocallis or daylily rust, affects mainly the
foliage. Daylily Rust is said to die when exposed to prolonged exposure to
freezing temperatures so it won't survive our cold winters.
Daylilies do not grow well near trees such as Maples, Poplars or Beeches
because the tree roots rob the soil of moisture and nutrients. They do however
do well under deep rooted Pine trees that create light shade.
When to Plant ...
Daylilies can be planted any time after the ground thaws, however it takes about
six weeks for Daylily roots to adjust to a new location so all plantings and
transplanting should be done at least six weeks before the ground freezes.
If planting a clump, less time is needed as the roots have not been disturbed.
Planting Bare-Rooted Daylilies
Bare-Root Daylilies, especially those received through the mail, should be
soaked for a few hours in water. If you want, you can add a weak solution of
liquid fertilizer.
Dig a hole larger than the root ball, and down at least a foot to loosen the soil.
Form a mound in the center of the hole. Set the plant in place with the roots
spread on all sides of the mound. Never plant Daylilies with the crown (where
foliage and roots join) more than 1 inch deep. Add the soil around the roots
firming it as you go. When the hole is half full with soil, water it very well to insure
good soil to root contact, and then add the remaining soil. Firm the soil again,
leaving a slight depression around the plant to act as a reservoir and water
thoroughly.
A good mulch of wood chips or leaves will help to preserve the moisture in the
summer, as well as helping to control the weeds.
Planting a Daylily Clump
Nothing could be simpler, simply dig a hole large enough for the clump to be
planted. Put water in the hole, add the clump and replace the soil over and
around it. Press firmly around the diameter to be sure to eliminate any air
pockets. Water well and add mulch if desired.
Spacing
You should plant your Daylilies no less than 18" to 24" apart on each side.
Labeling
Label each of your Daylilies with some type of permanent marker to identify
them. A plant loses much of it's value when it's identification is lost. Some day
when you are dividing clumps, you may want to trade a few fans for something
new, and knowing the name will get you a lot more potential traders. Many
garden forums on the internet offer their members opportunities to trade plants.
Dividing Daylilies
As Daylily clumps grow over the years, it will become necessary to divide and
separate the plants. If clumps are allowed to grow too large, plant performance
will suffer and over crowded clumps will have fewer blooms.
Daylilies can be divided every three to four years. Some prefer to transplant in
early spring, but you can also transplant after bloom season, when the days grow
cooler.
Dig the entire plant up and gently pull the leaf fans apart, with each division
having a minimum of 2 fans. In large clumps it may be necessary to cut the
division with a sharp long blade knife. My favorite tool for dividing Daylilies is an
old screwdriver. Stick it into a space where it looks like it could easily be
divided and twist and turn to loosen a division.
I always dig my clumps with a digging fork, it's so much easier on both the plant
and the gardener.
Daylily Care
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RINKLAND DAYLILIES
Specializing in Daylilies for the Northern Grower
Specializing in Daylilies for the Northern Grower
