Planting daylilies

The daylily is hardy, beautiful, and rarely eaten by deer...so let's get planting!

Who doesn't love the see daylilies poking their heads out of the ground at the first sight of spring and enjoying their blooms on into the summer?

Planting daylilies

Planting daylilies

Daylily plants are one of those cute little flowers that brighten our garden and add variety. They fit in so well -- along walkways, around patios, next to a large stone or sculpture, at the base of a wall...just about anywhere. They come in a variety of colors and stand about knee-high.

Fall is a good time for planting daylilies. If you plant the bulbs in the ground now, you'll have a beautiful addition to your landscape once the winter dull-drums are over.

Growing daylilies

Daylily bulbs are easy to grow. Just plant and forget. Once they have bloomed, and you have given some time for the leaves to die, then gently trim off the leaves near their base and let the daylily bulb sleep until next year.

Removing dead leaves can also be done in early spring, before you see much growth, but if preferred you can do this in late fall.

The bulbs will multiply and you may want to divide them every 3-4 years. Transplant or divide daylilies just after they bloom. Separate into small bunches and replant so the bulbs are just below the surface. Then water and surround the plant with mulch.

Protecting and maintaining daylilies

Daylilies are special in that they usually do not need a lot of care and protection -- no digging up before winter or finding a place to store them, and no warm winter blanket is needed (at least not here in the Seattle area). A bit of compost fertilizer in the spring is nice, but not always necessary if spreading mulch.

Occasionally, you may want to add a few more bulbs to the ground if your garden patch start to thin out. Other than that, they require very little attention. They add the perfect touch to many gardens as they return to visit year-after-year.

Now, you're probably wondering if daylilies are really deer-proof. Well, deer will eat anything -- they are the "goats of the forest" -- but generally speaking, deer stay away from daylilies. Maybe it's because they like the look of them as much as we do.

For daylily planting and maintenance, contact us at Environmental Construction Inc. We have a full-service garden stewardship program that will care for all your outdoor maintenance needs.

Category: Flowers in the landscape

Environmental Construction, Inc.

It's not simply about designing and building beautiful garden spaces, it's about providing a landscape oasis where you can relax from the daily grind and recharge. Let us create an outdoor space that will enhance your home and quality of life.

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