Dividing Daylilies

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Almost 5:30 AM here on the mountain. It's 62°, windless, 98% humidity with a barometric pressure of 29.59. Vermont is preparing for one of the hottest days on record and The Vermont Gardener is getting ready to head to the flower farm to water the shade houses before it gets any warmer. This is a four hour job if Gail can help and it's something that has to happen. We like to get it done before we open for business but sometimes we get involved in other tasks as well. This morning I have to get some shrubs moved to where worker bee Michael will get them planted as accents to the hosta display garden.

Just up top here is a picture of how we display daylilies at the flower farm as they come into bloom and are ready for sale. We sell potted plants and also dig plants from our growing fields so seeing the actual flower assists with sales. This picture is from last year and daylilies are still a couple weeks out before these colors will prevail. Many daylilies are putting up nice scapes and they would do better with a little rain. By mid July the display gardens will be in bloom and scenes like the next one will be available.

This week we have been digging and dividing daylilies. This is a "must do' sport when you grow and sell daylilies and it really doesn't matter when you do it. Obviously to dig a plant that is just putting up flower scapes means some of those scapes will be lost during the process but by and large we are successful dividing and replanting at any time of the season from early spring on through the time in October when the soil temperature drops below 50°.

We are always amazed at how many people cannot make themselves divide a daylily and many cringe when they see how we do it. We dig up the entire plant with a spade fork or shovel and then use a garden hose to pressure wash as much dirt off the root ball as possible. They we pry apart the roots and separate plants by 1-2-3 fans depending on what we are looking for. If we are dividing a plant for lining out for future sales, we divide down to single fans and then plant them fairly close together in a long row. If we are potting for future sales that we divide to the level appropriate to the pot size. We might put 2 fans in a four quart pot that we want ready for sale in two years knowing that by then it will be 4-5 fans or we might start with 3-4 fans potted and ready for late summer, early fall sales this year.

I tell people to be ruthless with their dividing work because some people really do need a jump start to get on with the process. I have also seen gardeners that even with a thorough orientation and practice in one of our fields tell me they just can't do it as they think they are hurting the plant. So be it, that's why we are here I guess!

Here's a picture of a Darryl Apps daylily name Over There. It's a nice red and like most of his productions, it grows very well. This three fan plant would make any gardener happy next year with plenty of scapes and a nice memory of purchasing it at Vermont Flower Farm.

Guess I better get going here. I can hear loons calling on Peacham Pond and two tractor trailers just went by loaded with wood chips destined for the electric plant in East Ryegate. Some loggers are like The Vermont Gardner--have to get going early! Come visit!!

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm
On Facebook as Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens and also as George Africa
On Twitter as vtflowerfarm
Here to help you grow your green thumb!

Pack and Ship

Thursday, May 17, 2007

A very long day is coming to a close for me and it can't be soon enough. I was in and out of the truck a dozen times since 7 this morning and ended the day with wet feet from hitting too many puddles. Right now it's quiet outside and 42 degrees. The 80 degree weather of last week has been replaced by cold and damp which will continue until next week.

The good news at Vermont Flower Farm is that plant orders continue to arrive by email, website, telephone and the mailbox. So far we have kept up with everything. Gardeners seem very interested in hostas and daylilies but the number of specialty plants has been surprisingly good, almost to the point I'm getting worried about supplies. I'll have to do a good review this weekend.

The daylily pictured above is not a new one. It's named Over There and it was hybridized, named and released by Darrell Apps. It's listed as bright red with a dark red halo and green throat and as a dormant and a rebloomer. I like everything about it but the "rebloomer" part because just saying that sends Gail into a tizzy that doesn't stop for a while.

I have learned that Mr. Apps, previously Prof. Apps, has given retirement a try and is returning to Wisconsin from New Jersey. I "heard" that but it's probably true. His work in the world of daylilies is special and he came to understand how to produce a daylily that bloomed and bloomed. When Over There gets going, it does just that.

Gail doesn't like the word "rebloomer" because she says it suggests that the plant stops blooming for a while and then starts again at some point in the future. People almost think that there is an end-of-bloom on July 10 and on July 25th the plant bursts into flower again. It's not quite like that but plants carrying this description probably bloom more than usual and make the owner very pleased.

Here at Vermont Flower Farm we ship plants that might be smaller than those shipped from the southern states. That's because the weather is different here, it's not as warm and the rain is not as frequent. This picture is of one of four Over There that Gail shipped out today. This is a healthy plant with a strong root system and thick fans. The water droplets look like dots from outer space but they're just part of yesterday's +2.2 inches of rain. Nothing wrong with this plant. Our website has many more to view so if you get a chance, scan our pages and try to pick a few plants. None will rhyme with Over There but we guarantee that they'll grow well and make you pleased.


Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where the cold evening temperatures have turned off the frog chorus switch.

Damp gardening wishes,

George Africa
http://vermontflowerfarm.com
http://vermontgardens.blogspot.com