I love daylilies! Why do I love daylilies so much? Let me count the ways....
Daylilies are super easy to grow. I consider them a one and done. After a few years, I have to separate them, but really what plant is completely maintenance free?
I order most of my daylilies from a place out of Missouri. My sister turned me on to Gilbert H. Wild over 20 years ago. I find their plants to be in really great condition and, over the multiple orders I have place, I have only had one that didn't survive. I would say my odds with them are pretty good!
Planting daylilies is easy. I soak my new bare roots for a few hours before planting. This kind of wakes them up. Then I gingerly spread out the roots and dig a hole about twice as big around as the root spread. Next, I set the stalk on a mound of dirt in the hole, fanning out the roots on the sides of the mound. Then fill in with soil and water. Daylilies don't need to be deep. As a mater of fact, if you plant them too deep they will grow but not bloom well or at all.
These are two of my newest additions. I can't wait until next year to see the blooms!
I think some people have a bad impression of the daylily because of the lilies you see in the ditches growing wild. My experience with them is that they roadside lilies most everyone is familiar with. Roadside lilies are the tall orange like to take over. I have never (knock on wood) had a hybrid lily do that.
Hybrid lilies grow in clumps. Experts suggest dividing clumps about every 5 years. I have let them go longer than that. This probably isn't the best for the plant, but I like to divide them when its dry. The clump falls apart easier. Above is a picture of lilies from my sister that need to be divided. Maybe I'll get to it this fall.
Daylilies prefer the morning sun and some afternoon sun, but honestly, I have them everywhere: Under trees, in the shade, full all day sun, and part shade. The amount of sun, I find, isn't as important as the amount of water they get. I have a few plants beside the house and under the house's overhang-not the best place for them. They need more water than they get there. Ideally, the plants need about an inch of water per week. Once the plant is established, I don't water really. Remember my moto? "If God don't water it, I don't either."
Daylily blooms are so intricate and beautiful. If you take the time to really study the blooms, you will see what I mean. Look at the veining, the edges, the throat. Even on the same plant, the blooms are individual.
Daylilies are one of the simplest plants for me to grow. I can plant them anywhere with success. One plant can produce 50+ blooms. Be aware! Deer love the blooms too. One morning I was counting all of the bloom buds on my lilies. It was the second year for them, so they were doing great. I counted over 60 blooms total on 6 plants. The next morning I went out to see what blooms had burst... I burst into tears! My buds were almost all gone! The deer had come in during the night and eaten almost every one of them. I really don't like deer, or rabbits, or squirrels, or moles, or anything that eats or uproots my flowers!!!
I hope you give daylilies a try and make sure you label them with you B's Plant IDs. Not only will you know the names, you will be able to know what you have so when the new spring catalogs come you don't buy the same ones twice.. yep I've done that!
Original Posting Date: 7-12-2020