Daylily Division Guide: Learn How And When To Divide Daylilies
Daylilies are pretty perennials with striking blooms, each of which only lasts for one day. They don’t require much care once established, but dividing daylilies should be done every few years to keep them healthy and blooming. Learn when and how to do this chore right for the best results.
When to Divide Daylilies
Daylily division should be tackled every three to five years for optimum health. If you never divide them, the plants will not grow as vigorously, and you will see fewer and smaller flowers each year. Newer varieties of daylily grow more slowly. You can wait longer between divisions for these.
The times of year to do the dividing are early spring and late summer to fall. If you do the division toward the end of the growing season, you can wait until the temperatures cool, but don’t wait too long. You want the new plants to have time to establish before winter.
How to Divide Daylilies
Separating daylily plants requires digging up the entire root system. Once you have the clump free, brush or rinse the dirt from the roots so you can see them. Physically separate the roots, being sure to leave three fans of leaves per clump and a decent set of roots.
You may need to use a sharp pair of shears or a garden knife to separate the roots. This is also a good time to check for any rotten, small, or damaged roots. They can be cut out and discarded.
Once you have the clumps separated, cut the leaves down to about 6 or 8 inches (15-20 cm.) in height. Get your daylily divisions back in the ground as soon as possible to minimize stress to the plants.
When replanting the clumps of daylily, be sure that the junction between the root and shoot, known as the crown, is about an inch (2.5 cm.) under the ground. The new location for divisions should have at soil that drains well. You can add a little compost to the soil, but daylilies will generally tolerate basic garden soil. Water the new transplants right away.
Gardening tips, videos, info and more delivered right to your inbox!
Sign up for the Gardening Know How newsletter today and receive a free download of our DIY eBook "Bring Your Garden Indoors: 13 DIY Projects For Fall And Winter".
Don’t be surprised if your plants fail to bloom next year. This is typical and they’ll be back to normal in a year or two.
Mary Ellen Ellis has been gardening for over 20 years. With degrees in Chemistry and Biology, Mary Ellen's specialties are flowers, native plants, and herbs.
-
Bold & Beautiful Festive Bloomers: 6 Christmas Flowering Plants For A Big Holiday Buzz
‘Tis the season for celebration and easy living, so make sure your plants are up to it. These dynamic Christmas flowering plants will help you see out the season in style
By Mary Ellen Ellis
-
9 Thoughtful Stocking Stuffers For Gardeners They'll Actually Use – Starting At $10
Stocking stuffers often end up an after-thought, but not these! Explore expert-curated stocking stuffers for gardeners that they'll use for years to come.
By Laura Walters
-
Are Daylilies Edible - Can I Eat Daylilies
Daylilies are easy to grow and produce fantastic blooms. Their laissez faire nature and hardiness make them ideal landscaping plants. If you are a garden grazer, you may wonder, "can I eat daylilies?" And if they are, which daylilies are edible? The wonderful answer is contained below.
By Bonnie L. Grant
-
Daylily Tuber Winter Care – Learn About Overwintering Daylily Plants
Daylilies are some of the toughest flowers around, but if you’re concerned about daylily plants in winter, digging and storing daylily tubers isn’t a bad idea, especially in climates north of USDA plant hardiness zone 5. Click this article to learn what to do with daylilies in winter.
By Mary H. Dyer
-
How And When To Cut Back Daylilies: Daylily Trimming Made Simple
Daylily trimming after bloom time will keep these beauties tidy and disease-free. Trim the plants back after they bloom and before you divide them.
By Mary Ellen Ellis
-
How To Transplant Daylilies: Learn About Moving Daylilies In The Garden
Daylilies like to be divided every three to five years for optimal blooming. Moving and transplanting daylilies takes a little finesse. The following information on how and when to transplant daylilies will have you an old pro at dividing and moving daylilies in no time.
By Amy Grant
-
Streaks On Daylily Leaves: Learn About Daylily Leaf Streak Disease
Daylily plants are among one of the most popular perennial landscaping flowers. While robust, there are some issues that may cause these plants to struggle in the garden. Daylily leaf streak, for instance, can cause distress. Learn more about this disease here.
By Tonya Barnett
-
Deadheading Daylily Flowers: Is It Necessary To Deadhead Daylilies
The daylily plant will only bloom for one day. Luckily, each plant produces multiple blooms that flower continuously, creating the beautiful display its growers have come to love. But what happens once the blooms fade? Is daylily deadheading necessary? Find out here.
By Tonya Barnett
-
Daylily Fertilizer Needs – How To Fertilize Daylilies
Do you need to start fertilizing daylilies? That can depend on the soil. If the soil is poor, feeding these plants may help them to thrive. For more information on daylily food and tips on how to fertilize daylilies, simply click on the following article.
By Teo Spengler
-
Daylily Scape Info: Learn About Daylily Scape Identification
Daylilies require little maintenance other than pulling out the scape at the correct time. What is a daylily scape? Scapes in daylilies are the plants’ leafless stems on which the flowers appear. For more daylily scape information, click on the following article.
By Teo Spengler