Most gardeners have a difficult time just throwing a plant away or heaving it onto the compost pile. We tend to move them around to different locations to see if that will change our mind or we shove it in a container and hide it where it can then languish in purgatory. But we will not destroy it.
Which brings me to the ubiquitous daylily; 'Happy Returns' will be used as an example in today's discussion.
In early spring, the daylily foliage will emerge and it looks fresh and clean at a time of year when we are desperate for anything "green":
When the first buds appear, there is a sense of excitement, but also a reminder that they will need some serious attention in the not so distant future:
Yes, the blooms are nice and all:
And when that initial flush of bloom hits it does make an impact:
But then obsessive me, gets all worked up trying to stay on top of the deadheading not only for reblooming purposes, but to keep the plant looking neat. It can be difficult trying to determine which is a spent bloom (the blooms last only a day):
And which is a soon to be bloom:
The truth is, I never keep up with the deadheading like I think I will and in the blink of an eye, they start to look ratty:
I do like the less common varieties as they do come in such a huge variety of colors and sizes. And they do not look as ugly at the end of their blooming period. But the deer do love them so more often than not I don't even get to see them blooming at their peak.
You feelin my frustration too, dawg?
I am on the fence with having more daylilies. I have a wet area that is perfect for them....so that may be the spot. I was able to get a bunch at a big sale. I love them in bloom, but I am not a deadheader....not daily anyway. I hear what you are saying.....right there with you.
ReplyDeleteDo tego co Ty piszesz tłumacz Google jest za głupi. Nie wiem czy dobrze rozumiem Twoje myśli i nie chce się ośmieszyć swoim komentarzem.Piszę żebyś wiedział,że byłam i pozdrawiam serdecznie.
ReplyDeleteDeadheading day lilies? You are living up to your blog title.
ReplyDeleteIsn't that what kids are for?? Deadheading and weeding :)
ReplyDeleteI understand some what how you feel. I have nearly 30 varieties of daylilies. I do keep after them by deadheading every few days and removing the dead greens later in the year. I hate it when there is any brown on any of my perennials. However, it is really simple and not very time consuming :) That's why you train the kids to do it!
With regard to those deer, the herds down in your area are way out of control. When I lived down your way, I used to have a bow hunter come in and thin the herd at the farm. People are going to hate me for saying that...but it has to be done. It's not fair to the deer to let the herds get so big. Therefore, it's also time for you to do a little hunting :) During season that is!!
your day lilies are gorgeous. do you have any advice for Gladiolus? the plants have green leaves, which came up very quickly, but there are no signs of blooms or buds even.
ReplyDeleteI have very few daylilies in my garden. Was considering getting more, but this post has given me pause. They do look kind of yucky after blooming. As for deadheading daylilies?! Not me!
ReplyDeleteDid you mention they can be aggressive? I have a love/hate relationship.
ReplyDeleteI gave up on Daylilies a few years ago. If you plant them en mass they can be spectacular. For about a week. Now that I have a small space to garden I need more bang for my square footage. Longer bloom periods, please.
ReplyDeleteOf course I make an exception for irises. Irises are worth the space despite the short bloom time. They're completely different (joke - I really like the tall vertical foliage in the back of the bed).
Oh, and when I did grow them I was one of the multiple times a week deadheaders.
Here is the compulsive answer to deadheading. Late in the evening, go out and pick off every single open bloom. Arrange them neatly atop your compost heap. Next morning, there are no soggy socks on your daylily scapes and everything looks neat. No buds were sacrificed by mistake. Carry a pair of clippers as well and snip off every yellow leaf so the foliage stays neat. No wonder you're a wreck, you are not nearly compulsive enough. Daylilies rebloom in the south; you could extend your compulsive behavior times three.
ReplyDeleteoooohhhh the daylily delima.....
ReplyDeletei hear ya....i def have a love/hate relationship with those guys...you sumed it up perfectly!!!!
I am not sure if my comment got through, so here we go again. I do pick off the mushies but it has nothing to do with the bloom ability.
ReplyDeleteI shear all of my daylilies to the ground when done blooming and they produce a flush of new leaf growth which acts as a ground cover and does not look messy.
Eileen
Alas your story is so true. Yet I continue to love them.
ReplyDeleteI was admiring my daylillies...then I read your post and I could see were the deadheads...I'll be picking them off tomorrow I'm sure
ReplyDeleteI love the blooms and let them be...the foliage stays nice here so I do not usually have an issue...no deadheading here either...
ReplyDeleteI like Nell Jean's comment. :) Do what she says. I will too.
ReplyDeleteI bought two and they are just sitting there. I guess I'll just have to wait until next year to see any blooms.
ReplyDeleteRats... my first experience with the daylilly, and lavender? I'm just shaking my head at the poor little plant that was so beautiful when I brought it home.
The only flower I seem to be able to grow is Mexican Heather.
Joey from Texas
John, If only my daylilies bloomed like yours do! But with dense shade and dry, sandy soil, I have to make do with much fewer flowers... but that means much less deadheading. So enjoy what you have. Once you get the pesky bud/bad bit sorted out, it sounds like you have the problem already licked.
ReplyDeleteI've never grown daylilies so I didn't know there's a similarity between about to bloom and finished blooming, oh dear, isn't that a nuisance.
ReplyDeleteI have similar cycles over the seasons with some of my plants so I can sympathise!
My day lilies are blooming for the first time today, and I have to admit that I had no idea that I should be dead-heading them, I'm going to give it a try--THANKS for teaching this 'old dog' something new today!
ReplyDeleteI hate day lilies but my husband likes them. I didn't know they were supposed to be deadheaded!
ReplyDeleteI used to feel your frustration , buy no longer do.
ReplyDeleteI try to grow several varieties of day lilies, each blooming at a different time during the season. That way, I don't have to focus on only one variety and I no longer care if it re blooms or not.
I have been told that Stella Supreme is also a yellow re bloomer but more floriferous so that dead heading is not an issue.
John, I love Nell Jean's comment. You should take her up on that. You'd be able to use your obsessive compulsive tendencies to their fullest. Clearly you are not getting enough exercise in that area;-)
ReplyDeleteI totally 'get' what you are saying. Totally! I have been thinking this year about pulling all of mine out and tossing them. I have way too much shade for them to do well. What blooms I get are gone quickly and then what? A big mess. They just aren't working for me. I haven't written about this problem on my blog yet, but I've been thinking about it a lot. I think maybe if I had a sunnier garden they'd produce more flowers and I might enjoy them more. But then, there are always the issues you mention. I think I see the sheers in their future;~{
I read this because I want to pull all of mine. I do deadhead but it is the foliage that I look at now and HATE! I wondered if I could tuck them in and not see the dead/browning leaves, but I still do. I think..... I am pulling them and putting a free sign for gardeners in need.
ReplyDeleteI want my color this time of the year and more shape. Thank you for posting.
I have two Day lillies that i planted 2 yrs ago and every year their is no buds on then just green leaves. Why
ReplyDelete