The Stella D'Oro
Picture by Denise
Daylilies are a tough brood. They are one of the easiest bloomers for me to work with while giving back beauty 100 fold. Even though a bloom lasts only one day, a bed of daylilies will give plenty of blooms every day during their blooming season.
Better yet, they multiply very well. They are easy to divide to extend an existing bed or use in another.
The best time to divide is in early Spring or in the Fall after they have ceased blooming. I have divided them at different times of the year but they do best when divided as suggested. Either way, it will take a year for the transplants to become prolific bloomers as they are known to be.
Divide when clumbs start to show signs of becoming over crowded or their blooms are shy (less blooms). I've used different methods of dividing. When the ground is soft, I've used a fork by working around the entire clump to losen the soil from the roots. Then sink the fork under the clump and lift it out. You will loose more roots if you try this when the ground is hard.
The other method is using a spade to encircle the plant to a depth of about eight inches. Bear in mind that the roots extend several inches beyond the foliage. Once circled, shove the spade under the clump and lift out. This method is best if you plan to transfer the entire plant intact to another location. In my opinion, this is not really dividing, you're just moving them.
Dividing the clump can be done one of two ways. If the soil is lose around the clump, you can easily remove the soil by shaking- taking care not to destroy more roots than necessary. If the soil is compact and not wanting to release from the roots, use a water hose to wash away the soil leaving the roots exposed.
Separate the individual fans by gently teasing and tugging to separate their roots. Each new division should consist of a fan with attached roots. This method will produce many more lilies than cutting the clumps into quarters.
Once removed, trim away any dead growth. Replant the new divisions about eight inches apart in well prepared soil tilled to about eight inches deep. Mix in about two inches of organic matter and about two pounds of 10-0-10 fertilizer per 100 square feet of area. Use your favorite organic fertilizer if you are an organic gardener.
There you have it! Nothing to it. Right?
Til next time,
Poppy
For more info click on photo below.
We have always had very good luck with daylilies. We have them spread through out our garden areas. In fact they are quite often a staple in the beds. In fact those in the photo should look very familiar to Poppy. They are offspring of a lilie that has followed Poppy and Granny along for a very long time. My garden just wouldnt have been complete without daylilies, especially that family of lilies.
ReplyDeleteThere have been times while moving lilies that dynamaite would have been a useful tool. But that is only because they thrive very well even in tough, cement like,granite encrusted, steel fortified, platinum covered Neshoba clay.
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