I'm selling my house and have daylilies from my parents that mean a lot to me. Some of them I've had for 40 years or more. Unfortunately I don't have a house yet to move into and it may be months before I do. Can I divide this late? Should I put in a planter and try to keep at my sons? Try to plant in the ground at my son's house and transplant again when i get a house hopefully in the spring? Try to keep with me barerooted? Any advice is greatly appreciated.

@diytrying,
It would help people give you a more informed answer if we knew what zone your are in, and how many plants you are talking about.
Here in my zone (8B) you can normally transplant and move around daylilies all year round. I have moved a lot of plants already in November and the weather is warming up again now for the next week at least.

I'm in zone 6 (central Jersey) but supposed to be in the 60s next week so I would do it then. My son is also in zone 6 but a few degrees colder, ski slope area.

I once had to move house unexpectedly in November, and I moved some daylilies at that late date and they survived the winter. We get very good snow cover, though.

I am in USDA Zone 7a/b. You could dig up a section of each clump and pot them up in plastic pots (get from Amazon) and put them at your son's place. Place them near his house, preferably on the west or south side. They will enjoy the moderation of temperature from the heat given off from the house. Make sure to get an appropriate (2" larger than the diameter of the pot: 10" saucer for 8" bottom diameter pot) saucer for each pot. Have him watch the water level in the saucers. When the saucers go dry, fill them up again. That will keep an ideal level of moisture in the pot. In Spring (later April) move the pots to a location where they will get full sun if they do not already get that.
This will keep them in good shape indefinitely.

Thank you to all that replied! And to the detailed advice. My father used to judge in daylily competitions and at one time had a 2 acre field of them. People would run off the road when they came upon them in bloom so I have lots of memories associated with the ones I'm trying to take. I'm already eyeing the perfect spot at my sons...

to the daylilies forums @diytrying

They should be fine. I'm in zone 5b and it's in the 50s in temp right now. If you were moving in like 2 weeks, definitely dig and divide them up, and keep them in water inside. Make sure the crown isn't covered by the water, otherwise the daylilies may rot.

@diytrying I grow in zone 6a and fully agree with Sscape. I have potted up many of my DL's because I've been expecting to move. I really don't know when my move will take place but what I'm in the process of doing (to overwinter mine) is digging a hole and sinking the pots to ground level and filling dirt around them. When I do get to move, I can easily pull them out of the ground.

Thank you, RobinSeeds. My son just told me he had pliable soil so I can sink the pots. Crazy weather here for Nov, 75 degrees today. Great for digging daylilies and just enjoying being outside.

I'm in zone 6 also - maybe 6b, northern Virginia near DC.

I sell extras and pot them up and there are often some left over at the end of the year.

To be most certain, sinking the pots into the ground is probably best (some insulation for the roots). I've also had an excellent survival rate just setting the pots on the soil in my raised beds or even leaving them on the upside down carpeting which we use to suppress weeds in the pathways. I feel as though contact with the ground may provide enough moisture to keep them happy - not sure about that however.

You could also pile all the fallen leaves available around them for further insulation. I suggest a couple of pots of each of the ones you don't want to lose .. just for backup.

Best of luck with your daylilies and your upcoming move.

Thank you and thanks for the practical advice! Am busy potting...and getting more pots because, of course, I've discovered there are many that I "need":)