You can expect great returns on your investment in daylilies. They grow vigorously and ask little in return from the gardener. Plant daylilies in sunny areas of the garden. They tolerate light shade, but bloom more freely in full sun. Amend soil at planting time by incorporating organic material to a depth of 12 to 14 inches. Daylilies are somewhat drought tolerant, but occasional deep watering results in better growth and bloom. Daylilies increase in size yearly, and may need to be divided every three to four years. This task is easier to accomplish before the individual clumps become too large and difficult to handle. Division can be done in the spring as new growth emerges, or late in the summer after flowering.
Nearly 30,000 daylily hybrid cultivars are available. Varieties vary
by overall plant size. Some are compact and short -- 12 to 14 inches, while
larger varieties can grow much larger -- 36 to 40 inches. Darker red and
purple-flowered varieties may fade quickly in very sunny areas, so you
may want to place them in lightly shaded areas or areas that are shaded
in the afternoon. Evergreen varieties of daylilies are not reliably hardy
in Colorado.
DAYLILIES--PLANTING
Daylilies should be planted in a well-drained, high organic matter soil. Plants can be planted in sun to partial shade, though blooming potential increases in sunny environments. The soil pH should be 6.0 to 7.0.Plant preferably in the early spring or after plants bloom, but they will usually tolerate planting any time the soil is workable.
Space daylilies 1 1/2 ft. apart for smaller varieties
and at least 2 ft. for the larger ones. Spread the roots out in the
bottom of the hole partially filled with good compost and make the top
of the crown even with the soil surface. Water them well, and give them
a dash of fish fertilizer. Firm soil around roots.
DAYLILIES--SEED PODS
Seed pods will form on daylilies if old flowers are not pruned off. Pods may form viable seed, though unless you're a breeder it is hard to determine what the outcome will be.Removal of the seed pods may increase the blooming power of repeat daylilies
such as Stella de Oro. Seed pods should also be removed to increase the
stored carbohydrates in the root system for next year's bloom.
DAYLILIES Dividing and Cultivating
Daylilies should be divided every three to five years to keep blooming levels high. Each bloom stalk usually signify two plants the following year; therefore, a clump producing five stalks will contain ten plants the following year.Ideally, plants are divided in early spring as plants emerge or after they bloom, but they may be transplanted at any time. Dig clumps carefully. Wash the roots, then separate plants with a sharp knife or spade. Remove dead or diseased plants. Roots may be cut into pieces, each of which must have an "eye" or growing point.
When transplanting post-blooming plants, cut back tops by half to limit
wilting.
DAYLILIES Diseases and pests
Daylilies are quite disease-free and very easy to maintain. Thrips are easily controlled with Malathion, and they suffer few other problems.Adapted from articles
and the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
1995
Daylilies include the following varieties:
Admiral's Braid, All The Magic, All The Tiger, Always After, Baja,
Baroque Pearls. Beautiful Melody, Baracuda Bay, Beguiled Again, Begal Bay,
Big Kiss,Blueberry Breakfast, Blueberry Candy, Butterfly Kisses,Canadian
Border Patrol,Candy Dwyer, Carribean Double Coaral, Carribean Fire Beacon,
Carribean Peach Explosion,Cobalt Dawn, Clovette Adams,Creative Edge, Christmas
Is, Dancing with Pink, Dazzaling Design, Diamonds and Pearls, Double Rosedale,
Glacier Bay, Eenie Weenie, Eye Catching, Eye on America, Feather Down,
Friend Dorthea, Handsome Dylan, Ida's Magic, Indian Weaving, Inherited
Wealth, Isle Worth, Janice Brown, Joan Senior, Jedi Codie Wedgeworth, John
Kinnebrew, Kevin Walek, Larry Grace, Little Baby Mine, Lost in Love, Magic
Obsession, Maleny Debutante, Mildred Mitchell, Moana Twirler, Magic Quest,
Minnie Pearl, Moonlight Masquerade, Montana Miss, Mystical Rainbow, Neal
Berry, New Swirls, Night Embers,Pandora's Box,Pardon Me, Peach Fairs, Peach
Magnolia, Pearl Harbor,Pirates Patch, Pirates Promise, Red Reward, Royal
Braid, Regal Braid, Rave On, Raspberry Candy, Sabine Bauer,Sabra Salina
Scarlet Orbit, Satiago Heat, Scatterbrain, Schnickel Fritz, Spacecoast
Sensation, Totally Awesome, Tropical Centerpiece, Tuscawilla Dave Talbott,Valley
Monster, Wish Fullfillment ... and many many more.
Copyright Information: Gardening Short Cuts
Daylily Links
Martha
Stewart's Encyclopedia of Plants
The
Weather Channel's P. Allen Smith's Garden Page
Rebecca's
Garden
American
Hemerocallis Society
National
Gardening Association
Ashwood Garden:
Shipping Daylilies To Canada
MasterComposter.com
Organic
Growers/Compost
Daylilies
Growing Along The Information Highway
Daylilies
Online
Abundant Daylilies
and Perennials Page
Daylilies:
The American Hemerocallis Society
Oakes Daylilies
Bayberry Row Daylilies
and Hosta