So I have my 26x3 foot garden about ready to go. I have an idea of a layout, but need to plug in the actual plants.

So for the experts out there, I am looking for feedback. I am thinking that with the length and width of this garden that I can do 3 rows with a checkerboard pattern with approximately 13 plants per row??? That would give about 1 foot between each plant. And about 39 plants in the garden (actually about 32, because I have the fireplace to work around).

Am I squishing them too close together or will I be wishing that I had them closer together???

Oh and no worries..... I have over 50 plants that I have purchased this year and can be planted somewhere on my property.

Feedback is welcome!

hi Heidi,

I'm very new to growing DL's myself, so I'm no expert..

Very interested what the pro's will say though!
(my own DL's are rather squeezed together in my borders )


Mayo

One foot between each plant is way to close, the minimum would be 18 inches and that is plenty close 24 to 30 inches would be much better. You want to leave room for clumps to develop and yet not grow into each other. You are likely planting either single or double fans which might look small to you now, but once the plants get established in a year or two your garden will have filled in way more than you might expect.

I agree with Betty, most daylilies increase really fast.

it just depends how often you want to divide. I plant mine about 18 inches apart and divide often. I let my clumps get huge before and boy I will never do that again. I am not man enough to dig them then.

I plant mine 24 inches apart and it
it has worked out perfectly.

I have mine crowded at 1 foot at most but plan on enlarging my big bed this year. Too close i know and run the risk of new fans appearing everywhere and not knowing what is what until they bloom. I rely need to stop or sell more of what i have had for long time.
Can you make that bed 4 feet?

Planting a foot apart for a garden bed is a bit close, 18 - 24 inches would be better. Even with increase generally slower in the north than south, you will find some of your plants will increase faster than others forming larger clumps that will overgrow the slower growers when planted to close together.
I have planted a foot apart in holding areas while trying to figure out where to put plants more permanently. These are typically spring arrivals relocated to a garden bed in the fall or fall arrivals relocated the next spring.....a constant shuffle as I try to make everything fit in around here

What kind of light on that bed? Sun from sunrise to sunset grows mine fast, dappled shade all day, or morning or afternoon shade make mine increase slower.

Actually the best way to minimize increase is to plant only $100+ daylilies

This garden is southern exposure with lots of sun and heat (usually 8am-3pm in the earlier summer months and then more like 8am-1pm in Aug/Sept as the angle of the sun moves over the house).

So I reconfigured my plan and with the checkerboard plan, each plant will have about 18x18 area for growth.

And if they get too big well then I'll just have to divide them and start another garden......

I planted a row of 28 Daylilies, 3 feet apart, in 2012, and many of the plants foliage touch each other. Many of these have become very large clumps in only three years, Daylilies really are hardy, fast growing plants, I agree with those who say choose by how often you wish to divide. I divided several large ones this year, and Frillylily is right about it being tough work. Good luck with your new bed :-)

Gale

Charlemagne said:Actually the best way to minimize increase is to plant only $100+ daylilies

In that case, I would have none.

I'm no expert but we made a daylily bed 2 years ago and planted them approx. 2 feet apart and it looked a little sparse but filled in a lot the first year. This year, the 2nd year, the original plants are twice and a few three times their original size so I'm glad we allowed 2 feet. I planted Balsam (annual) all around and in the middle I have a Yucca plant and 4 Echinacea. I've posted pics below to show the dramatic change in plant sizes in just 2 seasons:

16 Jun 2014

25 July 2014

14 July 2015

18 July 2015

Best of luck with your garden. We love ours.

I can really see your point, but my garden consists of only 2 borders of 23' x 8' and 10'x 13'.

Planting 2 ft apart would make for a very small collection of DL's...
I've planted 1 foot apart and will have to make sure that the clumps don't get too big.
But that's ok: small clumps are easier to divide anyway

I've been offered an allotment (do you know what that is or is it a Brittish word??)
It's around 660 square feet, with a 10'x 13' greenhouse and a small cottage
So... if I say yes I will at least be able to plant my seedlings 2 feet apart

Mayo

Mayo - I, too, have to plant mine closer together. But I had the same thought as you ... dividing smaller clumps will be a lot easier than trying to divide huge clumps of daylilies. I also can dig up an entire clump and just place it in the other garden bed locations in my yard if those daylilies are big enough to survive in those locations and compete with the other plants for food and water.

I have mine planted a foot or so apart. I'd like to give them more space but I just have too many plants for that.

Mayo62 said:I
I've been offered an allotment (do you know what that is or is it a Brittish word??)
It's around 660 square feet, with a 10'x 13' greenhouse and a small cottage
So... if I say yes I will at least be able to plant my seedlings 2 feet apart

Mayo

In the UK, an allotment is a common area near or in a village. Residents can rent plots and use them to grow flowers or vegetables.

I found this reference: Contact your local council to apply for an allotment near you. They will either allocate you a plot or, in many cases, add your name to a waiting list.

When you travel by train in the UK, you can often see sizeable plots of land adjacent to small towns. These plots are divided up into smaller plots, and often contain gardens, and even small greenhouses.

yep, that's it

This is an example of a plot


we have several complexes (sp?) of plots in and around The Hague, and they look like this


There are several plots that I can choose from, so I'm going to look at how big and how sunny they are situated
The downside is that it is away from my house, the upside is that it is a LOT more land to grow DL's on (and some veggies ) !

Mayo

Now that you mention it, I've seen those plots from the windows of trains in Holland. Amsterdam is one of my favorite cities. The last time we were there, the Queen's birthday celebration was underway--an amazing experience.

And we spent a full day at the Keukenhof Gardens where some 7 million bulbs were blooming, most of them at once, or so it seemed.

I suppose everyone is on the honor system with respect to other people's plots?