How to Grow and Care for Daylilies

Daylilies are one of the hardy plants around. They withstand almost all the neglect, abuse, and still showing their colorful side every year.

Daylilies rank on top among most adaptable perennials for the flower garden.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Garden, yard
• Gardening tools
• Sunlight
• Young Daylily plants
• Fertilizer, optional

1. 
   Pink Slipper Daylily

   - - Preparing the Location and Soil - -
   
   You can grow daylilies for all U.S. zones. They especially thrive in zones 4 - 9. They are adaptable to most soils, but do best in high organic matters with lightly acidic, damp soil that is well drained.
   
   Daylilies love full sun, and will also do well in partial shade. Some afternoon shade will protect the flowers of some varieties from fading, particularly if you live in a hotter region.
   
   Note: excessively rich soils may result in decreased blooming and increased foliage growth.

2. 
   Strawberry Border Daylily

   - - Planting - -
   
   Dig a hole slightly larger than the roots. Make sure the roots have space to spread out. Place the young plant in the center of the hole and fanning the roots downward and outward. Carefully pack soil around the roots. Set the crown not more than 1" below the soil surface. Tall varieties should be spaced 24 - 30" apart, with smaller types 16 - 24" apart.

3. With the division of old clumps, daylilies are very easily propagated. Every 4-6 years, divide clumps when they become overcrowded. For those vigorous cultivars, you may need to divide them more frequently. Late summer to late autumn is usually the best time for dividing old clumps, and resetting divisions or new plants.

4. 
   Fire Dragon Daylily

   - - Pests and Diseases - -
   
   Daylilies are usually hardy on pests and diseases. Aphids, ants, and thrips sometimes feed on the flower buds, though. These pests can be easily controlled with simply a strong spray of water or 1 part dishwashing detergent mixed with 12 parts water in a spray bottle.

5. 
   Little Peep Eye Daylily

   - - Landscaping Use - -
   
   Daylilies are most effective when planted in large groups. They look attractive in the flower border also. They can add great amounts of color to a landscape.
   
   Daylilies are fire suppressants for your garden/home. Their roots store large amount of water that help keep fire from spreading.
   
   - - Culinary Use - -
   
   The flowers of daylily are edible, and few people know this. Studies show they are higher in vitamin C than average size oranges. You can add fresh buds or blossoms to salads, or battering and frying them like squash blossoms.
   
   Dried petals, those that the Chinese called "golden needles", are a valued ingredient in many Asian recipes, such as in Hot(Sweet)& Sour soup, braised tofu mushroom soup and egg seaweed soup. Dried petals can be used in tea also.

6. 
   Velvetta Daylily

   These plants produce a wide variety of blooms. Some plants provide single trumpet-shaped flowers. Others are double, ruffled, or fringed.
   
   Flower sizes range from 2 - 8 inches among all varieties. Gardeners value daylilies for their colorful blooms. All imaginable colors are available except blue. Many produce multi-colored flowers while some are single colored.

Tips & Warnings

• Each daylily flower lasts only a day. However, a single plant may produce over fifty flowers, extending the flowering period of a plant for several weeks.
• Daylilies are perfect for tough gardening areas. They are very salt tolerant so they can survive near the coast.
• Plant them on slopes and steep hills to helps prevent erosion. Their deep dense roots hold soils together very well. They also prevent the spreading of wildfires, as their roots store massive amount of water.