* Upon receipt of your plants
* Where to plant
* When to plant
* How to plant
* Maintenance
* Dividing your clump
* Frequently Asked Questions
Upon receipt of your plants.
To fill your order for bareroot daylilies, we dig and divide clumps from our propagation beds. We then wash, trim and tag your plants. Dividing daylilies is like having surgery and your plant will go through a recovery period to rebuild its root system and to regrow foliage. To aid in that recovery, you should replant your daylily as soon as possible. If you are unable to replant your daylily immediately, keep the plant out of the heat and the roots moist.
While your plant is recovering, the outer leaves (the oldest leaves) will die. This is normal. The new growth comes from the center of the fans. You should see some growth in a few days. In about 4-6 weeks, your plants will be fully leafed out.
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Where to plant.
Daylilies are a full-sun to partial-shade perennial. This means you should plant your daylilies where they will get at least 6 hours of sun daily. We recommend planting reds and purples where they will get afternoon shade to avoid fading of the colors. Other daylilies can be planted in full sun all day long but we have found that all daylilies do appreciate some shade if possible. In addition to selecting a site with the right sun requirement, choose a place with crumbly well-drained soil or amend the soil with organic matter.
When to plant.
You can plant bareroot daylilies anytime during the growing season in this part of the country. Because daylilies seem to prefer warm soil, we don’t start our plant work until late April.
You should stop planting bareroot daylilies about 6 weeks before your first hard freeze so they have time to recover from being divided and have developed a strong root system. For us, that is around September 15.Back to Top
How to plant.
If the roots look dry when you are ready to plant, soak them in water for a couple of hours and then plant. Since the daylilies you have purchased are clump formers, each year you will have additional fans, increasing the size of the clump. With that in mind, space your daylilies 18” to 24” apart on each side. Smaller daylilies (those with flower stems 18” or less) can be planted 12” to 18” apart. You can always plant closer but because some cultivars multiply very fast, your clumps can become crowded very quickly.
If possible incorporate organic material with your soil at the time you plant. Organic matter loosens up clay soil and helps sandy soils retain moisture.
Dig a hole large enough to accommodate the bulk of the root system. Remove damaged roots. Trim extra long roots to fit the hole. Place the daylily in the hole so that the crown (where the foliage and roots join) of the daylily is no more than 1/2” below the surface.
Fill in the hole with loose, crumbly soil, ensuring that the soil surrounds the roots, eliminating all air pockets. Tamp the soil firmly around the plant and water well, adding more soil if needed so the roots are covered. If you don’t have loose soil for fill, use a good perennial potting mix.Back to Top
Maintenance.
Daylilies require little care during the growing season. During dry periods and hot spells, give about 1 inch of water weekly.
For a clean garden appearance, remove wilted flowers (called deadheading). The spent blooms do fall from the plant in a day or two, however. Deadheading also encourages new flower stems for daylilies that have the ability to rebloom. If the daylily does not have that ability, deadheading is only a cosmetic task. You may also want to remove the flower stems (scapes) after the flowering is done. If you choose to do so, cut the scape back rather than pulling them. In the spring, remove the dead foliage and remaining scapes after danger of frost is gone. Renew mulch for weed control and moisture retention.Back to Top
Dividing your clump.
Your daylilies will grow new plants annually, increasing the size of the clump, giving you additional plants. You need to divide the clump to maintain plant vigor and to keep the plant blooming. You can divide a clump after 3 to 5 years or you can wait longer if it is performing well.
First cut back the foliage to about 6” from the base of the plant to help see the base and to reduce the amount of top growth the plant needs to support during recovery. This also reduces moisture loss through the leaves.
Then, you have two options. You can lift and divide the entire clump or simply chop off portions of the existing clump.
If you lift and divide, use a spade or shovel and dig a circle around the clump about 2” or 3” from the base as deep as your shovel/spade will go into the ground. Spraying the digging area with water helps the spade go in easier and loosens the soil. Gently and slowly lift the clump. Once the roots are free from the ground, wash off as much soil from the roots at the site so you can replace the soil in the hole left by the clump. If soil remains on the clump, move the clump to a container that can be filled with water to remove the remainder of the soil. After soaking, wiggle and twist the roots gently but firmly to separate the fans of the daylilies.
If you section the clump, just chop the parent clump into several smaller clumps and move them to new sites. Firm the parent clump, ensuring soil covers the roots.
With either method, replant as explained under “How to Plant” and water well.Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to replant my bareroot daylilies?
We recommend you replant bareroot daylilies within 3-4 days after receipt. Keep cool and moist until ready to plant and water well following planting.
How long will a daylily bloom?
Each flower lasts only one day--hence the name daylily. However, depending on the cultivar, a daylily plant can be in bloom anywhere from 3 to 6 weeks. Plants with the ability to rebloom can extend that timeframe.
What is a rebloomer?
Some daylilies have the ability to rebloom if conditions are right. This means they produce additional flower stems in a growing season. Some rebloomers rest before sending up more scapes (flower stems) and others simply keeping producing for a designated period of time. Reblooming, however, is not consistent in Nebraska.
When is the best time to plant? Or divide?
Daylilies can be planted and/or transplanted anytime during the growing season. They like warm soil so we don’t do much plant work until late April. In the fall, allow 6 weeks of growing time before the ground freezes.
Should I cut back the foliage and when?
You don’t need to cut the foliage but if you do, wait until late October. We leave the foliage on through the winter and remove the debris in the spring when it easily pulls off the plant.
How much sunlight do daylilies need?
Daylilies are a full sun to partial shade plant. That means they need a minimum of 6 hours of sun a day. Some daylilies can be in full sun all day long but reds and purples typically prefer afternoon shade so the color doesn’t fade. We have found that most daylilies appreciate some shade during the day.
How much should I water?
Daylilies require less water than many other garden perennials because of their tuberous roots but they perform best if they receive about 1 inch of water weekly provided by you or Mother Nature.
What kind of fertilizer should I use?
We have never fertilized our daylilies. Spend your time and money on good soil preparation and amendments, enriching the soil whenever you lift a clump or before (re)planting daylilies.
Sam Hill Gardens .
. .
Creating simply beautiful garden
With simply beautiful daylilies.
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