HATTIESBURG AREA
DAYLILY SOCIETY Daylilies are among the most satisfactory flowering perennials for Mississippi gardens. Few plants give so much color for so little effort. The botanical name for daylily is Hemerocallis, derived from two Greek words ‘beauty’ and ‘day’, or beauty for a day. Individual blooms are open for only a day, but there are successive flowers for many days during the blooming season. WHERE TO PLANT Most daylilies bloom best in full sun. They will tolerate partial shade, but require at least six hours of direct sun each day. Any good garden soil is fine for growing daylilies. To get the soil in good condition, spade or till it deeply and work in generous amounts of organic matter, such as well-rotted manure compost, crushed pine bark or peat moss. This organic matter helps to hold moisture and sets as a storehouse for plant nutrients. For maximum performance, plant daylilies in well drained soil. WHEN TO PLANT Daylilies can be planted anytime from spring through fall. In the deep South, early spring or very late fall are the most desirable planting times. HOW TO PLANT New plants should be soaked for a few hours or overnight in water or in a weak solution of liquid fertilizer. If you cannot plant immediately, place your plants in a pan of shallow water or cover their roots with moist sand and in a shady place. This will usually keep them safe for a few days. Cut the foliage back to 6 to 8 inches and trim in an inverted “V” shape. Some growers also trim the roots to a moderate 8 to 12 inch length. This facilitates new growth after planting. The soil where you plant your daylilies should be worked into a good loose condition to a depth of at least a foot before planting. Dig a hole larger than the root mass. Make a mound in the center of the hole. Set the plant in place with the roots spread on each side of the mound. You should not plant the crown (the point where foliage and roots join), more than one inch below the surface of the soil. Firm the soil about the plant, and water well. When all the water has soaked in, finish filling in the soil, leaving a slight depression around the plant. Daylilies should be spaced between 18 and 24 inches apart on each side. Watering Water is essential for good performance. The amount of blooming and reblooming of daylilies depends directly on the wetness or dryness of the soil during the growing season. If natural rainfall is scarce during this time, flower quality will be improved considerably by a thorough soaking to a depth of 6 to 10 inches. This watering should be done each week when there is not a rainfall of at least one inch. FERTILIZATION Daylilies do much better when fertilized even though they may flower for years without fertilization under some conditions. An application of a complete fertilizer (8-8-8 or 13-13-13) in the early spring, early March, is recommended. Many growers apply fertilizer again in early fall because daylilies have a brief rest after blooming and then a new surge of growth begins as the plants prepare for the next year ‘s bloom. Courtesy
of the Hattiesburg Area Daylily Society |