I read all the time about clumps becoming too big and flowering decreasing. When that happens it is time to break them up.

Even so, a big clump can reward its retention with mobs of blooms.

So when is a clump too big? Is there a delicate balance? Does it depend on the cultivar?
Do fertilisers rule?

I would say l0 plus fans or more. I have a clump of Abbot's Magic that is a chore to divide so I rarely divide it. It must have 25 or 30 fans and blooms just fine. It probably depends on the cultivar. Some may need to be divided more often and others not so much.

I would agree it depends on the cultivar. I have some that probably have 30 or more fans and bloom just fine, but I have seen others that it starts to decline. The rule of thumb around here is we need to divide at least every 3 years or the clumps will be way too big to handle. In cooler climates I'm sure they could go longer without needing to.

I have had rather large clumps in the past that bloomed just fine. But the trouble lies in--eventually I need to divide it for space reasons or to give a piece away or move it or whatever reason. Well then I discovered I cannot physically handle those huge clumps, they are heavy and awkward! So I decided not to let any of mine get that humungous again. Everything pretty much out in the garden gets done by little ol' me and my back doesn't appreciate heavy lifting lol So about 10 or 12 fans is a nice clump for me and when it gets much bigger than that, I divide it to keep it at a manageable size.

Very true. Often when they get that large, if I am not intending on selling the plant at all, I will just take a shovel and go down through the middle of the clump and remove half of it. They can be very difficult to divide when 30 plus fans, especially the tetraploids.

I might add, very hard to divide, especially if you have a lot of clay like I have. I imagine a sandy type soil is much easier to divide. I know my daylilies that are close to my spruce tree where the soil gets a lot of organic material like pine needles falling, they are really easy to divide. The soil is loose and airy and no problem at all. I wish all of my soil was like that.

Hemlady said:Very true. Often when they get that large, if I am not intending on selling the plant at all, I will just take a shovel and go down through the middle of the clump and remove half of it. .

I have done that in the bed that I use for show flowers and I don't divide often, I take a shovel right down the center. They usually have no idea they were even touched.

I have did that, and also sometimes I used a large bread knife.

I divide when they are getting too big for the area or when bloom is lacking due to it's size. I "shovel prune" all the time. Way easier for me especially for large clumps! This year I plan on buying "Don's daylily divider" to see if I can get smaller portions apart easier (since I am removing a handful of plants from my beds). Anyone have experience with this tool?

It may not be very good on the blade, but I use a pruning saw to divide ferns and daylilies, when I get the opportunity.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_248694...

oh cool, like a bread knife on steroids LOL I need one of those!

ok I tried to google dons daylily divider and got all sorts of weird stuff. Any pics? where to get it?

http://donsdaylilydivider.com/...

Looks good. doesn't ship OS, though.

Crikey mate, can't believe the prices on pruning saws shown in Australia.

I never noticed a decline in bloom but I second, or third, the idea that you need to do it before they become unmanageable in size. I had some that when I dug them this year I couldn't pry the fans apart so I took a kitchen knife to them because that is what I had. Promptly ordered a garden knife.

Are they horribly expensive??

http://www.treegear.com.au/sil...

These may be better.

http://www.bunnings.com.au/sea...

No those are hand saws, (of course a pruning saw is also a hand saw) but here a hand saw is for carpentry work, they have much finer teeth. A pruning saw will cut though a three inch limb in a few seconds, a hand saw will gum up, for cutting though ferns and daylilies the pruning saw works much better.

I think I need "Don's daylily divider". Like Cindy, mine are mostly in clay. I decided to declump JUST GORGEOUS. I ended up with crowns and no roots of the ones I dug out with a hand spade (or parts thereof). It may not forgive me. I think I will need to try the shovel down the middle but a jack-hammer might be easier.