seperating and moving

[busybea]

i want to move my daylilles to 1 bed when and how can i safely move them

[hagranger]

I just saw that you didn't have a reply to your question.
Just about anytime now. Just dig a clump with as much soil as possible and move them. Then water them in and keep an eye on them. In a couple of days put a very light feeding of some water-soluble fertilizer on them and then water as normal.
Others may have some more tips for a successful move.
Good luck
Helen

[viktoria]

The daylilies will be easier to handle, and neater-looking once replanted, if you cut the foliage back to 10" first.

I see no reason not to use soluble fertilizer at half strength when watering them in. If you give them a really good soak, you can forget about them for the rest of the season.

I just moved a whole bunch of daylilies. Rather than handle the great big clumps, I used a spade to cut a portion with 3-10 fans from each and replanted that, and composted the rest.

[bengal]

You're moving these plants from one bed to another on your own property? Then I'll respectfully disagree with Viktoria - I don't see any need to cut back the foliage. Just dig up the entire mass, roots and soil and haul to the new bed. Or yes, you can split the clumps into smaller pieces if that will be easier. But if you've dug up with the soil, cutting the leaves back serves no purpose: one does that when shipping bare root daylilies for example.

If you do want to split clumps, you might try using two garden forks to gently pry fans apart.

When replanting, make sure the crowns (the part the leaves emerge from) are not too far below the soil surface. Best bet = replanting at same level as they'd been at. (Seems obvious. )

If you've moved the plants and the soil, just firm up soil in hole you've dug around the mass of soil you've moved - make sure there are no air spaces between new & old soil. Same with if you've dug up and have left much of the soil behind - is important to make sure there are no air pockets between the roots and new soil in new spot.

Water well and then let them settle in.

When to transplant? Why not now? Should not be a problem unless it's very hot where you are - and even then, if you're moving the whole thing, soil and all, should not be a problem. If it's very hot and you're concerned, you can wait a week or two. The key is to get everything in such that your plants have a good six weeks to settle in before frost. This is the commonly accepted wisdom when planting newly arrived/bare root daylilies.

Where's John, our resident expert? He may have more (or different) tips to provide.

[bengal]

Clarification of my first sentence in my other post - "on your own property" - I meant that the idea is you're not shipping or leaving plants lying around here for days on end. That you'll have a short (time and distance) move.

Sorry for choppy sentences but cat is standing in front of monitor.

[Ed_B]

I would transplant at least one month before your first freeze is expected.

I have done all the seedling transplanting here already, that should give them about 6 weeks to settle in.
I did the dig, wash roots, on my seedlings to make sure I didn't have any stray "plants-weeds" come along for the ride.

When I move clumps around in the yard I do it the way Bengal does it.
With lots of water until they settle in.

[bengal]

Many, many apologies! I meant "Ed" our resident expert. Very hard to think when cat jumps up on desk and starts weaving back & forth in front of monitor and, when that doesn't get my attention, in front of keyboard (stepping on a key here & there just in case I haven't noticed. ) So sorry, Ed! Not that John's not an expert; just that I haven't seen him around in a while.

[wishiwere]

Thanks for all the great info everyone! If this great rain stops, I'll be doing some transplanting.

Why is it, the common ones are so prolific in their spreading and the ones you want to multiply do so slowly! Not a question, just a complaint!