Daylilies (Hemerocallis) are resilient and popular perennial plants known for their ease of care and vibrant, trumpet-shaped flowers. Despite their hardiness, these plants benefit significantly from specific maintenance practices once their main flush of blooming concludes in mid-summer. Proper post-bloom care influences the plant’s health, energy reserves, and the abundance of its display in the subsequent season. Understanding these actions ensures the plant stores the necessary energy for its perennial life cycle and may encourage a second round of flowers on reblooming varieties.
Removing Spent Flower Scapes
The most immediate post-bloom task involves removing the flower stalks, known as scapes, which rise above the plant’s foliage. It is important to distinguish between a spent bloom, which drops naturally, and the entire scape that holds multiple blossoms. The full scape must be addressed once all its buds have finished flowering.
Removing the entire stalk, or cutting back the scape, should be done by snipping it as close to the crown as possible. This prevents the plant from developing seed pods, a process that consumes significant metabolic energy. Interrupting this reproductive cycle redirects resources toward root development, new foliage, or the initiation of new scapes for a second bloom period.
Managing Foliage After Flowering
Once the scapes are removed, focus shifts to maintaining the health of the strap-like leaves. The foliage is responsible for photosynthesis, which creates and stores carbohydrates in the roots for the next year’s growth. Therefore, the leaves should not be cut back severely right after the main bloom period, even if they look tattered or faded.
Instead, a light cleaning up is recommended, involving trimming any yellowed or damaged leaves. Removing this debris improves air circulation and reduces the potential for fungal diseases, but the primary mass of green leaves must remain intact. Continued watering during dry spells is necessary, and a light application of low-nitrogen fertilizer supports foliage health through late summer and fall.
Dividing Established Clumps
Daylily vigor and bloom production decline when clumps become too dense and overcrowded, typically every three to five years. Signs requiring division include a reduction in flower size or a “donut-shaped” clump where the center has died out. Division rejuvenates the plant by providing individual fans with adequate space and access to soil nutrients.
The ideal time for division is late summer or early fall, immediately following flowering, allowing the root sections several weeks to establish before the ground freezes. Dig up the entire clump with a garden fork, retrieving as much of the fibrous root system as possible. Separate the mass into smaller sections, each containing one to three healthy leaf fans and roots. Before replanting, trim the foliage back to six to eight inches to minimize moisture loss and reduce stress.