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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.
Daylilies are a popular perennial flower that bloom all summer long with little care. While daylilies are low maintenance overall they do require some preparation in areas with cold winters to ensure they survive the season and return vigorously the following spring. Proper overwintering allows daylilies to rest and rejuvenate for the next growing season.
When to Prepare Daylilies for Winter
The time to prepare daylilies for winter is in late fall just before the first hard frost. This is generally 4-6 weeks before the ground freezes in your area. The goals are to allow the daylily foliage to die back naturally after the end of the blooming season and dig up the plants before the ground becomes frozen.
Daylilies are classified into dormant, semi-evergreen, and evergreen varieties based on their winter survival strategy. Dormant varieties lose all their foliage in winter while evergreen types remain green. Semi-evergreen daylilies may experience some foliage dieback. Selecting the right daylily types for your USDA Hardiness Zone is the first step for easy winter care.
Caring for Dormant Daylilies
Dormant daylilies thrive in USDA Zones 3-9 but lose all their foliage in winter. As the leaves yellow and brown in fall cut back the foliage to 2-3 inches above the crown. Clean up dead leaves around the plant.
In late fall before a hard frost, use a shovel to dig up the entire clumps. Dig at least 4-6 inches all around the plants to get the roots. Gently knock off excess soil and trim any remaining leaves to about an inch. Discard any rotten tubers.
After digging up dormant daylilies can be
- Stored dormant until spring
- Divided and replanted
- Divided and stored
Caring for Semi-Evergreen Daylilies
Semi-evergreen daylilies grow well in Zones 5-11. They may experience some foliage dieback in colder climates but sprout again from their crowns in spring. Remove any dead or damaged leaves through winter to prevent disease. Add mulch over the crown for insulation.
In zones too cold for their survival, dig up semi-evergreen daylilies in fall like dormant types. Knock off soil and trim leaves to 1 inch or less before storage.
Caring for Evergreen Daylilies
Evergreen daylilies retain their foliage all winter long in suitable climates (Zones 8-11). Just remove any dead or unsightly leaves over winter. Apply winter mulch over the crown for insulation from cold weather.
In zones too cold for evergreen daylilies, dig up the plants in fall and cut back the leaves to an inch or less. Store the tubers over winter just like the dormant types.
Storing Daylily Tubers Over Winter
The key to successfully storing daylily tubers over winter is keeping them dormant in a cool, dark place:
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Store the cleaned tubers in a cardboard box with damp sphagnum moss or straw.
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Keep 3-4 inches of packing material between the tubers and the sides of the box.
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Ideal storage temperature is between 30-40°F. An unheated basement, garage, or crawlspace are perfect spots.
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Check the tubers occasionally and remove any spoiled ones. Healthy tubers need minimal other care when stored properly.
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If tubers start sprouting in storage, plant them out immediately or pot up temporarily until it is safe to plant outside.
Planting Stored Daylilies in Spring
In spring after the last frost date, prepare daylily beds by digging in compost or organic matter. Make holes deep enough to cover the tops of the tuber by 1 inch. Place the tubers with their growing tips upwards and fill the holes with surrounding soil. Water the transplants well.
Containerized daylilies can be planted out in spring as well. Those left outdoors may need some pruning of damaged foliage. Move the pots to sheltered areas towards the end of winter.
With proper fall care, daylilies can survive cold winters in many climates. Preparing them accordingly allows gardeners to enjoy their vibrant blooms season after season.
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.
DAYLILIES IN LATE AUTUMN | Are your daylilies ready for winter?
FAQ
Should daylilies be cut back for winter?
- Timing: Wait until the foliage naturally dies back and turns brown, which typically occurs in late autumn or early winter.
- How to cut back: Use clean garden pruners or secateurs to trim the dead foliage at the base of the plant, ensuring not to damage the crown.
- Why cut back:
- Disease Prevention: Removing dead foliage helps prevent the spread of diseases that can overwinter on the plant.
- Tidier Garden: Cutting back the foliage creates a neater appearance in the garden during the dormant season.
- Plant Health: Removing dead foliage allows the plant to focus its energy on storing nutrients for the following year’s growth.
- Disease Prevention: Removing dead foliage helps prevent the spread of diseases that can overwinter on the plant.
- Mulching: Consider adding a layer of mulch around the base of the daylilies to help retain moisture and suppress weeds, especially in colder climates.
- Evergreen varieties: Some daylilies are evergreen and may retain their foliage through winter. You can still trim them back in late winter or early spring, but it’s not as critical as with dormant varieties.
- Dwarf and miniature varieties: These can be cut back shorter than larger varieties.
- Avoid cutting too short: Don’t cut the leaves too short, as this can weaken the plant.
- Cut outer leaves only: Focus on pruning the outer leaves, leaving the inner foliage intact.
Should I cut my lilies down for the winter?
“Let them go until the green disappears,” Zondag says. “When they turn to yellow or red, that signals leaves are no longer feeding the bulbs.”Oct 8, 2024
Do daylilies need care in the winter?
Daylilies require essentially no care in the winter. The plants will need minor prep in the fall or spring, but you can generally forget about your Daylilies until the warm weather returns. Step 1 Remove previous year’s dead growth in the late fall or early spring. Step 2 Leave the plant alone while it is in its dormancy period.
How do you prepare daylilies for winter?
Prepare daylilies for the winter by cutting back the greenery to the ground and covering it with compost until it comes back in the spring. Separate daylilies that have multiplied before preparing them for the winter with help from a sustainable gardener in this free video on plant car Show more
Can daylilies grow in cold weather?
Daylilies grow well in zones 3 to 9 and their foliage may yellow and die in cold weather, based on the variety. The foliage stays green all year in warmer climates. Blooms range from 3 to 8 inches across, and the petals may be ruffled or smooth.