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Jun 29, 2015 5:31 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Margaret
Delta KY
I'm A Charley's Girl For Sure
Forum moderator I helped beta test the Garden Planting Calendar Hosted a Not-A-Raffle-Raffle Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Beekeeper
Seed Starter Permaculture Region: Kentucky Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Garden Ideas: Master Level
A friend has asked for a start of my day lilies.
When is the best time to divide them in zone 6 and how do I do it?
I've had these for 3 years. Thanks for any advice
Margaret
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Jun 29, 2015 6:00 PM CST
Name: Gale
CentralWa (Zone 6a)
I have about 20 clumps that need dividing, so I am interested in any help as well.

Thanks,
Gale
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Jun 29, 2015 7:15 PM CST
Name: Becky
Sebastian, Florida (Zone 10a)
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Daylilies Hummingbirder Butterflies Seed Starter Container Gardener
Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Ideas: Master Level Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Birds Ponds
Margaret and Gale - I don't know when the best time is for you to divide for your zone 6, but as far as dividing ...

I use a garden fork (like a pitch fork) to lift the daylilies out of the ground. A garden fork prevents a lot of cut off root damage that a shovel would probably cause. I just push the garden fork in about 6-8 inches out from the base of the plant circling the plant and lifting. Eventually, you'll have loosened the roots enough to lift the plant out of the ground. Then I, personally, gently use my hands to separate the fans, but some times you really have to tug to pull them apart. Other folks I know just cut through the clump with a shovel. I hate wasting (damaging) fans, so that is why I use my hands to pull them apart. I have also heard of using TWO garden forks back-to-back to separate them.

Char wrote an article about dividing them: http://garden.org/ideas/view/C...

Her photos are excellent and the article should be very helpful to both of you!
What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters, compared to what lies within us.
Garden Rooms and Becky's Budget Garden
Last edited by beckygardener Jun 29, 2015 7:39 PM Icon for preview
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Jun 29, 2015 8:00 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Margaret
Delta KY
I'm A Charley's Girl For Sure
Forum moderator I helped beta test the Garden Planting Calendar Hosted a Not-A-Raffle-Raffle Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Beekeeper
Seed Starter Permaculture Region: Kentucky Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Garden Ideas: Master Level
Thank you so much Becky.
The article told when would be a good time to do it as well.
8 weeks before the ground freezes in fall.or when actively growing in spring.
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Jun 29, 2015 9:19 PM CST
Name: Becky
Sebastian, Florida (Zone 10a)
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Daylilies Hummingbirder Butterflies Seed Starter Container Gardener
Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Ideas: Master Level Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Birds Ponds
You are welcome! I tip my hat to you.
What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters, compared to what lies within us.
Garden Rooms and Becky's Budget Garden
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Jun 30, 2015 7:58 AM CST
Name: Larry
Enterprise, Al. 36330 (Zone 8b)
Composter Daylilies Garden Photography Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Garden Ideas: Master Level Plant Identifier
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Region: Alabama
I would like to stress that washing all the soil off the plants with a strong force of water will really make dividing individual plants much easier. But, one added benefit is that if you wash the plants roots off really well, you can remove any nut grass, or other weeds that normally tag along with transplanted daylilies. Even then unless you are lucky, it is easy to send along aggressive weeds. I moved many daylilies from my parents yard and as careful as I was, still managed to import some mugwort. Thankfully, it was a bare minimal amount and it was never able to get a good start, once it does it is nearly impossible to get rid of.
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Jun 30, 2015 8:14 AM CST
Greencastle IN (Zone 5b)
Daylilies Hummingbirder Lilies Region: Indiana Dog Lover Echinacea
Butterflies Birds Lover of wildlife (Raccoon badge) Garden Photography Garden Ideas: Level 2 Celebrating Gardening: 2015
I always divide in the spring or any time after they have bloomed. I am zone 5b and would do it no later than first of September. Some daylilies are very easy to separate, others get very tightly knotted together.
“Once in a while it really hits people that they don’t have to experience the world in the way they have been told to.”
- Alan Keightley
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Jun 30, 2015 9:40 AM CST
Name: Cynthia (Cindy)
Melvindale, Mi (Zone 5b)
Daylilies Hybridizer Irises Butterflies Charter ATP Member Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
Birds Region: Michigan Vegetable Grower Hummingbirder Heucheras Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge)
Same here, I divide in spring and after bloom, and same with moving daylilies. I rarely move them in the hot summer, although they are hardy and probably would be ok, I just don't like to disturb them during bloom season.
Lighthouse Gardens
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