Growing Daylilies
Daylilies are thought to be the easiest plant for beginners as they are able to grow in a wide range of zones and they are low maintenance to care for, they dont need a lot of attention. Even though daylilies are sun lovers, they can be kind of tricky when it comes to light exposure, it will depend on how hot your region is. If you live in an area that is typically hotter, you may want to plant them where they will receive partial shade so that colors do not fade. However, if you are in a cooler region, you will want them to be in full sunlight to get maximum exposure. As well, daylilies are most effectively planted in bunches of many clumps and not just because they look good. They will also act as a fire barrier due to the large volume of water that the roots absorb and store. Daylilies will even look good as a flower border or anywhere else you put them. Now that you know where to plant, it is time to learn the how...
You will want to start by digging a hole where you will plant the first clump. You will want the hole to be just a bit bigger than the roots, enough that they will have room to spread out. As you are placing the plant in the hole, you will want to ensure that the roots are pointing downward and outward. Now carefully start packing soil around the roots, but not too roughly. You will want to put the crown a maximum of 1 under the surface of the soil. Although it is rare for disease to take hold of your new plants, other pests such as; ants and aphids may munch on the flower buds. To keep them away you can either spray just or 1 part dishwashing detergent with 12 parts water, both will work. Now you should see even a little growth in the next few days, however, they will be in full form by 4-6 weeks. So be patient and the beauty and colors of your newly bloomed daylilies will be well worth the wait.
Once they are in full bloom they are ready to pick. Although they are not normally used in formal flower arrangements, daylilies are very nice as just cut and loose in a vase. Also another way to use your daylilies is in your cooking. Many people are unaware that the Chinese have been using them for years in cooking known dishes such as; Hot & Sour Soup and Tofu Mushroom Soup. Researchers have even done studies and found that some daylilies contain as much vitamin C as a medium sized orange. Now you can get even more use out of daylilies. See more reasons why daylilies are so good.
Now keep in mind, since they are perennials, they will grow back every year, for years to come. This means you will have to do some maintenance because daylilies propagate very easily. So every 5 years, roughly, you will want to go through and separate the clumps to prevent overcrowding. And depending on how many plants you have together, you may need to do that more frequently. Just follow these guidelines and keep up with the maintenance to ensure you get the best daylilies on your block this year!