Dividing Daylilies

While we have been roasting over the last week it’s hard to get up the energy to go out and do anything in the garden however, with fall approaching its time to start thinking about dividing perennial plants. After iris the next perennial we can divide is the daylily. Most of our other perennials should wait to be divided till sometime in September. Daylilies should be divided every three to four years for the best bloom production. After a daylily is finished blooming for the year they go dormant which usually is right about now. Daylilies can also be divided in the spring but dividing then will reduce the amount of blooms that you have for that year.

Prior to dividing daylilies it’s best to cut the plant back to about half their normal height to make them easier to work with. Once you have cut the foliage back it is easiest to dig up the entire clump of daylilies to divide them, especially if it’s been awhile since they were divided last. Daylilies have a very tough root system which makes it hard to dig up just part of a clump of plants that are well established. To break the daylily into smaller pieces, take advantage of the natural breaks in the plant by using the garden hose to wash the soil from the clump and then roll the clump back and forth till it starts to break apart. You can also use a sharp knife or your hands to pull the daylily bunch apart. A good-sized clump for replanting is one that has approximately 5 “fans” of foliage, if the clumps are larger they will need divided more often than smaller groups but they will have more blooms. Once the plants have been divided set the clumps about 24 to 30 inches apart (depending on the size of the daylily) and plant at the original depth. Be sure to water the newly planted daylilies regularly till they get established.

The first year after being divided there will be fewer blooms as the plants get established but they should bloom beautifully for you for years after that. Best of all you now have more plants to share with your friends or fill in those empty spots in your flower bed. For more information on dividing daylilies or to watch how to do it check out this video: https://kansashealthyyards.org/all-videos/video/dividing-daylilies

Have questions? Contact our office where our Horticulture Extension Agent will assist you with questions.

Phone: (316) 321-9660

Email: callae@ksu.edu