Tallahassee Daylily Society Resources

The Floridian Charm: A Guide to Growing Daylilies in the Florida Panhandle

Introduction:

North Central Florida’s unique climate offers a perfect environment for cultivating a diverse range of plants, including the vibrant and resilient daylilies. These stunning perennials are beloved for their striking blooms, easy care, and adaptability to various soil types and weather conditions. If you’re a gardening enthusiast in North Central Florida looking to add a splash of color to your landscape, growing daylilies might just be the perfect choice. In this guide, we’ll explore everything you need to know to cultivate these beauties successfully.

Understanding Daylilies:

Daylilies (genus Hemerocallis) are hardy herbaceous perennials renowned for their exquisite flowers, which last for just one day, hence the name. However, each stem produces multiple buds, ensuring a continuous display of blooms throughout the growing season. With thousands of cultivars available, daylilies come in an array of colors, shapes, and sizes, making them versatile additions to any garden.

Climate and Growing Conditions:

North Central Florida’s subtropical climate provides an excellent setting for daylilies to thrive. These plants prefer full sun but can tolerate partial shade, especially during the intense summer months. Well-drained soil is essential to prevent waterlogging, which can lead to root rot. Fortunately, North Central Florida’s sandy loam soil is conducive to daylily cultivation. However, amending the soil with organic matter can further improve drainage and fertility.

Planting:

The best time to plant daylilies in North Central Florida is in early spring or fall, allowing them to establish before the heat of summer or the chill of winter sets in. When planting, ensure the crown (where the roots meet the foliage) is at or slightly above the soil level to prevent rotting. Space plants about 18 to 24 inches apart to allow for adequate airflow and future growth.

Watering and Maintenance:

While daylilies are relatively low-maintenance, consistent watering is crucial, especially during the first growing season. Provide about an inch of water per week, either through rainfall or irrigation, ensuring the soil remains evenly moist but not waterlogged. Mulching around the base of the plants can help retain soil moisture and suppress weeds.

Fertilization:

Daylilies are not heavy feeders but benefit from a balanced fertilizer application in early spring and again after the first bloom cycle. Choose a fertilizer with a formulation such as 10-10-10 and apply according to the package instructions. Avoid excessive nitrogen, as it can promote lush foliage at the expense of blooms.

Pest and Disease Management:

Daylilies are relatively resistant to pests and diseases, but occasional issues may arise. Keep an eye out for aphids, spider mites, and thrips, especially during dry spells, and treat with insecticidal soap or neem oil if necessary. To prevent fungal diseases, such as leaf spot or crown rot, avoid overhead watering and provide adequate spacing between plants for air circulation.

Dividing and Propagation:

Over time, daylilies may become overcrowded, resulting in reduced blooming. Dividing the clumps every few years rejuvenates the plants and encourages vigorous growth. The best time to divide daylilies is in early spring or fall, when they are not in active growth. Use a sharp knife or shovel to carefully separate the clumps, ensuring each division has several healthy fans of foliage and roots.

Growing daylilies in North Central Florida is a rewarding experience that adds beauty and charm to any garden landscape. With their vibrant blooms, adaptability, and easy care requirements, daylilies are a perfect choice for both novice and experienced gardeners alike. By providing proper planting, watering, and maintenance, you can enjoy a colorful display of daylilies throughout the growing season, enhancing the allure of your outdoor space.

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Cultivating Beauty: An Annual Maintenance Guide for Daylilies in North Central Florida

Introduction:

In the lush landscapes of North Central Florida, daylilies thrive amidst the subtropical climate, providing bursts of vibrant colors and effortless beauty. To ensure these resilient perennials continue to dazzle year after year, it’s essential to follow a tailored annual maintenance schedule. From rejuvenating spring growth to preparing for winter dormancy, each season presents unique tasks to keep your daylilies flourishing. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll outline the annual maintenance schedule specifically designed for daylilies grown in North Central Florida, ensuring they remain the focal point of your garden landscape.

Spring Maintenance:

As the temperatures warm and nature awakens, spring is the perfect time to kickstart your daylilies’ growth and prepare them for the blooming season ahead. Here’s what to focus on during spring maintenance in North Central Florida:

Division and Transplanting:

Early spring is ideal for dividing overcrowded daylily clumps. Carefully dig up the clumps, separate them into smaller divisions, and transplant them to new locations with well-drained soil. This practice rejuvenates the plants, promotes better airflow, and prevents overcrowding.

