A couple of weeks ago, we published a tutorial on how to plant daylilies in the fall. If
you already have a few of these crowd-pleasing perennials and would
like to have more next year — or a friend or neighbor is willing to
share her bounty — dividing the plants can help you increase your yield
next spring. So keep reading for some tips on how to divide daylilies.
But before you get started, consider your climate: daylilies should
go into the ground with enough time before first frost to establish a
strong root system, 4-6 weeks before the first hard frost. If you live
in a northern region, you may have missed the boat and should probably
wait until spring to divide. However, in a warmer region this might be
the perfect time to divide.
If you’ve determined that this is the right time of year for you, let’s get started!
1. Trim off the tops of the foliage with pruning shears.
2. Dig up the root ball under a clump of daylilies. Think big: root balls can be significant in size, so dig out a few inches around the plant to make sure you get it all.
3. Flip the root ball over, and use a spade to divide it into 6-8 inch clumps.
4. If this method yields enough new plants for you, you can simply re-plant the clumps about two feet apart.
5. If you need more plants, you may want to divide the plants into individual fans. Gently coax apart the leaf fans with your hands. Each new planting should consist of a single fan of leaves with a cluster of attached roots.
6. Replant fans in prepared soil 6-12 inches apart.
Not sure of the right way to transplant those divisions? Check out our detailed instructions on planting daylilies!
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