Because of the continued heat and drought last fall I just never got the Daylilies divided like they need. Their leaves are now roughly 8 inches tall. Can I dig them up, divide and replant now or will it be too stressful on them now that they have start growing? I know I can move my Canna and Iris anytime without harming them but I have never had Daylillies get to this point.
I would think they would do just fine. They are so tough and hardy. But, I'm not familiar with your climate. :-D
Right now we are having an extra warm winter going into a very warm spring. Rain chances are next to none. I figure it's either divide them now or wait until November. I don't want to move them now tho if it means they won't bloom because of having to recooperate from it.
I'd be tempted to move them now Toni. BUT if you would be very upset if they didn't bloom this year then wait until November. Daylilies are usually very forgiving.
Toni, your daylilies will do fine if divided now. I had a reed type plant grow up in the middle of a clump of dayliles. I had to dig them to get the reed out, so I divided and moved them , at this time of the year. They even bloomed a few months later. It didn't slow them down at all. Daylilies can be divided any time of the year, but I would not suggest doing it while they are flowering.
Well Toni, I always divide mine in march, when I divide them. The thing is that it is cooler here than there. I have never done that at the time that they had foliage lake that. Having said that, when I took on our new plot, there were glads in it and I was aware of their presence only by their long leaf spikes that came up. I moved them as late as april-may and they made it. I guess the bottom line is that there is a chance that they will make it. I am fairly yellow when it comes to plants that I REALLY like, and I usually do whatever needs doing by the book. Are those daylillies special favourites?
Thanks for all the advice. They aren't my special favorites but I do really like them. I forgot to mention that they didn't bloom very much last year and I have been thinking that it might be because they were too crowded. I think I will go ahead and divide them now and take my chances. Thanks y'all, I'll take pictures when they bloom.
Good luck with the dividing, toni. I'm terrible to my plants, I generally divide them when I remember or have time.
Toni, Daylilies are about as tuff a plant as there is out there. I've dug, moved, split, you name it to daylilies even when they are budding and in full bloom with no ill effects. One winter (Michigan) I left a couple of clumps above the ground un protected and they survived the winter with no problems (was in the process of movingthings around in Novemenber and was caught with my plants down). Ron
I agree with Cajunbelle. Do not divide daylilies while they are flowering. I have divided daylilies for customers in April.
This question is so old, I had forgotten all about it. Our weather over the last 9 years has not been all that friendly to the Daylilies. Some just couldn't take the heat and drought so I believe I saw them packing up and moving north a few years ago. There are not enough left to have to worry about them crowding each other so I have not had to move any of them in probably 8 years
@toni I was wondering about that Toni. Your climate & mine are so different. Up north here, the specialty daylily houses will dig the lily up for you ANYTIME of the growing season, knock ALL the soil off the roots & unceremoniously plonk it in a paperbag & hand it to you. They suggest you keep it damp if you aren't going to plant it right away. I myself have moved them, divided, etc anytime during the growing season. But your climate tends to be do much drier and the sun hotter, right? Maybe not exactly daylily clime.
