Drooping daylilies

(Question)

I live in Scarborough.

I have Stella Dora and Happy Return daylilies. Both were planted 9 years ago. The Stella Dora’s look great in Spring, but always start drooping in June. They droop to a point that the leaves are almost lying on the ground.

The Happy Return daylilies have been great for the last 8 years and started out great again this year. But suddenly their leaves started drooping. This had not happened to the happy return daylilies in the previous 8 years. I haven’t noticed any bugs except for ants and ear wigs. Can they be causing the problem? In case there were some other small insects that I could not see, I have sprayed it with a horticultural oil twice. Can you offer any suggestions as to what the problem may be for both the stella doras and happy returns. Thank you in advance.

(Answer)

Thank you for contacting the Toronto Master Gardeners about your drooping daylilies (Hemerocallis spp.). Daylilies are rugged, adaptable and vigorous, and live for many years with minimal care. They also have very few pest problems. It sounds like yours have been doing very well for many years. I think the drooping that you are seeing now is a sign that your plants are crowded and it’s time to divide them. Overcrowded plants compete for nutrients and water. When they are divided, they perform better (and you will have more plants !). After division, there is more room for roots to grow and absorb nutrients and water. All daylilies benefit from being divided every three to five years. Your two varieties Stella D’Oro and Happy Returns are known for their extended blooming period. Cultivars with this tendency for reblooming should be divided more frequently, perhaps every two – three years. The best time to divide daylilies is late August through September. This can also be done in the early spring. Information about dividing perennials (including your plants) can be found here.

It could also be that the nutrients have been depleted from your soil after so many years of vigorously growing plants. A soil test can provide valuable information about soil, to help you assess any amendments that might be helpful to promote optimal plant growth. Basic soil testing kits can be purchased at any garden centre. For more complete soil testing, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) has a list of accredited soil testing labs.

Further reading on daylilies :

Daylillies

American Daylily Society

Wishing you many more years of beautiful and thriving daylilies !