How to Divide Daylilies

Riotous Perennials

In the heat of summer it’s hard to know what kind of work to do in a perennial garden.  If the fall and spring work were done well, it should be a time to sit back and enjoy the riot of color.  But part of having a garden is being in the garden with all the sweet smells and sounds of the outdoors.

Dividing daylilies is the perfect task for this time of year.  The flower colors are still fresh in the mind.  Weedy or empty spots in the garden can be filled with the divisions.  Ordinary orange daylilies, attractive in their own right, should be kept in a separate garden bed so that they do  not take over more  interesting varieties of daylilies.

Daylilies Divided

The task is simple .  Just dig up the clumps that need moving.  Once they are out of the ground, separate them with a garden fork.  Examine the divisions for disease and/or insect damage.  Remove any damaged plant parts and   old flower parts.  Cut the leaves back to about 6-8″ to create a nice neat clump.

Now it’s time to reset the divisions. It is acceptable to leave the divisions out of the ground for a week or so, stored in a cool dry place.  This will help ensure no disease or insects are present. A mild bleach bath or sulfur dust will control problems if any are present.

Daylilies and Pond

At planting select a new part of the garden in need of color.  Dig nice holes arranged in a diamond or rick-rack pattern and set the divisions in the ground.  Fill in the holes, lightly mulch and water in the recent transplants.  Now the garden has grown and will be an even more pretty place to enjoy.