Spade Red

Spade Red

A Few Daylily Facts - Makes Growing Daylilies a Snap!

While daylilies "love" sun, they will also tolerate "part-shade". The filtered shade of a tall pine tree works well. You may wish to plant the darker colored daylilies in filtered shade particularly in the hot south where the sun may tend to "fade" darker colors.

Proliferations are those little "plants" you may find growing on the bloom scape. When the scape starts to turn brown below the proliferation, cut the scape above and below the proliferation and root. This will be a clone of the "mother" plant.

All registered daylilies are "named". Although, some "named" daylilies are not registered. Names are submitted when the daylily is registered, and passes review by the American Hemerocallis Society.

If you can't plant your new daylilies right away, don't worry. Daylilies are hardy plants, just keep them out of the sun, mist with fresh water, and plant as soon as you can.

Daylilies are easy to grow perennials which multiply each year. Dividing should be done when ever the "clump" gets too big as crowding will result in a decrease in the number of blooms. Dividing is usually necessary every 4-5 years. Some multiply faster, and need to be divided sooner.

To ensure maximum bloom, make sure that your daylilies receive sufficient water in the spring while they are "making" the scapes and buds and while they are in bloom. General rule is 1 inch per week although soil conditions and use of raised beds will vary that amount.

To achieve good growth and flowering, plant daylilies where they receive full sunlight for at least half of the day.

Mulching daylilies aids in water retention during hot summer weather, maintains cooler soil temperatures, controls weeds and increases water penetration. Materials such as pine straw, pine bark, wood chips and decomposed leaves provide effective mulch.

When daylilies are transplanted, water them routinely to encourage new growth and early establishment.

Daylilies grow in a variety of soils ranging from light sandy types to heavy clays. Areas used for daylilies should be spaded or tilled deeply to improve physical condition. Tilling relieves compaction and underlying hardpans which impede drainage. Daylilies should not be planted in poorly drained soils.

Daylilies are shipped "bare root". The Daylily Barn digs your daylilies in the morning they are shipped. The plants are thoroughly washed, dipped in a fungicide, drip dried, individually wrapped in towels to absorb any moisture and boxed. If you are shipping daylilies, you should not wrap the daylilies in any material, such as plastic, that will not allow air to reach the plant.

DOR, EV, and SEV designates whether foliage is dormant (DOR), which means dies back in the winter. EV means evergreen and SEV means semi-evergreen.

Join the AHS- American Hemerocallis Society!

Members receive "The Daylily Journal" which contains, in addition to some beautiful pictures, articles about growing and breeding daylilies and other related topics. Regional newsletters (usually two to four published annually) for the area in which you live. Members can join daylily "robins" where members can interact, either by "snail-mail", or "e-mail", on any number of daylily related topics. Attendance of National and Regional Conventions not only lets you discuss daylilies and gardens, meet some wonderful friends, but gives you an opportunity to tour some of the most beautiful gardens in the regions. Club has youth memberships also, youth members can win awards and scholarships.

The Stout Silver Medal (SSM) is the highest honor to be bestowed upon a daylily. To be eligible for this award, a cultivar must have received the Award of Merit not less than three years previously and will remain eligible for three years.

DIP (Diploid) or TET (Tetraploid) designates the number of chromosomes. Diploids have 11 pairs of chromosomes and tetraploids have 22 pair.

Here's some info on how to plant daylilies. Dig a hole, make a mound of dirt in the bottom of the hole, spread the roots over the mound, final planting depth should be no more than one inch above where the foliage and roots meet, fill in with dirt making sure there are no air pockets, water and watch them grow! Some growers also sprinkle some fertilizer on the mound before setting the root over the mound.

As you may know, in the last few years a daylily disease - Puccinia hemerocallidis - or "rust" - has spread across this country, Canada and Australia. If you need information on rust, there are many sites that discuss daylily rust on the web including the American Hemerocallis Society web site. In addition, we will be glad to answer any questions you have. The Daylily Barn now maintains an active rust spray program and all daylilies will also be with dipped in a fungicide prior to shipment.

Remember: There are no bad daylilies, even the ugly one's are pretty!

More information can be obtained by contacting a local club or the American Hemerocallis Society website.

"See Ya In The Garden!"

About the Author

When we began our hobby in our flower beds with daylilies, who could imagine just where this remarkable experience would lead us? We have met many new friends who have shared in this magical adventure! Please come on in the barn and browse if you want to find some neat things for your garden, join our fascination! Visit this site,Need A Solar Garden?

Join the American Hemerocallis Society

Silver Spade - Red Magic: Live @ The Chance, 7/26/07