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HEMEROCALLIS (Daylilies) dispelling the myths about lily beetle!

drc726

By drc726

22 comments


Hemerocallis (Daylilies) are easy to grow in most conditions but will thrive in fertile soil in full sun. Shade may result in fewer and inferior flowers with the scapes leaning towards the light, they require water and good mulch in a dry summer. Start feeding in spring with a low nitrogen content to aid flower production. It is possible to plant a mixture of early, mid and late season varieties so as to have flowers all summer. Choose from large-flowered, miniature/small-flowered, spider and other unusual forms.

Hemerocallis are planted during the growing season spring to early autumn. If they are dry soak well before planting. There is a knack to planting them, dig a hole larger than the root system and make a mound of soil mixed with well rotted compost or manure (I add blood fish and bone) in the prepared planting hole and spread the roots out over the mound gently apply the compost etc between the roots to avoid air pockets.. The crown of the plant needs to be about 1inch below soil level as deep planting inhibits flowering. Firm the soil gently so as to avoid damaging the roots and water in well.
Dead head and dispose of the flower head carefully. Tidy up by cutting back the foliage in autumn and or in spring this does no harm. I leave mostly till the spring to help protect them.
Daylilies will eventually form a clump. If the flowers are not as prolific as in previous years the plant probably needs dividing. Don’t leave this too long or it can be hard work. Division is done in spring or early autumn. Cut the foliage back after dividing and long or damaged roots can be trimmed back to reduce the stress to the plant.
Now comes the interesting bit? Thanks to Motinot I have been doing some research. Very few pests and diseases trouble Hemerocallis. They are not troubled by Lily Beetle or any other problems of bulbous lilies.
The major pest is the ‘Hemerocallis Gall Midge’; some buds may become swollen and distended, which indicates the presence of gall midge larvae. Affected buds should be removed and destroyed. However, this seems to affect only the early-flowering buds of some Daylilies.
The RHS website has a map of areas where this pest has been reported, and it in the bottom half of England mostly in the South East. The rest of the UK is virtually free of it.
Slugs and snails are not usually a problem, though they may damage new divisions and seedlings in long periods of wet weather.

‘Hemerocallis fulva flore pleno ’Kwanzo’

Bunny Puff

Summer Wine

Frans Hal

Little wine cup

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Comments

 

This is what I love about this site drc726.. learning about the plants made easy! Your photos are lovely..

17 Jul, 2011

 

Agree and you are always so informative! Thanks. Lovley pics and names to match! :)

17 Jul, 2011

 

I fancy some of these Drc, a couple of noob questions! Do they flower for only one day, and where do you source them from, do you have a favourite site? Ive seen a lot of them lately on goy and as i dont have a lot of colour in june after the tulips have finished i need something to brighten the beds up, these seem ideal.. Thanks for the info and reminding me i need these Lilly's :)

17 Jul, 2011

 

Thanks for this inf. I've saved it so that I can read it tonight when I'll have time (I hope lol but I will)

17 Jul, 2011

 

Thanks everyone I am pleased you liked it.
Young daisy, each bud does flower for a day to be followed by another and another when established, which takes about 2 summers I find.
I started off with 'Little wine cup and the first to flower of mine and then I was sent 5 by a GOY member and off course that got me going!.
The British Hosta and Hemerocallis Society are a great sauce of information on them and a great way to pick ones you would like to grow, go for a mixture of early, mid and late season varieties so as to have flowers all summer. GC do sell them but not always that great for choice.
If it had not been for the misunderstanding about Lily Beetle I would have had several more by now- so guess what?

17 Jul, 2011

 

Ahhh thanks Drc. ill check that out...I didn't think normal GCs would have a great choice, there not into that :) ill save this blog to remind me..

17 Jul, 2011

 

:))

17 Jul, 2011

 

I love that Bunny Puff!

17 Jul, 2011

 

Its a great one Steragram

17 Jul, 2011

 

Only my bonanza suffers from gall midge all my others dont . they all flower about 2 weeks after bonanza.

17 Jul, 2011

 

It has yet to appear in mine SBG, do you get it in the same plant every year?

17 Jul, 2011

 

Thanks for the very useful information Drc, I have one but knew little about it until I read this. I must have done something right because its in its second year and is flowering its socks off. :o)

18 Jul, 2011

 

I find they are easy to grow and so rewarding when they flower LB, are you going to show us yours?

18 Jul, 2011

 

yes I do even though I meticulously pick off the offending buds and destroy them. Ariba which is next door to it and intermingled with it flowers 2 weeks later and never has a sign of it. its a blinking nusiance. all the later bonanza flowers are fine .

19 Jul, 2011

 

Very informative Drc. Good to know that and your pics are great.

20 Jul, 2011

 

Thanks Whitelillies

20 Jul, 2011

 

If I may add; the gall midge lays its eggs on the forming buds, where they hatch and go to the base of the petals to feed. Then they drop to the ground and live there. All of my plants were bought as barerroot, so I shouldn't have imported any midge larve. If it is a problem, buying types that rebloom should help - destroy any infected buds in the spring, and later flowers won't have the problem. Happy Returns has been blooming for me for about a month now, and it will get another round of flowers in September. Since I live in a climate where it could be a problem, I tried real hard not to invite problems, I even got rid of all my gladiolus to avoid rust problems. And Youngdaisydee, yes, they only bloom for one day, but when you can get 25 - 30 buds on a mature plant, the show lasts for a long time.

22 Jul, 2011

 

Fingers crossed I dont get them. Until you said Wylieinthea I had not realised that mine in fact were all bare rooted ones. That is a great tip as so much can be imported in pot grown plants diseases and weeds.

22 Jul, 2011

 

I have "Gentle Shepard" as yet no flowers, lots of foliage growth. When can I divide this? Drc as it looks to have several plants there.

Your photos really make them stand out. Nice.

24 Jul, 2011

 

Thanks GB, you can do it in the Autumn or spring but because of the very early winter/snow we had last year I think I am going to wait till the Spring to divide my 'little wine cup' which is now about 5 years old. I am not going to use 2 forks for this instead I am going to cut down in to the plant with a spade to chop it and then lift.

24 Jul, 2011

 

Grannyb: I would wait on dividing - about every 4-5 years. It can take a year for a plant to settle in. I have a couple that I got this year, and they have several new growths but no flowers. Next year. They also look better when there are several plants.

25 Jul, 2011

 

Yes, as I said the one I am intending to divide is 5 years old. They tend to flower poorly when they need dividing so that's a good indication.

25 Jul, 2011

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