philljm said:Alex, no problems not getting back to me sooner.
Nice that you have a south facing slope. And I do hope you get snow - it will make all the difference for those daylilies - they would prefer to be blanketed and protected by snow.
I've had daylilies for about 4-5 years now. Initially I didn't understand what Dor, SEV and EV meant - so I ignored it. Then when I did know, I tried to buy only dormants, with the occasional SEV. But over the last few years, with their foliage habit is like is not as important to me as other factors. I find some grow here, some don't - regardless of what they are. Some of my EV's grow as well, or even better than my dormants. Heck, some of mine that grow poorly, i pass them on to a friend 30 miles away, and they are gorgeous (and vice versa). I do pay attention if a hybridizer or seller or an ATP member makes a comment about where a daylily will grow or won't grow.
I figure that no matter what, I will probably lose a few every year. I also like to push their zones a bit, just to see if they will do well for me. But I will admit that I am not spending hundreds of dollars on a single cultivar either. ~Jan
Jan:
I agree with everything you have stated here. Call it beginner's luck that I have only lost 3 daylilies in 3 yrs. That's not a bad % with the 200 daylilies I have planted. My hearts bleeds whenever I lose a plant. They are like children to me. I also appreciate the advice given to me here. That is why I joined this forum. But if I just planted zone 4b garden plants here, it would indeed be a very dull garden. I am pushing the envelope, and will continue to do so. Guess what? I have found some of the best growing healthiest lilies growing for me are from southern hybridizers. All of Nicole DeVitos's plants are thriving here, as well as Petit, Stamile/Pierce, Gossard, Shooter (both tets and dips) as well as Holley from West Coast, Gaskins and others.
I have found that it helps to buy quality plants with 2 to 3 fans directly from the hybridizer or from a quality seller on the LA (another learning curve). I am working feverishly with seeds to see what will survive the winters here. I will know more this Spring about my seedlings. A big factor here is the changing climate conditions. Our past Winter here was like Wniter's I experienced in Maryland as a child. Mild with very little snow cover. Our Summer here broke all historical records for heat. Landlocked VT was hit by Hurricane Irene last year that devastated parts of our state. A hurricane in VT? And this Winter is acting much like last Winter. Today, we received an inch of snow that will be followed tonight by sleet and freezing ice. Normally, at this time of year, VT is a winter wonderland. I have spent 45 yrs of my life here, and the changing climate conditions is astounding. I also share a joint vegetable garden with one of my neighbors. This past summer was the best ever for growing veggies. It was like the garden of Eden.
My point here is that while I know I have to factor in dormancy vs. foliage type, etc, I also have to factor in weather conditions, as well as other conditions. Change is inevitable, and I am learning to go with the flow. The hybridizers are also breeding better plants esp for those of us who live in northern states.