Fertilization:

Apply a balanced fertilizer, such as 10-10-10 or 6-6-6, to provide essential nutrients for robust growth and flowering. Follow the package instructions for application rates, ensuring you avoid excessive nitrogen, which can lead to lush foliage at the expense of blooms.

Weed Control:

Keep daylily beds free from weeds by regularly removing any unwanted vegetation. Mulching can help suppress weed growth while retaining soil moisture, but ensure mulch is kept away from the base of the daylilies to prevent crown rot.

Watering:

North Central Florida’s sandy soils require regular watering to maintain moisture levels. Provide deep, thorough watering sessions to ensure the roots receive adequate hydration, particularly during dry spells.

Summer Maintenance:

As the summer heat sets in, daylilies burst into bloom, showcasing their vibrant flowers. Here’s how to care for daylilies during the summer months in North Central Florida:

Deadheading:

Remove spent blooms promptly to encourage continuous flowering and prevent seed formation. Snip faded flowers at their base using sharp scissors or pruning shears, promoting the production of new buds.

Watering:

Increase watering frequency during hot, dry spells to prevent drought stress. Water deeply, ensuring moisture reaches the root zone, but avoid overwatering to prevent root rot.

Pest and Disease Management:

Monitor daylilies for common pests like aphids, thrips, and spider mites, as well as fungal diseases like rust and leaf spot. Treat infestations promptly with appropriate organic or chemical controls to prevent damage to the plants.

Mulching:

Maintain a layer of mulch around daylilies to conserve soil moisture and suppress weed growth. Refresh mulch as needed to ensure a consistent depth of 2-3 inches, taking care not to pile it against the Daylily stems.

Fall Maintenance:

As summer fades into fall, it’s time to prepare daylilies for the dormant season and set the stage for healthy growth next year. Here’s what to do during fall maintenance in North Central Florida:

Cut Back Foliage:

Trim back the foliage of daylilies to about six inches above the ground once they have finished flowering. Removing spent foliage tidies up the garden beds and reduces the risk of disease overwintering.

Soil Amendment:

Incorporate organic matter, such as compost or well-aged manure, into the soil around daylilies to improve soil structure and fertility. Work amendments into the soil surface using a garden fork or tiller, allowing them to break down over the winter months.

Mulch Application:

Replenish mulch around daylilies to provide insulation and protection for the roots during the cooler months. Maintain a layer of mulch to help regulate soil temperature and conserve moisture throughout the winter.

Winterization:

In colder regions of North Central Florida, consider applying a layer of straw or pine needles over daylily crowns for additional insulation against freezing temperatures. Protecting the plants’ crowns helps prevent frost damage and ensures their survival during winter dormancy.

By following a tailored annual maintenance schedule, daylilies grown in North Central Florida can thrive and continue to provide stunning displays of color year after year. From rejuvenating spring growth to preparing for winter dormancy, each season presents opportunities to nurture and care for these resilient perennials. With proper maintenance, daylilies will remain the focal point of your garden landscape, delighting you with their beauty and grace for seasons to come.

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Notable hybridizers known for producing daylilies that excel in North Central Florida

In North Central Florida, several daylily hybridizers have gained recognition for their exceptional cultivars that thrive in the region’s climate. Here are a few notable hybridizers known for producing daylilies that excel in North Central Florida:

1. Guy Pierce – Floyd Cove Daylily Garden – 386-575-3391
2. Dan Hansen – Ladybug Daylilies – 1852 E State Road 46, Geneva, FL  32732 – 407-349-0271
3. Nicole DeVito – Nicole’s Daylilies – 34826 La Place Court, Eustis, FL 32736 – 352-589-6698
4. John Kinnebrew & Jamie Gossard – Spacecoast Daylilies – com
5. Mark Sattelmeier – Abundant Daylilies – 1400 Hwy 177, Bonifay, FL  32425 – 850-547-0915
6. Elizabeth & Alex Salter – Rollingwood Gardens
7. CJ & Virginia Gregory – Dragonwood Gardens – Oviedo, FL
8. Ottis Houston – Countryside Daylilies – 2147 FL-47, Lake City, FL 32025 – 386-752-4654

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Here’s a list of the top 10 daylily cultivars developed by North Florida hybridizers, renowned for their proven success in North Central Florida climates.

