Introduction: Daylilies are among the easiest of perennials to grow and care for. They can last a lifetime if transplanted every five to eight years and given good general garden care. Most daylilies do best in full sun. They will tolerate part-shade conditions, but require a minimum of six hours of direct sun per day. Light cultivars, yellow, pink, and delicate pastels need full sun to bring out their full colorings. Many red, purple, and darker cultivars benefit from partial shade in the hottest part of the day due to dark colors absorb heat and do not withstand the sun as will as lighter colors do. They will grow in almost any soil, but if you amend the soil with compost, manure, peat moss, etc. and then fertilize with a balanced fertilizer early in the spring, the results will be spectacular. Do not plant in poorly drained areas or in areas that the daylilies will have to compete with trees and large shrub roots.

Pre-Planting: When your daylilies arrive via mail or even when picked up, they may look very small and dried out. We suggest you put the roots in a weak solution of fertilizer water using something like Rapid Grow, Peters, Watch Us Grow, or Upstart. Only leave them in the water between 2 and 4 hours and then plant as soon as possible. This produces plants with extra vigor and gets them off to a great start. Do not plant daylilies closer than 18 to 24 inches apart, most of them multiply fairly rapidly and need the room.

Planting: After you have prepared the soil, dig a hole that is larger than the plant root mass. Make a mound of soil in the center of the hole and place the plant roots over the mound.

Fill the hole so the crown (where the roots and foliage meet) is even with the surrounding soil surface. (Do not plant too deeply) Firm the soil around the plant and water thoroughly, but do not keep too wet. Water again when the surface of the soil is drying. We recommend 1 to 2 inches of some type of mulch, pine needles, shredded bark or compost, this will help retain moisture and help control weeds until the daylily becomes established.

When to Plant: Spring or Fall planting is recommended. Spring planting should be done after the ground has thawed and the danger of hard frost has passed. Fall planting should be done several weeks before freezing weather, but can be done later if you mulch your plants.

Zones:

Range of Average Annual Minimum Temperatures (°F) for each zone zone 3 -40 to -30°F zone 4 -30 to -20°F zone 5 -20 to -10°F zone 6 -10 to 0°F zone 7 0 to 10°F zone 8 10 to 20°F zone 9 20 to 30°F zone 10 30 to 40°F Years of effort by the National Arboretum have resulted in a brand new hardiness zone map for the Continental United States. It shows hardiness zones 3 through to 10, each representing an area of winter hardiness for certain types of plant material. While factors such as temperature ranges of adjacent zones, altitude, sunlight density, annual rainfall, soil types, etc., can cause mini-climates within a zone, you will achieve best results by adhering as closely as possible to the zone indication. Throughout this catalog, all bulbs are designated with a number spread, the lower number indicating the most northern area where they will reliably survive the winter, and the higher number the most southern area where they will perform consistently. The hardiness zone indication does not mean that a certain variety will not grow in colder climates. Only protection against frost is required. (with a mulch for instance).