Time to Divide Daylilies
Brenda Heinold – Victoria County Master Gardener Intern
Edited by Charla Borchers Leon Sep 21, 2017
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY BRENDA HEINOLD/VICTORIA COUNTY MASTER GARDENER
For healthier plants and more blooms in your garden, daylilies should be divided every three to five years about six weeks before the first frost, which is mid- to late-October here. They can be put back in the same hole or placed elsewhere in your garden or in a pot or garden of a friend. First remove the daylily clump from the ground. Dig and encircle it with a space or fork and then lift the whole clump out of the ground.
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY BRENDA HEINOLD/VICTORIA COUNTY MASTER GARDENER
After securing the whole clump, carefully divide the elongated tuber and fibrous roots by hand, making sure to untangle the intertwined ones without cutting them. Wash with water if needed. Once the roots are divided, trim the damaged and fibrous roots with sharp scissors. At the same time, trim the foliage into an inverted V-shape about 4 to 6 inches in height.
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY BRENDA HEINOLD/VICTORIA COUNTY MASTER GARDENER
Once the daylilies are placed in the hole with roots draped over a soil mound, fill in soil and cover the roots with dirt so that the crown of the plant is at the soil line. Consider planting multiple fans 12 to 18 inches apart for a look of immediate clumping or plant multiple fans over a larger area to have a mass planting effect.,
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY BRENDA HEINOLD/VICTORIA COUNTY MASTER GARDENER
Place the plants back in the same hole exposing them to at least six hours of sunlight daily or move them to a new hole in a different location. If a new hole, make it twice as large as needed and mound dirt made of soil and amendments in the hole. Drape the daylily plants roots over the mound(s) in the hole before adding soil.
Fall is officially here – finally. The cooler nights and more moderate daytime temperatures will make gardening more pleasant and present the best opportunity for planting and dividing one of our favorite perennials – the daylily.
Why divide daylilies
Daylilies are divided for many reasons: to pass along to friends, to produce more landscaping opportunities for our own gardens and to contribute to the overall health and vigor of the plant and its flowers.
Daylilies are a clumping perennial that can multiply quite rapidly. The clump wants to expand outward, which it can easily do in loose soils, but heavy soils hamper the daylily’s ability to spread its roots. Eventually, the new clump will produce smaller scapes and flowers. For that reason, most daylily clumps will benefit from being divided every three to five years.
When to divide daylilies
Generally, daylilies should be divided about six weeks before the first frost. Because the average date of our first frost is early December, the best time to divide daylilies is mid- to late-October.
How to divide daylilies
Follow these easy steps to divide daylilies and have more blooms in the future.
Dig around clump and lift from ground
Using a garden spade or garden fork, dig down in a circle all around the clump before trying to lift it. Then, dig under and lift the entire clump from the ground.
Divide roots by hand.
The next step is to divide the roots by hand. You will notice that the daylily roots are a combination of elongated, fleshy tubers and smaller, fibrous roots. If a lot of soil clings to the roots, direct a blast of water from the garden hose at the soil.
The roots tend to wrap around one another, but can usually be divided without cutting them. Take your time teasing and wiggling the intertwined roots apart.
Trim foliage; roots
Using sharp scissors, trim the foliage in an inverted V-shape to about 4-6 inches in height.
You should also trim the roots, removing any damaged or diseased tubers and most or all of the fibrous roots to encourage new root growth.
Plant your new daylily plants
The most enjoyable part of dividing daylilies is planning where to plant the new divisions.
In same growing location
You might want to put some back in the original growing location or find new areas of the landscape to plant others. Remember that daylilies require at least six hours of full sun to perform well.
In new hole
If you can, mix some compost, peat moss, sand or well-rotted manure with your garden soil. Dig a hole about twice as large as needed for the daylily. Then make a small mound of dirt in the bottom of the hole large enough so that the daylily’s roots can be draped over the mound. Finally, fill the hole with dirt so that the crown of the daylily is at soil level, working the dirt as you go to fill the spaces between the roots.
Multiple fans per hole
To achieve the look of an “instant” clump, you can plant two or three fans in each hole, making sure to spread the roots as much as possible. If you want the look of a mass planting, plant fans about 12-18 inches apart over a wide area. This will allow room for the plants to multiply and bloom well for several years. Remember that many cultivars multiply rapidly.
In pots
Besides planting in flowerbeds, you might put some in pots for yourself or your lucky friends. Daylily divisions should be planted immediately if possible. If you cannot plant them for a few days, place them in a container with damp sand to keep the roots moist.
Unless you plan to keep a daylily in a pot a very short time, a few weeks at the maximum, be sure to research the best methods for container daylilies. You will need large containers; a very well drained potting medium; and an understanding of the fertilizer, drainage and water needs of your potted daylilies.
You can find articles at Aggie Horticulture and further information at Daylilies . org, the American Hemerocallis Society website.
DIVVYING UP DAYLILY DETAILS
- Divide in mid- to late-October
- Dig up entire clump
- Shake or wash dirt from roots
- Tease roots apart
- Trim foliage in inverted V-shape 4-6 inches high
- Trim diseased, damaged tubers/all fibrous roots
- Mound dirt in prepared hole; drape roots over mound
- Cover roots with dirt leaving white crown at soil level