Daylilies are one of the easiest plants to divide and transplant. They tolerate the process very well. They are very forgiving, and exceptionally hardy. Sometimes daylilies will grow into very large clumps, especially the species plants, and will need to be lifted and divided, and maybe even relocated. There are a number of different daylily species, although a common one that many may be familiar with is Hemerocallis fulva, the common orange ditch lily.
Some people however may choose to relocate this daylily, since it has a tendency to sometimes get out of hand. This orange daylily grows in large groupings and spreads via an underground tuberous root system. Sometimes the clumps can become very large and overgrown, and will need to be dug up, thinned out, and transplanted. Overgrown daylilies can be managed by digging and dividing the clump, then transplanting what you would like to keep back into the area.
If you are dealing with species daylilies, try to remove the roots from the soil, as they spread by underground roots, which can travel some distance. Most often these large patches of daylilies have been growing for years, so have become very welll established.
Do this task in spring before the foliage and root system grows for the season. The process will be slightly less daunting and a little lighter at that time. Our creative eye sees a need for a certain type of foliage or colour just over there in that bare spot in the garden.
So we dig up our plants and move them. As was the case at our farm, we had collected a field full of daylilies. In fact our front lawn was also full, so a field and a half or so of beautiful daylilies.
If you are growing a species daylily and the clump is getting large and overgrown, then this plant should be considered for lifting and dividing, and thinning out. Many hybrid daylilies however do not grow large, and will grow into a clump and maintain that same size for many years. Here in zone 5b which is a colder zone, we like to transplant daylilies in spring or early summer.
The reason for this is to give the plants a good amount of time to establish and set down new roots during the growing season and before the frosts of winter. In our zone, transplanting in the fall is riskier for the daylilies if the clumps are smaller. Many tend to be heaved up by frost in the winter. We have lost many daylilies due to winter heaving. These were usually smaller daylilies or seedlings transplanted at the end of the season.
In the south, transplanting in spring and fall is preferable. Transplanting in the heat of summer in warmer zones is stressful to the plants and is not best practice. If you are considering digging up a clump of daylilies to divide and transplant, make sure that you consider the right time for your growing zone.
Divide the daylilies only if you wish to multiply your plant or give some away. This step is not necessary in the transplanting process. Daylilies will grow in partial shade and they will flower in partial shade, however they will not grow to be their best in this location.
I have used these daylilies for hybridizing and have taken note of their flower production over the past few years. There has been a considerable decline in flower production and size of these daylily clumps growing in partial shade. I should also mention that these daylilies are all registered hybrids, and were previously very productive before being transplanted into this partially shaded bed.
Planting in groupings of odd numbers is always pleasing to the eye, such as a grouping of three to five daylilies in one spot. Other things to consider would be each individual daylily, as all are unique in their size, shape and height. Mass plantings of the same daylily are always attractive, especially if it is a reblooming daylily with extended flower production, like Stella de Oro.
Daylilies can stay out of the ground for a prolonged period of time, if the roots and tubers are enclosed in soil. Three years ago we dug up a daylily and placed it on a grassy patch at the back of the yard. If transplanted in the fall, they will need at least six weeks before frost to become established.
When a clump of daylilies becomes too dense it will produce fewer flowers. The clump should be divided. To divide the plant dig the clump and shake the soil off. Use a spading fork or weeding tool to pull the clump apart in sections that contain several fleshy roots and at least one fan of leaves. Three or four fans are better because the plant will become re-established more quickly.
Cut back the leaves to about 6 inches. Hakuro Nishi Dappled Willow, when is best to transplant them, fall or spring? I like your pruning suggested best, when it needs it. Thanks Mike. You can leave them, but it makes for a messy flower garden with the dead leaves laying on top of the ground. Hi Kristin! You can store them in a cardboard box with layers of newspapers in between the bulbs and the bulbs surrounded with or on top of pete moss for protection.
Store your bulbs after doing step 7 in the article and make sure the bulbs are dry when you store them. Enjoy your Winter and happy Spring planting! I have to admit that I am a very lazy gardener. A few years ago I dug out daylilies and simply threw them to side and forgot about them.
Those ended up growing right where I threw them without the fuss and muss. Hi Kristen! Store the bulbs after doing step seven in the above article, making sure the bulbs are dry. Do not let the bulbs touch each other to prevent rotting. Check on the bulbs occasionally and throw out any rotten ones you might find. To store the bulbs, you can put them in a cardboard box with newspaper between each layer and the bulbs on top of pete moss. Also make sure the bulbs are stored in a dark dry spot.
Thanks for the daylilie transplant instructions. Also the stump removal video. Would like more info on getting it free!! Thank you so much for this site—love it. Hi Monica, the clam shell propagators are on back order right now. We should be getting them in soon! By digging up and dividing, the roots can then easily absorb more nutrients from the soil with more room to spread out and grow.
Next, drive your space down under the roots around the base, and lift up to pop the plant out of the soil.
For extremely large plants, remove in sections, slicing in half or quartering the plant to remove it from the ground. Slicing into a few roots at this point will not harm the plant. As long as daylilies have a section of roots in-tact, they will easily regrow and establish into new starts. One the plant is out of the ground, flip it over so that the base of the roots are facing up. This makes it easy to see where to split and divide your new plant sections. Using a sharp spade or garden knife this is where we love our Hori-Hori Garden Knife!
Each new section then becomes a new daylily start. The size of the cuttings will determine the size of the new plant. Larger sections produce larger initial plants. Likewise, smaller create smaller plants. This will create new starts that can stay in the ground 4 to 5 years without any additional care. The video at the top of the post shows the process from start to finish.
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