How to Divide and Transplant Daylilies

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Dividing and transplanting daylilies is a great way to spruce up your garden game! You’ll need to divide them at the right time and pick a good spot for the new transplants to grow. Uprooting them requires basic garden tools and a little physical labor, and you’ll need to pay attention to spacing when you replant them. Once they’re in their new soil-home, they’ll thrive with sunlight and proper watering.

Part 1
Part 1 of 2:

Transplanting Daylilies

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  1. Daylilies aren’t picky about their soil, but they do prefer friable soil (it can be easily crumbled in your fingers) with some rich compost and a balanced pH. [1]
    • If you’re concerned about overly acidic or alkaline soil, buy a pH tester from any gardening store to check your soil. A pH level of 7 is ideal.
    • Daylilies thrive in rich, moist soil, so feel free to add some compost if you have some.
  2. Use a shovel to dig a hole deeper and wider than the roots of the transplant you’re replanting. If you want a fuller appearance, you can plant multiple transplants in the same hole about 7 inches (18 cm) to 9 inches (23 cm) apart. [2]
    • To plant each chunk separately, dig as many holes as you need to, leaving about 15 inches (38 cm) to 18 inches (46 cm) between each hole.
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  3. Use one hand to hold the transplant upright and your other hand to shovel dirt back into the hole around the roots and crown of the daylily. Lightly press the soil down to steady the plant before you let go. [3]
    • The dirt should come up to the base of the leaves, just covering the top of the crown.
    • Repeat this process for each transplant.
  4. Keep the area well-watered until they become established, which should take a few weeks. If you notice dry patches of soil, that means it’s time for a watering! [4]
    • Avoid watering the surface of the daylilies during the hottest part of the day because doing so could cause open blooms to spot or wilt.
  5. After the daylilies are settled into their new soil-home, water them once or twice a week at the roots until the water reaches about 8 inches (20 cm) down into the soil. To test the soil for moisture, use a trowel to dig a small hole in an inconspicuous place near the daylilies. Feel the soil with your hands to check for moisture. [5]
    • Avoid digging a soil-test hole within 18 inches (46 cm) of your plants!
    • Daylilies can handle some droughts because their plump roots can store extra water, so don’t worry if you miss a weekly watering now and then.
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Part 2
Part 2 of 2:

