What should I do with my daylilies after they bloom in mid-summer? This question is one of the most frequently asked questions, and for good reason. Daylilies are a fantastic choice for the landscape. They are easy to care for, hardy and largely resistant to drought. Even better, they can be easily divided and grown into new plants. However, as these plants near the end of their bloom cycle in late summer, many gardeners are at a loss as to how to care for daylilies after they bloom. Read on for important plant care tips!
What to do with daylilies after blooming
You should plant the plantscut back after flowering? Do you have to fertilize them? Is there anything you can do to make them bloom longer? Can you divide them in the summer if they have gotten too big? We will answer all of these questions below. Many daylily varieties bloom several times per season. And with a little care in mid-summer, you can make those blooms appear much quicker. But no matter what variety you have, summer care is important for their long-term health and vibrancy. Not only does it help the foliage stay strong and beautiful throughout the long summer months, but it also helps the plants have a better, more vigorous flowering cycle next year.
Remove the spent flowers
After the first blooming it is important, allRemove flowers, which have already faded. This way you focus the plant's energy on producing new flowers. The entire flowering period can last from a few weeks to 45 days. This depends entirely on the daylily variety in question. However, removing old flowers can extend this time, regardless of what species you are growing. Unfortunately, when old flowers remain on the plant, they continue to use up the plant's resources. Resources that should and could actually be used for more flowers and brighter foliage. Removing the old flower stalks can be done by hand, with sharp scissors or with practical hand scissors.
Removing stems and seed heads
Next, let's talk about the seed heads and flower stalks of daylilies. This issue is especially important for daylily varieties that can bloom again. Once daylilies have finished their first period of blooming, they begin to produce seed heads. These seed heads, or lily tips as they are sometimes called, are not necessary to the health and growth of the plant. But they use up the plant's resources to form and grow.
For this reason, seed heads should be cut back to the base of the plant when they appear. In this way, the plant is forced to use its energy on new flowers and strengthening the plant, as well as by removing the spent flowers. For all daylily varieties, this is also a good time to give them some all-purpose fertilizer. This allows them to build strong roots and energy for the next flowering cycle.
The plants reproduce in late summer
Have your daylilies gotten too big? You can divide them after flowering! This is a great way to keep them in shape and create some new beginnings. If daylilies become too large and crowded, the blooms will suffer. However, dividing creates a lot of new space and new plants. Dividing daylilies couldn't be easier. Simply dig up the plant and divide it through the roots with a sharp shovel. When dividing, use sharp scissors or hedge trimmers to remove all foliage down to the base of the plant.
First of all, this foliage will most likely die when the plants are transplanted into the ground. So cut it off as soon as you dig it up so that your plants in the bed don't look sad while new growth begins from below. More importantly, cutting back this growth spurs the new plant to grow faster and encourages it to re-sprout much more quickly. Division can be done at any time, but you should always wait until the lilies have finished their first main bloom before digging them up. Once the plants are transplanted, it will take about 3 to 5 weeks for good growth to appear in the crown.This is how you careYour daylilies after bloom and enjoy them all season long.
