Sunday, July 8, 2012

Blooming Differently This Season!

'Frans Hals' Daylily

'Iceberg' (Ironic) and 'Hall's Pink' in front

Closeup of 'Hall's Pink'
Don't you think of daylilies and think summer?  Well, you just have to think of it a bit quicker this year.  'Frans Hals' is usually early, but 'Iceberg' and 'Hall's Pink' are a little later in the month of July.  Not this year.  Hopefully, because the COLD front will be here later today.  It may COOL down for tomorrow and the blooming of these daylilies may slow down.  Barbara the Healthy Nut asked about her sickly daylilies.  Barbara, daylilies are susceptible to rust disease.  Here is a link to a Cornell publication on daylily rust.  There is a wonderful book on perennials called The Well-Tended Perennial Garden by Tracy DiSabato-Aust.  I don't refer to enough in the growing season.  Every time I pull it out and read it, I learn something.  Tracy talks about after the daylilies have flowered, the foliage does get brown and yellow.  You can shear the foliage off.  She calls it deadleafing but keep the daylilies watered and they will regrow the foliage and will look better until frost comes.  You can also cut it back to where new foliage has already started to regrow.  Some of your trouble may just be not enough water, but Tracy says they are tolerant of neglect.  I have also found another publication from Clemson University on Daylily Diseases & Insect Pests.  Since I don't know exactly where you live, I think I got you covered, one from a northern university and one from the south!  Well, I hope I've given you some food for thought.

Daylilies are an edible flower.  Take out those reproductive parts in the middle and then fill with your favorite salad or put in a champagne flute and then fill with ice cream or sorbet and top with your favorite sauce or fresh fruit.  Hope you are staying COOL wherever you may be.  Talk to you later.  Have to cheer on Andy Murray at Wimbledon!

7 comments:

PeggyR said...

This heat has relly been bad. I'm only out in it with the dogs and watering, but I get sick from it. Lilies are so pretty. We are so so here.

Anonymous said...

I didn't know these were an edible flower; I'm not sure I can spare any, they look pretty where they are!!

N said...

My daylilies look very stressed this year with lots of yellow and brown leaves. Most have not bloomed yet although they do have buds on them. I've never seen this kind of yellowing on these plants before. I just gave them some water. Are daylilies subject to any diseases? I always thought these plants were pretty hardy.

Barbara The Healthy Nut said...

Sorry I accidentally hit a wrong buttom above I'm not N I'm Barbara!

Lemon Verbena Lady said...

I get sick as well Peggy in the heat. It's cooler out there at the moment, but still hotter than it should be. Hope you and Norm can beat the heat soon.

See Tracey you learned something new. I have a hard time using them as well. You're not alone.

OK BHN. I'm going to add some information to my first post for you and other readers.

Carol said...

My daylilies are looking under the weather too. The colors are not as bright and the leaves are yellow and some are brown. Just another bad year in the gardens for me :0(

Charlotte said...

I had not idea you could ear the bloom. Here in florida they blom in the summer unless they are reblooming varieties.