How to Grow and Care for Daylilies

Daylily Care

Planting

The spacing depends on your patience. To naturally let them grow together over 10 to 15 years, space bare roots about 3 feet apart. For a clump that fills in earlier, space daylilies about 18 inches apart.

If the soil is poor, amend it with compost before planting.

1. Loosen the soil in the planting area to about 1 foot deep. Dig a hole deep enough to accommodate the root.
2. Plant the plant’s crown about an inch below the soil line, angling the bulbous roots outwards and a bit downwards.
3. Evenly add soil and tamp it down to get rid of any air pockets.
4. When the hole is 23 full, water generously, fill in the rest of the hole so that the crown is about an inch below the soil surface, and water again.

Light

Daylilies love full sun (at least six hours each day). In hot climates, some afternoon shade keeps your flowers in good health although shade may reduce the number of blooms.

Soil

Daylilies thrive in all types of soil but prefer fertile and loamy soil. Just make sure the soil retains moisture well (adding compost helps). Also, ensure that the site is well-draining to prevent root rot.

Water

Water daylilies regularly in the first growing season. Moving forward, only water about 1 inch per week during extended dry spells. Mulching helps retain moisture in the soil, plus it protects the plants in colder winter climates.

Temperature and Humidity

Daylilies are tough plants that tolerate a wide range of temperatures and humidity levels.

Fertilizer

Most daylilies do not need fertilizer. Instead, for added nutrients, add compost to the soil around the plants in each growing season.

Types of Daylilies

There are thousands of daylily cultivars and varieties. The most popular daylilies include:

• ‘Stella D’Oro’: This popular, reblooming daylily has flowers with a rich golden yellow that put on a show from early to midsummer, reblooming later in the season.
• ‘Purple D’Oro’: Another reblooming variety, this daylily has lavender-purple flowers that bloom in summer and rebloom in the fall.
• ‘Crimson Pirate’: This daylily has narrow, elongated red petals accented by golden yellow and a gentler sunny yellow throat.
• ‘Autumn Red’: This daylily has large bright red flowers, yellow eyes, and striped petals.
• Citron Lily (H. citrina): This cultivar grows 3 feet tall and its sweetly lemon-scented flowers bloom at night.
• Lemon Lily (H. lilioasphodelus, H. flava): The very fragrant lemon-yellow flowers of this 3-foot-tall cultivar bloom from May to June.

Pruning

If desired, remove spent flowers by gently twisting the wilted bloom between your finger and thumb. After flowering, remove the seed capsules and cut the flowering stems to the ground. Also, remove any yellowing leaves throughout the growing season to encourage the production of new leaves.

Propagating Daylilies

Propagating daylilies is typically done through division. Divide them every three or four years in either fall or very early spring.

1. Dig up the daylily clump.
2. Remove excess soil and place the plant on a tarp or cardboard to minimize the mess.
3. Using a sanitized sharp knife or spade, divide the clump into smaller clumps. Make sure each section has a healthy clump of roots, and check that there are no weeds nestled in the roots.
4. Replant clumps immediately in the new locations at the same depth as the original plant.

How to Grow Daylilies From Seed

Most daylilies grown in the garden are hybrids and those seeds will not produce true to the parent. For that reason, it makes the most sense to only start daylily species such as H. lilioasphodelus from seed. Start the seeds indoors or sow them directly in the soil in the fall. Here’s how to start daylilies from seed indoors:

1. Subject the seeds to moist cold stratification for about 30 days. Store the seeds in a dark, cool place in a paper envelope until you are ready to plant.
2. Plant seeds in 14 to 12 inch deep in a deep 1-quart pot so the roots have room to grow. If your seeds didn’t germinate during the stratification process, they should sprout in about two to three weeks in the soil.
3. Keep the soil moist at all times.
4. Transplant seedlings to the garden in June or July. Note that newly planted daylilies take up to two years to show their first flowers.

Overwintering

Daylilies do not require winter protection. The foliage dies back after the first frost. If it doesn’t, cut it back to just a few inches above the ground, or wait until spring at which time it is easy to pull dead stems away from the crown.

Adding a layer of straw or leaf mulch before winter helps the plant withstand freeze-and-thaw cycles.

Common Pests

Daylilies are generally pest-free. Even rabbits avoid them, although deer may find the entire plant tasty.

Prevent the occasional slugs and snails by picking up leaf litter around the crown of the plant. Check in early spring for any aphids around the first buds and be on the lookout for spider mites or thrips in hotter weather. Control and eliminate insect pests with insecticidal soap.

How to Get Daylilies to Bloom

Bloom Months

The bloom time depends on the variety, climate, and whether they are rebloomers. Most daylilies bloom from June to July. Rebloomers bloom either a few times a year or they are everbloomers that flower through the late spring and summer from May to September.

What do Daylilies Look and Smell Like?

Daylilies typically have wide petals with have straight or frilly edges. They come in all colors and patterns, ranging from simple “self” patterns (one color with potentially different colored stamens or throat) to more eclectic polychrome patterns (blooms of three or more colors). Some types are more sweetly fragrant than other types.

How to Encourage More Blooms

Cut the faded flower stalks from the base to encourage the daylily to produce more flowers instead of seeds.

Common Problems With Daylilies

Daylilies are strong, relatively carefree plants, but sometimes problems arise.

Leaves Turning Yellow

If the leaves begin turning yellow, the problem is likely a lack of water. Make sure the plants get at least one inch of water per week.

Leaves Turning Brown

If the leaves begin turning brown, it is probably leaf scorch, a non-deadly but common daylily condition Remove all dead leaves, or cut the plant back to the ground after it is done blooming to encourage new growth if there is still time left in the season.