DAYLILIES Red Yellow Pink Purple White Gold Orange All daylilies A-Z FERNS All ferns A-Z FLOWERING PERENNIALS Red Pink Purple White Green Gold All flowering perennials A-Z Grandmother's Tradition Red Pink Purple Green Gold All grandmother's tradition A-Z GRASSES Red Green All grasses A-Z HOSTA Blue Green Gold All hosta A-Z KNOCKOUT ROSE Red Pink All knockout rose A-Z PEONIES Red Yellow Pink White All peonies A-Z

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Daylilies

Hosta

DAYLILY-Hemerocallis

Daylilies are rugged, adaptable, vigorous perennials that endure in a garden for many years with little or no care. Daylilies adapt to a wide range of soil and light conditions. They establish quickly, grow vigorously, and survive winters with little or no injury.

Daylilies grow best in full sun. They will tolerate light shade, but flower best with a minimum of six hours of direct sun. Light shade during the hottest part of the day keeps the flowers fresh. Daylilies should not be planted near trees and shrubs that are likely to compete for moisture and nutrients.

Although daylilies are adaptable to most soils, they do best in a slightly acidic, moist soil that is high in organic matter and well drained.

Planting
Daylilies can be planted almost any time the soil can be worked. Till the soil deeply before planting. Work in well-rooted manure or compost to increase organic matter. Apply fertilizer based on a soil test. Contact your local Extension office for soil test information. Dig a hole large enough for the roots without bending or crowding them.

The best time to transplant or divide plants is early spring or immediately after flowering. Plants divided in the spring may not bloom the same summer. Divisions should have two to three stems or fans of leaves with all roots attached. Make divisions by digging the entire plant and gently pulling the fans apart. Cut the foliage back, leaving only five or six inches. Place the plant in the soil so the crown (the portion where the stem and root meets) is one inch below the ground line. Water thoroughly after planting. A winter mulch of straw or shredded leaves helps ensure against winter injury for unestablished plants.

Daylilies are vigorous growers and can be divided every three to four years.

Hosta-

Planting
Remove the plant from its container and loosen and untangle the roots. Occasionally, the plant may be root bound in the container; if so, tap the sides to loosen the roots from the pot. If the roots are difficult to loosen, it may be necessary to cut through some of them, making several vertical cuts in the rootball. Shake excess soil from the roots, and do not use it in the planting hole. Place the plant in the hole at the same level as it grew in the container. The area where the leaves and roots meet should be at ground level.

Most Hosta are shipped as bare root plants. Soak the roots in water for about 30 minutes prior to planting. Form a small cone in the bottom of the hole, spread the roots over it and add the amended soil. Water the plants well following planting.

Fertilizer
There are several choices of fertilizer, including liquid, granular, and extended release granular, and the gardener will want to weigh the benefits and limitations of each. Follow label directions carefully for the application rates of each type of fertilizer. Be careful not to apply fertilizer on top of or on the new growth, eyes, or leaves of the plant. All fertilizer applications should be discontinued by late July in Ohio. Any plant that is still producing new tender growth in late summer may lose that new growth to the first fall frost. Hostas need a hardening period prior to cold weather. A balanced granular fertilizer such as 10-10-10 or 5-10-5 can be applied early in the spring, followed by an application six weeks later, followed by a midsummer application. Timing of these applications would typically be early April, mid- to late May, and mid-July. Extended release fertilizer is applied early in the spring. Extended release fertilizers such as Osmocote® or Sierra Blend® are rated for three, six, or nine months release times. However, heat and moisture may shorten the longevity of release. An early spring application of three or six months extended release fertilizer can be followed by an application of regular granular fertilizer in midsummer. Liquid fertilizer is used for both soil and foliar application. It is applied every 7 to 10 days according to the fertilizer label instructions. Following are some comparisons of the amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in fertilizer. The three numbers displayed on the fertilizer container are the percentages of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (N-P-K) content, always listed in this order. Granular fertilizers with an analysis of 5-10-5 or 10-10-10 are recommended for hostas; these fertilizers have a ratio of 1:2:1 and 1:1:1. Organic fertilizers, such as compost or manure, typically have low analyses and are slow release; they are better used as organic soil amendments than as fertilizers. Many gardens do not need additional fertilizer if a soil test shows the soil has sufficient amounts of the necessary nutrients. In this case, an addition of compost over the bed once a year, applied in the fall, is usually sufficient.