How And When To Divide Daylilies

Table of Contents

If you're a gardening enthusiast, it's highly likely that you're familiar with daylilies. Daylilies are among the most popular perennial plants that add beauty to gardens and landscapes. But did you know that you can propagate these flowers through division? In this guide, we will take you through the step-by-step process of dividing daylilies, and we will also cover various topics such as tips for propagating daylilies, best time to divide daylilies, and some frequently asked questions.

Why Divide Daylilies?

There are several reasons why you might want to divide your daylilies. Some common reasons include:

• Overcrowding: As daylilies grow, they naturally spread out and form dense clumps. Over time, this overcrowding can lead to weaker growth, poor flowering, or even disease.
• Propagation: You can quickly create new plants by dividing established ones, which is a cost-effective way to expand your garden.
• Perpetual Maintenance: Dividing daylilies helps in perpetual maintenance of daylilies.

What Are the Benefits of Dividing Daylilies?

Dividing daylilies has several benefits, including:

• Improved Plant Health: By removing crowded, old, or diseased portions, you will stimulate new, healthy growth from the remaining plant.
• Increased Blooms: Divided daylilies tend to bloom more profusely after propagation.
• Increased Vigor: Divided daylilies will continue growing and putting out shoots, rejuvenating the plant.
• Propagation: Creating new plants through division.

When is the Best Time to Divide Daylilies?

The best time to divide daylilies is in the spring or fall when the plants are not actively blooming. Spring division allows plants to establish before the heat of summer while fall division permits the plant to establish before the winter freeze.

How To Divide Daylilies

1. Prepare The Soil and Tools

Before you get started, gather all the essential gardening tools that you will need. These include:

• Spade or fork: For lifting the clump
• Gloves: To protect your hands from any sharp objects or plant material
• Pruning shears: To trim leaves and roots as needed
• Watering can: To water the plants after transplanting.

Once you have your tools, prepare the soil by removing any weeds, rocks, or debris, then add organic matter or compost to enrich the soil and promote healthy growth.

2. Lift The Entire Clump Of Daylilies

Use your spade or garden fork to dig around the daylily's base and gently loosen the soil. You should aim to dig at least 6 inches deep and about 12 inches away from the base of the plant. Once you have dug around the entire clump, use the spade or fork to lift the entire plant out of the ground. Shake off any excess dirt or debris carefully.

3. Separate Individual Plants

Gently shake dirt from the root system and carefully tease apart individual plants. Use your fingers or pruning scissors with sterile blades to avoid spreading any disease. Ensure each divided plant has a healthy root system by cutting out damaged pieces during separation.

Make sure each new plant has several growing points and foliage attached. Keep the division dust dry and provide direct sun exposure to prevent decay.

4. Replant Separated Daylilies

When replanting divided daylilies, be sure to dig a hole for each plant that is deep enough to hold the root mass. Add some organic humus or manure into the soil. Mix it with surrounding soil and form a planting cone where you place the divided plant. After planting, take care to water the soil well but do not water log.

5. Water Your Divided Daylilies

Once you've replanted your daylilies, it's essential to keep the soil moist but not saturated for the first few weeks. At this stage, it's crucial to avoid overwatering or under watering the plants. Water them as needed depending on humidity and rainfall.

Tips For Propagating Daylilies

1. Use Root Cuttings

While dividing daylilies is the most common way of propagating them, using root cuttings is another method that can be done during summer. Using a sterilized scalpel or razor blade, cut off segments of roots from under the plant. Plant these directly in another garden bed or into a container.

2. Try Division After Flowering

If you want to propagate daylilies after blooming, give them about four weeks after the blooms fall off. That gives enough time for plants to recoup after the energy expenditure of flowering.

3. Avoid Propagating Diseased Plants

Avoid propagating daylilies with visible disease symptoms such as mold or yellow leaves because you risk spreading the disease to other plants.

When To Divide Daylilies

1. Early Spring

Dividing before the growing season also allows time for the plants to establish before putting on new growth for spring.

2. Late Summer

Late summer or Fall division stimulates less vegetative growth while increasing flower buds production for the coming year.

3. Fall

Fall division improves chances of the plant taking root before winter freeze.

By following these simple steps, you can propagate daylilies, improve plant health, bloom production and vitality, and enhance your garden’s beauty. As always paying attention to timing when deciding to divide daylilies can give you the best results. Make sure to choose a time of year that will give the plant time to establish itself before extreme weather or growing conditions set in.

FAQ

Below is a list of frequently asked questions:

Do I need to prune my daylilies before dividing them?

To divide daylilies, there is no need to prune your plants in advance. Trimming any dead leaves may help make it easier to see what you're doing.

How do I know if my daylilies are ready to be divided?

You know it's time to divide your daylilies when they tend to grow too large on their plot, and roots start showing up above ground. Generally, digging and separating daylilies every three to five years ensures healthy plants.

Can I divide my daylilies in the middle of the growing season?

It's best to stick to dividing daylilies during spring or fall for optimal success. Mid-season is not ideal.

What should I do with the extra daylily plants I don't need?

Extra daylily plants can be given away, traded, or sold. Alternatively, you can plant them in a new area of your garden or even experiment with different techniques.

How deep should I plant my divided daylilies?

Plant your divided daylilies at the same depth they were originally planted. While all plants differ in root development, daylilies typically require about 6-8" planting depth.

What other plants can I divide using these techniques?

Almost all fibrous perennial plants can be propagated with this technique. These include daisies, hostas, lilies, Shasta daisies, phlox, Siberian iris, balloon flower, black-eyed Susan, asters, and many more.

Should I use fertilizer when replanting my divided daylilies?

Fertilizer can enhance your plant's growth but typically isn't necessary. Top-dressing with some well-rotted compost is ideal for nutrients.

Can I divide daylily bulbs?

Daylilies don't grow from bulbs, but they do develop roots that resemble bulbs. Since these aren't thick-skinned bulbs or rhizomes, dividing can be a bit tougher.

How much water do my daylilies need after dividing them?

Once replanted, keep the soil moist but not over saturated to encourage the newly divided daylilies established quicker.

Will I need to divide my daylilies every year?

No, splitting and replanting every three to five years are sufficient unless plants experience overcrowding or decline due to poor soil nutrients, drainage or disease.