Red Lane Gardens 2008
Daylilies: some Basics
Hemerocallis comes from the Greek and means 'Beauty for a Day'. While each bloom lasts for only one day, the number of buds on each flower scape will keep you in blooms for weeks and with the number of cultivars which bloom at various times, you can enjoy their flowers all season long.
Cultivation Requirements
Daylilies will do quite well in any good garden soil and prefer a pH in the 5.5 to 7 range. The soil should be worked to a depth of at least 12 inches. It should be moisture retentive but not remain soggy.
While Daylilies are 'heavy feeders', it is best to start with a soil of medium fertility and top dress with compost or a 5-10-10 fertilizer in the Spring (too much nitrogen will result in lots of foliage at the expense of blooms).
They can get by on 6 hours of direct sun per day, but the more sun the better. Daylilies have fleshy roots making them drought tolerant, but they will reward you with many more blooms if they are supplied with adequate water during bud formation and bloom.
Daylilies will do quite well in any good garden soil and prefer a pH in the 5.5 to 7 range. The soil should be worked to a depth of at least 12 inches. It should be moisture retentive but not remain soggy.
While Daylilies are 'heavy feeders', it is best to start with a soil of medium fertility and top dress with compost or a 5-10-10 fertilizer in the Spring (too much nitrogen will result in lots of foliage at the expense of blooms).
They can get by on 6 hours of direct sun per day, but the more sun the better. Daylilies have fleshy roots making them drought tolerant, but they will reward you with many more blooms if they are supplied with adequate water during bud formation and bloom.
Please visit Nancy's Personal Daylily Pages where you'll find more information as well as Pictorial How-To's on:
Planting
Dividing
Insects and Diseases
Organic controls
Dividing
Insects and Diseases
Organic controls
There is also a photo gallery of seedlings and basic information on hybridizing.
Design and photos
© Nancy Oakes
© Nancy Oakes
Planting:
Daylilies can be planted at any time from early May until mid-September. Dig the planting hole large enough to accommodate the roots fully spread out; make a mound in the centre of the hole, place the, plant on this spreading the roots out and down.
Water them in well, if possible with one of the liquid fertilizers with a rooting hormone in it (like 'Plant Start'). Cover the roots with soil to a depth not greater than 2" above the crown (the point where the roots meet the base of the plant).
If the plant is buried too deeply it may not bloom. Make sure the soil is well packed around the roots so that the plant does not sink into the ground as the soil settles.
Water well and keep them well supplied with moisture until new growth starts and they are established.
Daylilies can be left in place for years, so allow at least 24 inches of space around each plant.
While most plants will bloom the first year, the flower may not show its true colour or size until the second year. This can be especially true of the diploid spiders and UFs. And truth be told, it's not until the third year that you will the the plant's true potential.
Daylilies can be planted at any time from early May until mid-September. Dig the planting hole large enough to accommodate the roots fully spread out; make a mound in the centre of the hole, place the, plant on this spreading the roots out and down.
Water them in well, if possible with one of the liquid fertilizers with a rooting hormone in it (like 'Plant Start'). Cover the roots with soil to a depth not greater than 2" above the crown (the point where the roots meet the base of the plant).
If the plant is buried too deeply it may not bloom. Make sure the soil is well packed around the roots so that the plant does not sink into the ground as the soil settles.
Water well and keep them well supplied with moisture until new growth starts and they are established.
Daylilies can be left in place for years, so allow at least 24 inches of space around each plant.
While most plants will bloom the first year, the flower may not show its true colour or size until the second year. This can be especially true of the diploid spiders and UFs. And truth be told, it's not until the third year that you will the the plant's true potential.