Daylilies

Family: Liliaceae
Plant type: Herbaceous perennials.
Size: Spacing: Aspect: Full sun (at least 6 hours) to light shade (although they flower less vigorously in part sun).
Soil preparation: Rich, moist & well drained. It is best to prepare the soil with compost, old cow/sheep manure or blood & bone approximately one month in advance.
Planting: Form a mound & spread the roots out over it (to almost flat), holding the plant to a depth so that just the roots & crown of the plant will be covered by an inch or two (2.5 - 5cm) of soil. Sprinkle fine soil over the roots & press down firmly (to remove air pockets). Water in lightly. Do not over-water at this time, just once a week should be adequate (unless you have a very porous soil).
Watering: Water well, especially over the hot, dry spells of Summer. If you do not water adequately, you will find that flowering is much reduced.
Fertilising: Apply a well-balanced organic fertiliser in August & March each year. Scott Alexander strongly recommends a monthly application of fish & seaweed foliar fertiliser (sprayed onto the leaves or applied via watering can).
Flowering time: Spring - Autumn. As the plant grows & develops, you can expect to be rewarded with a greater number of flowering spikes & blooms.
Climates: Cool to sub-tropical.
Frost tolerances: Hardy.
General care: To keep the plants looking attractive, regularly remove the old flowering stalks (once all the buds have flowered). These can be cut off just above the foliage. Old, browning leaves can also be removed from the outside of the plant.
Uses & comments: Mulch well.
On arrival of your plants: The plants will appear to by dry but DO NOT WORRY! Daylilies are very tough & can withstand being out of the ground for a long period.
However, it is best to plant very soon after arrival or, if their bed is not ready yet, heel the plants into some damp sand (or loose soil) in the shade.
You may also be concerned that there are too few roots & foliage but DO NOT WORRY! They will quickly establish themselves in your garden
Division of plants: Well cared for Daylilies will grow large & develop into several clumps after a number years. Generally within 3 - 5 years these clumps can be divided into separate plants.
Dividing Daylilies is easy & best done during Winter to early Spring. Simply use a garden fork & a sharp knife to lift the whole clump out of the soil. Shake off the excess dirt so that you can see where the plant has naturally been dividing & make a clean cut at that point. You should find that the plants are quite easy to separate. Trim back the foliage to about 1/3 & only trim the roots if they are damaged or diseased. Re-plant the separate pieces.

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