How to Divide Daylily Clumps

Daylilies (scientific name: Hemerocallis) are easy-to-grow, low-cost, and long-lived flowers. You can divide daylily clumps into smaller sections to share with friends or to expand your garden. Before digging up the clumps, trim back the leaves. Then, separate the roots by gently pulling them apart. Afterward, plant the new divisions. With proper watering and sunlight, these new sections will thrive quickly!

Divide dense daylily clumps in the spring. If you notice clusters of leaves growing very close together and the plants becoming weak, it means the daylily clump is overcrowded. The more densely packed the clumps are, the smaller the flowers will be.

• Look for new shoots emerging from the soil in spring, which indicates that it’s time to divide the clump.
• You may also wait until autumn to divide the clumps once the flowers have finished blooming.
• Daylily clumps will grow thick after about 4 to 5 years.

Trim the leaves and flowers to a length of 20 to 30 cm. You can use pruning shears to cut both the leaves and flowers, leaving only about 20 to 30 cm from the ground. Once the leaves are trimmed short, it will be easier to observe each individual clump of leaves.

Loosen the daylily clump with a spade. You need to dig and loosen the soil around the clump to a depth of about 5 cm.

Dig out the root ball. Use a spade to dig around the daylily clump, continuing until you have dug down to the length of the roots, then lift the clump out of the soil.

Shake off the soil from the root ball. Use your hands to brush away excess soil, then rinse off any remaining dirt with a hose.

Separate each clump with 2 to 3 daylily roots from the main clump. Gently pull apart the roots of each section with your hands, then grasp them and shake gently to separate them from the clump.

Choose a sunny spot with well-draining soil for planting. Daylilies thrive in full sunlight or light shade. This perennial plant can grow in most soil types, but it does best in rich, fertile soils.

• To test soil drainage, dig a hole 30 cm wide and 30 cm deep. Fill it with water and observe how it drains. If it takes more than an hour for the water to drain, the soil has poor drainage. Improve this by adding organic matter such as compost, manure, or peat moss.
• Avoid planting daylilies under trees, as they will have to compete with them for sunlight and nutrients.

Dig a hole slightly deeper than the root ball. Use a garden spade to dig the hole at your desired location. The hole should be about 1.3 to 2.5 cm deep and 2.5 cm wide.

• If you are planting multiple clumps, space the holes about 30 to 46 cm apart to give the plants enough room to grow.

Place 2 to 3 roots in the hole and cover with soil. Place the roots at the bottom of the hole, allowing them to spread downward. Hold the plant firmly in place and fill the hole with soil.

• After filling the hole, gently press the soil around the base to firm it up.

Water immediately after planting. Use a watering can or hose with a gentle spray to water the plants. This helps keep the soil moist and compacted around the roots.

Apply a 5 to 7.5 cm layer of mulch around the base of the plant. Spread the mulch evenly around each plant using shredded bark or straw for the best results.

• Mulch helps daylilies grow quickly and prevents weeds from taking over.

Water the flowers every 3 days during dry spells. Apply liquid or granular fertilizer to the plants at least once each spring for optimal growth. Care for the plants and continue dividing the clumps every 4 years.

• In spring, be sure to remove any dead or dying plants.

• Orchid flowers
• Gardening gloves
• Pruning scissors
• Garden spade
• Garden fork
• Watering hose
• Mulch
• Fertilizer