There is nothing easier to grow than day lilies, which are ideal cottage garden flowers that can provide blooms from early summer until fall.
Day lilies need full sun to part shade, well-drained soil and should be divided every three to four years. When purchasing this perennial, look for a height of 1 to 3 feet, a width of 9 to 24 inches, bud count, attractive foliage, disease resistance and the reblooming factor.
Also consider if the plant has an unusual color combination or whether the cultivar has a halo or watermark. The new hemerocallis can knock the socks off the old roadside orange ones! Perry Township is home to Soules Gardens, a well-known day lily garden located on Rahke Road just north of Edgewood Avenue.
Some day lilies are rebloomers while others bloom only once but for several weeks. Snap off the spent blooms every day or two. When all the blooms are spent, snip the entire stalk (but not the foilage) down to the ground. This will help the plant to direct its energy into setting more flowers.
Also be aware of day lily rust, which will not kill the plant but will cause spots on the leaves and turn them brown. The disease will also spread to other plants in your garden. Overhead watering should not be practiced since it will increase the likelihood of spreading the rust. Be sure to disinfect your pruners after cutting down the diseased foliage.
“Blessed be the Lord for the beauty of spring and summer, for the air, the water, the verdure and the songs of birds.”
– Carol von Linnaeus
Day lilies need full sun to part shade, well-drained soil and should be divided every three to four years. When purchasing this perennial, look for a height of 1 to 3 feet, a width of 9 to 24 inches, bud count, attractive foliage, disease resistance and the reblooming factor.
Also consider if the plant has an unusual color combination or whether the cultivar has a halo or watermark. The new hemerocallis can knock the socks off the old roadside orange ones! Perry Township is home to Soules Gardens, a well-known day lily garden located on Rahke Road just north of Edgewood Avenue.
Some day lilies are rebloomers while others bloom only once but for several weeks. Snap off the spent blooms every day or two. When all the blooms are spent, snip the entire stalk (but not the foilage) down to the ground. This will help the plant to direct its energy into setting more flowers.
Also be aware of day lily rust, which will not kill the plant but will cause spots on the leaves and turn them brown. The disease will also spread to other plants in your garden. Overhead watering should not be practiced since it will increase the likelihood of spreading the rust. Be sure to disinfect your pruners after cutting down the diseased foliage.
“Blessed be the Lord for the beauty of spring and summer, for the air, the water, the verdure and the songs of birds.”
– Carol von Linnaeus
RSS Feed