Daylilies are some of the toughest flowers around, with an ability to tolerate cold that would kill less hardy plants. In fact, these perennial favorites can withstand climates where winter temps plummet far below the freezing mark, protected only by a thick layer of mulch over the roots.
However, if you’re concerned about daylily plants in winter, digging and storing daylily tubers isn’t a bad idea, especially in climates north of USDA plant hardiness zone 5. Let’s learn what to do with daylilies in winter.
Daylily Tuber Winter Care
Daylilies don’t grow from bulbs, but from tuberous stems that grow underground, where they send out fibrous roots. These are easy to dig in preparation for winter cold and overwintering daylily plants is easy.
Cut daylily plants to the ground in late fall, after blooming ends and the foliage is turning yellow or brown. Use a trowel or garden fork to loosen the soil around the plant. Don’t dig too close to the clump, as you may damage the tubers.
Rock the trowel or fork back and forth to loosen the tuberous roots, then pull them carefully from the soil. Shake the roots to remove loose soil. If the soil is stubborn, brush it off carefully with your fingers, but don’t wash or rinse the tubers. Sort through the tuberous roots and discard any that look unhealthy or shriveled.
Place about 2 inches (5 cm.) or peat moss in a cardboard box. Lay the tuberous roots on top of the peat, then cover them with peat moss. You can safely store up to three layers this way, as long as there is peat between each layer. Note: You can also store the tubers in a paper sack filled with potting soil or peat moss.
Store the box in a cool, dry, well-ventilated spot where temperatures are cold, but not freezing.
Check the tubers occasionally and sprinkle them lightly with water if they seem dry. Remove any rotten or moldy ones.
-
Elegant Exotics: 8 Beautiful Amaryllis Varieties That Will Brighten Any Holiday DisplayWhether red, pink, white or variegated, the right amaryllis varieties can enhance any living space, especially during the holidays. We round up eight of the most exquisite
-
Forage For Herbs: 7 Tasty And Safe Wild Herbs To Pick Close To Your Own BackyardIn addition to growing your own herbal staples, did you know there are several wild options out there that are safe and tasty – and free? Try foraging these 7 wild herbs
-
Are Daylilies Edible - Can I Eat DayliliesDaylilies are easy to grow and produce fantastic blooms. Their laissez faire nature and hardiness make them ideal landscaping plants. If you are a garden grazer, you may wonder, "can I eat daylilies?" And if they are, which daylilies are edible? The wonderful answer is contained below.
-
Daylily Division Guide: Learn How And When To Divide DayliliesDaylilies are pretty perennials with striking blooms, each of which only lasts for one day. They don’t require much care once established, but dividing daylilies should be done every few years to keep them healthy and blooming. Learn when and how to do this here.
-
How And When To Cut Back Daylilies: Daylily Trimming Made SimpleDaylily trimming after bloom time will keep these beauties tidy and disease-free. Trim the plants back after they bloom and before you divide them.
-
How To Transplant Daylilies: Learn About Moving Daylilies In The GardenDaylilies like to be divided every three to five years for optimal blooming. Moving and transplanting daylilies takes a little finesse. The following information on how and when to transplant daylilies will have you an old pro at dividing and moving daylilies in no time.
-
Streaks On Daylily Leaves: Learn About Daylily Leaf Streak DiseaseDaylily plants are among one of the most popular perennial landscaping flowers. While robust, there are some issues that may cause these plants to struggle in the garden. Daylily leaf streak, for instance, can cause distress. Learn more about this disease here.
-
Deadheading Daylily Flowers: Is It Necessary To Deadhead DayliliesThe daylily plant will only bloom for one day. Luckily, each plant produces multiple blooms that flower continuously, creating the beautiful display its growers have come to love. But what happens once the blooms fade? Is daylily deadheading necessary? Find out here.
-
Daylily Fertilizer Needs – How To Fertilize DayliliesDo you need to start fertilizing daylilies? That can depend on the soil. If the soil is poor, feeding these plants may help them to thrive. For more information on daylily food and tips on how to fertilize daylilies, simply click on the following article.
-
Daylily Scape Info: Learn About Daylily Scape IdentificationDaylilies require little maintenance other than pulling out the scape at the correct time. What is a daylily scape? Scapes in daylilies are the plants’ leafless stems on which the flowers appear. For more daylily scape information, click on the following article.
