Last fall I bought alot off the LA, some were very large fans, leek size ya know. I had to laugh the other day when I was making my rounds, seeing ALL are now normal or in some cases below normal size. Now I am wondering how many will really bloom this year at all? Since much of their energy seems to be going to towards turning into the normal sized eastern daylily. Some of these have really shrunk! They are the size of my small daylilies like litttle Red Spring Song, smaller Siloams etc.

Have learned my lesson though, when reading feedback, I know to ignore the leek sized praises knowing in many cases those big boys are not going to stay big boys! Lots of nice roots is more important.
Is it climate that makes them so big? Or lots of fertilizer ? Or something else? Roots were okay , not alot of real thick but lots of new white roots, thin.

I would probably say climate is a big factor but I am sure they do fertilize a bit too. I have had the same thing happen here to me. I have had some southern daylilies take up to 3 years to bloom. It's really hard being patient for that long a time.

Cindy

Kathy - I think you would find, if you dug up one of those leek size plants, that all those big long huge roots will be shrunk down to normal too.

Some of those leeks were grown in greenhouses with controlled fertilizer programs. Other times it is just really good soil that the grower has spent years and lots of $ improving.

It seems that many that we bought last year are much smaller this spring. This is to be expected to a certain degree. Some are REALLY small and will not bloom this year. We are thinking that this area is maybe too shady. Can't cut down the huge maple that is close by. We have grown daylilies in this area for years and they did fine, but those only cost maybe $5 each at the most. I plan to add liquid fertilizer to these in addition to all the other fertilizers we use. It may take a couple of years to get these little ones to bloom size. But, at least they are alive.

Casshigh
Some of mine have shrunk so much it is almost unbelievable! Now I bought like 15 from this seller and the only one that did not shrunk is Carol Todd, it stayed green through out the winter (z6) and did not have the spring uglies! I am so impressed with that one so far. Mine were not 5.00 daylilies though , wish they would of been!

It is awefully inpressive when one gets those huge, huge fans from some of the southern growers or ones greenhouse grown. In the long run, it doesn't mean much though. They soon settle down in a normal northern garden into normal sized fans. I think if you planted them last year they should bloom this season.

Some of ours are now tiny. I plan to really put the liquid fertilizer to these for the next few months in addition to our other fertilizers added in the spring. I also plan to topdress these with bagged composted manure.They will also get a couple more applications of Miloganite in June and August plus Epsom salts in late July or August. I am just hoping they will bloom next summer. We have never had daylilies to shrink like these.

Just think of all the work you would save if they sent regular fans, no digging super sizer clump holes just to have them end up smaller than the ones you already have !
It is impressive, but I am learning root size is more important.

Casshigh, It sounds like you go all out there. I worry to if they will bloom,. I had one I got that was huge did not shrunk and stayed green all winter here, Carol Todd. Anyone have this one ?

On size of fans- I have been digging orders this week, and the fan size can vary so much between varieties. My garden is out in the middle of an open field- FULL sun, no wind protection, and the soil is pretty consistent throughout. I dug PERSIFLAGE yesterday (a Lambert diploid). It was lined out fall of 2008 and was 5 fans, so it wasn't a crowded clump. The fans were HUGE- like a Florida, raised bed, drip irrigated, highly fertilized tetraploid! Yet, there are some tets that right now have very slender fans. Within a few weeks that may all change. It depends on where they are at in their growth cycle. Sometimes I can dig a plant and it will be heavier than the same plant will be a few weeks later. Some plants make short fat tuberous roots, some have long fiberous roots, and some have both. You just never know until you dig it. I will say that I think WIND FRILLS has the longest roots of any daylily I grow. It is hard to dig because the roots are so long.