Dividing Daylilies

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  1. It is best to divide them in early spring before they begin their yearly growth, or wait until late summer to early fall when they’re done flowering. Whenever you choose to divide the plants, they may not produce flowers the first summer, or may produce fewer flowers than normal. [6]
    • If you live in an area where it snows in the late fall or early winter months, plan to divide them in the late summer because the daylilies will need 6 to 8 weeks to settle before the first freeze.
  2. Use sharp scissors to trim down the leaves anywhere between 8 inches (20 cm) to 12 inches (30 cm) from the top of the soil. Trimming will make it easier for you to see the individual fans and cut down on the amount of materials you’ll be working with. [7]
    • If you’re dividing them in the early spring, you may not need to trim them as they’ll typically be short already.
  3. Loosen the soil around the plant by inserting a garden fork into the soil about 8 inches (20 cm) away from where the leaves enter the ground. Wiggle the handle of the fork forward and back to loosen the soil. Repeat this action 4 or 5 times on each side of the plant. [8]
    • Each clump below the plant contains multiple leaves, crowns (where the leaves meet the roots), and roots, so it’s important to insert the fork a little ways away from the actual leaves as not to stab the crown or central root center.
  4. After the soil has loosened, insert the fork deep into the ground at about a 45-degree angle and use your foot to push it down until the prongs are fully underground. Then, push the handle of the fork at a downward angle to lift the plant out of the soil. [9]
    • The plant will likely topple onto its side (revealing all the roots), which is just how you need it to be.
  5. Use a garden fork to carefully comb out as many large clumps of soil from the roots as possible. Then, use your hands to tease out any stubborn clumps. [10]
    • It’s okay if you accidentally pull off some of the root strings. Just try to avoid pulling out lots of strands.
  6. Use a garden hose to wash the entire plant with water. Spray it from all angles to get rid of small specks of dirt and pests that may be hiding in the leaves. [11]
    • Washing the roots with water will release them from each other, making it easier to separate them.
  7. Look at the bottom of the leaves to find a spot where a few fans seem to be sectioning off from the rest of the clump. Untangle their roots as much as possible from the rest of the plant’s roots, grip the crown area (between the leaves and the roots), and pull the fans away. [12]
    • Look around the sides of the plant to find places that show signs of natural separation.
    • Use your free hand to hold the main clump of fans steady while you pull away the smaller fans.
    • Use your fingers to wiggle the stringy roots apart.
  8. Carefully repeat the separating process until the whole chunk has been separated into many parts. Make sure to grip the small sections by the crown as you pull them away to prevent breakage. [13]
    • Daylilies can put up with rough handling, so don’t worry about doing too much damage when you pull them apart. Just try to keep the crowns of the fans intact.
    • If some fans don’t want to separate, use a small knife to vertically cut the crown area between the fans to separate them.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How do I prepare daylilies for winter?
    Jovace Nelson
    Landscaping Expert
    Jovace Nelson is a Landscaping Expert and the CEO of Vacetime, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Vacetime, launched in 2018, is an agricultural building management service. Jovace and his team specialize in creating custom landscaping makeover services for both residential and commercial properties, living walls, and environmental education. Jovace studied Business and Management at Penn State University.
    Jovace Nelson
    Landscaping Expert
    Expert Answer
    I suggest pruning within three to four inches of the ground. If it's too low, they'll get disease, and if it's too high, they'll die, so 3 to 4 inches is my rule of thumb. Also, remember to remove and dispose of all pruned foliage.
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  • Question
    Can I store the daylily bulbs for a couple of days before I replant them?
    Community Answer
    Yes.
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  • Question
    What is the best time of year to divide and transfer daylily plants?
    Community Answer
    This depends on whether you are in a cool growing zone or a warm growing zone. The best time for cool zones is August. Warmer zones can be transplanted a bit later. The key is to give them enough time to establish themselves in their new space before the ground gets too cold.
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      Tips

      • Always check the soil for moisture with your fingers before you water the daylilies. Too much water can cause root rot. [14]
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      • Store daylily transplants in plastic bags filled with peat moss if you’re not replanting them right away. They’ll be able to replant for up to about 3 months. [15]
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      • Daylilies need to be divided when the center of the plant clump has less foliage and flowers than the plants on the outer part of the clump. Dividing them will help revitalize the center plants.
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      Warnings

      • Don’t use the pesticide called Kelthane to get rid of aphids, thrips, or mites because it’s known to harm daylilies. [16]
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      Things You'll Need

      • Garden fork
      • Shovel
      • Scissors
      • Garden hose
      • Compost
      • Trowel (or small hand shovel)
      • pH tester (optional)

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      Expert Interview

      Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about gardening, check out our in-depth interview with Jovace Nelson .

      References

      1. ↑ https://www.daylilygarden.com/daylily-questions/gardening-tips.html
      2. ↑ https://www.daylilygarden.com/daylily-questions/gardening-tips.html
      3. ↑ https://extension.umn.edu/flowers/daylilies
      4. ↑ https://daylilies.org/daylilies/faq/
      5. ↑ https://daylilies.org/daylilies/faq/
      6. ↑ https://www.extension.iastate.edu/news/yard-and-garden-dividing-lilies-daylilies-and-peonies
      7. ↑ https://daylilies.org/daylilies/faq/
      8. ↑ https://extension.umn.edu/flowers/daylilies
      9. ↑ https://extension.umn.edu/flowers/daylilies
      1. ↑ https://extension.umn.edu/flowers/daylilies
      2. ↑ https://extension.umn.edu/flowers/daylilies
      3. ↑ https://extension.umn.edu/flowers/daylilies
      4. ↑ https://extension.umn.edu/flowers/daylilies
      5. ↑ https://daylilies.org/daylilies/faq/
      6. ↑ https://youtu.be/8C8dl4gE428?t=48
      7. ↑ https://daylilies.org/daylilies/faq/

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