Daylilies are one of the most popular perennial flowers grown in gardens across the country. Their big, bright blooms provide gorgeous color from early summer through fall. Many modern daylily hybrids are repeat bloomers meaning they can bloom repeatedly over an extended period. With proper care, certain daylilies like Stella D’Oro can produce flowers continuously from May all the way until frost.
Here are some tips to keep your daylilies flowering prolifically over the entire growing season
Choose Reblooming Varieties
Opt for repeat blooming daylily cultivars that are specifically bred to bloom repeatedly over a long period, rather than just once a season. Some excellent reblooming options include:
- Stella D’Oro – lemon yellow
- Happy Returns – bright yellow
- Rosy Returns – rosy pink
- Pardon Me – cherry red
- My Melinda – peach shades
Stay away from daylilies that only bloom once and are done for a couple of weeks. Instead, choose rebloomers to keep the garden colorful all summer long.
Provide Consistent Moisture
Daylilies bloom best when grown in moist, consistently damp soil. Allowing plants to dry out will slow down flowering. Depending on how much rain falls, water reblooming daylilies deeply at their roots about once or twice a week during the growing season. When it’s very hot and dry, you may need to water more often to keep the soil moist. Daylilies in pots need to be watered more often than plants planted in the ground; check the soil every day.
Deadhead Spent Blooms Frequently
Removing old blooms before seed pods form redirects the plant’s energy into producing more flowers instead of seeds. Deadhead daylilies by snapping off spent flowers right behind the wilted bloom. Make deadheading a habit and remove faded blooms every 2-3 days throughout summer. Consistent deadheading keeps plants looking attractive and yields the most repeat blooms.
Apply Balanced Fertilizer
Fertilizing daylilies encourages vigorous growth and prolific blooming. Use a balanced 10-10-10 or similar fertilizer. Apply an all-purpose fertilizer once in early spring when growth resumes. Supplement with a second application 4-6 weeks later to support summer long blooming. Always follow package directions and do not over fertilize, as this can damage plants.
Divide Overcrowded Plants
Mature daylily clumps over 5 years old will bloom less without division. In early fall, dig up congested daylily patches and replant individual fans spaced 15-24 inches apart. Dividing overgrown daylilies rejuvenates the plants so they bloom better next season. Immediately water and fertilize divisions to help them establish before winter.
Provide Full Sun Exposure
Daylilies do best where they get at least six hours of direct sunlight every day. Insufficient sunlight leads to reduced flowering and weaker, floppy growth. Move your daylilies to a brighter, less crowded area if they aren’t blooming well. Daylilies that love the sun do best in garden beds that face south or west.
Prune Foliage After Blooming
After the first bloom period in the spring, cutting daylily leaves about halfway down makes them bloom better again. By cutting back on some of the plant’s leaves, more of its energy is directed toward flower production. Don’t cut back leaves before they bloom because that’s where the energy for the first set of flowers is stored. Don’t cut the plant all the way down to the ground; some leaves are still needed for the plant to rebloom.
Control Pests Promptly
Insects and diseases will quickly sabotage daylily blooming performance if not managed early. Aphids, thrips, spider mites, Japanese beetles, and daylily rust are common problems. Inspect plants frequently and use organic insecticidal soap, neem oil, or other remedies at the first sign of pests. Rapid action prevents infestations from escalating and disturbing flowering.
With excellent care and maintenance, your daylilies will keep the garden filled with flowers summer through fall. Just be attentive to their needs for ample moisture, fertility, sunlight and pest control. Let these tips guide you in growing daylilies that bloom prolifically all season long.