Daylily Information

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Planting:

When to Plant:

In the North, spring planting is normally preferred. Experienced planters can plant in the fall but the Daylily has a much harder time surviving because it has not developed a strong enough root system to survive the frost if certian percautions are not taken to help it through the first winter.

In the South, early spring or very late fall are the most desirable planting times.  If you plant in the high heat and humidity of the summer months you increase the chance of developing rot.

Best conditions to plant in

Most daylilies do best in full sun. They will tolerate part-shade conditions, but require a minimum of six hours of direct sun per day.

A good guidline is to use the daylily color. Light colors do better, and show stronger colors, in full sun while darker colors that absorb the heat quicker do better in partial shade during the hottest part of the day.

If planting under trees avoid broad leaf trees such as maples, poplars, or beeches because the tree roots will rob the soil of moisture and nutrients. On the other hand, they do well under pine trees because of the dappled shade and the pine tree has a much deeper root system so it does not compete with the daylilies.

Daylilies grow well in just about any soil condition from sandy to clay but the best performance will occur in soil that is high in organic matter, drains well and has a neutral pH (around 6.5).  If you take the extra time to enrich the soil you will see more vigorous foliage and color, a higher bud count with more scapes per clump.  Manure with a generous supply of worms is wonderful for compost but do not let the manure cover the crowns of the plant.

Procedure for planting

New daylilies:   Soak bulbs, but not the crowns or fans, in water for a couple hours to a couple days to help them rehydrate prior to planting.

• Dig a hole large enough to accomidate the root mass with some spare space.
• Make a mound in the center of the hole. Place the plant on top of the mound with the roots spread on all sides of the mound.
• Try to plant them to the same depth as they had been. Look for the band of white at the base of the foliage which indicates the part of the plant which was recently underground.
• Do not set the crown (the point where foliage and roots join) more than 1 inch below the surface of the soil.
• Work the soil around and between the roots as you cover the plant. Carefully fill and firm the soil and water well. Air pockets can cause the plant to grow poorly.
• When all the water has soaked in, finish filling in the soil, leaving a slight depression around the plant.

Daylilies should be spaced no less than 18 to 24 inches apart on each side and between rows. This spacing allows them plenty of sun and air to promote the richest growth.