Also have won Awards in ADS

1. Spacecoast Sea Shells (Kinnebrew-J., 2003)

height 30 inches (76 cm), bloom 5.5 inches (14 cm), season EM, Rebloom, Evergreen, Tetraploid, 23 buds, 4 branches,  Cream with purple eye and edge above yellow cream throat. (Catcher in the Eye × sdlg) Awards: Award of Merit 2009; Honorable Mention 2006; Lenington All-American Award 2020; R. W. Munson, Jr 2009

2. Ed Brown (Salter, 1994)

height 28 inches (71 cm), bloom 5.5 inches (14 cm), season EM, Rebloom, Semi-Evergreen, Tetraploid,  Pink self with gold edge and green throat. (Something Wonderful × Elizabeth’s Dream ) Awards: Stout 2006; Award of Merit 2003; Honorable Mention 2000

3. Spacecoast Tequila Sunrise (Kinnebrew-Gossard, 2017)

height 36 inches (91 cm), bloom 7 inches (18 cm), season EM, Rebloom, Evergreen, Tetraploid, Fragrant, 22 buds, 4 branches,  Deep red with yellow orange watermark, yellow orange edge, and yellow orange throat. (Spacecoast Five O’Clock Somewhere × Spacecoast Saltwater Taffy) Awards: Award of Merit 2023; Honorable Mention 2020

4. Here’s to You Bill Robinson (Salter-E.H., 2018)

height 29 inches (74 cm), bloom 5 inches (12 cm), season M, Rebloom, Semi-Evergreen, Diploid,  Purple petals with some cream patterning which is more intense on sepals, large blue violet circular eye, green heart.. (unknown × unknown) Awards: Honorable Mention 2023

5. Doris and David (DeVito, 2014)

height 37 inches (94 cm), bloom 5.5 inches (14 cm), season EM, Rebloom, Semi-Evergreen, Diploid, Fragrant, 30 buds, 4 branches,  Very clean, near white with velvet violet purple eye followed by very large bright green throat. ((sdlg ND-1175D × sdlg ND11-11D) × sdlg ND10-58) Awards: Honorable Mention 2023

6. Undefinable (DeVito, 2014)

height 25 inches (64 cm), bloom 5.5 inches (14 cm), season EM, Rebloom, Evergreen, Tetraploid, Fragrant, 13 buds, 2 branches,  Looks to be a purple eye and edge flower but one hundred percent has a broken color pattern, sometimes striped sometimes spotted but always different. (unknown × unknown)Awards: Honorable Mention 2023

7. Spacecoast Tiny Perfection (Kinnebrew-J., 1998)

height 18 inches (46 cm), bloom 2.87 inches (7 cm), season E, Rebloom, Semi-Evergreen, Tetraploid, 45 buds, 5 branches,  Flesh pink self with gold edge and green throat. ((Little Mystic Moon × (sdlg × Elizabeth Salter)) × (Little Mystic Moon × (sdlg × Elizabeth Salter))) Awards: Award of Merit 2005; Honorable Mention 2002 Lenington All-American Award 2012; Donn Fischer Memorial Cup 2003

8. Madeline Nettles Eyes (Kinnebrew-J., 2004)

height 21 inches (53 cm), bloom 2.25 inches (6 cm), season E, Rebloom, Semi-Evergreen, Tetraploid, 30 buds, 4 branches,  Orange with dark purple eye and edge above yellow green throat. ((Witches Wink × (Guiniver’s Gift × Daring Dilemma)) × sdlg ) Awards: Honorable Mention 2007; Donn Fischer Memorial Cup 2010; Early Season Bloom 2017

9. Witches Wink (Salter-E.H., 1993)

height 26 inches (66 cm), bloom 3 inches (8 cm), season EM, Rebloom, Semi-Evergreen, Tetraploid,  Yellow with plum eyezone above green throat. (sdlg × Tet. Witch’s Thimble ) Awards: Honorable Mention 1997; Annie T. Giles 1999; Florida Sunshine Cup 2008

10. Yabba Dabba Doo (Hansen, 1993)

height 30 inches (76 cm), bloom 10 inches (25 cm), season L, Rebloom, Semi-Evergreen, Diploid, Spider Ratio 4.35:1,  Medium purple self with large chartreuse throat. Awards: Award of Merit 2000; Honorable Mention 1997; Eugene S. Foster 2007; Harris Olson Spider 1997

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