alex123
Newly Registered
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Oct 27, 2016 4:52 pm

how to properly plant a bare root perennial?

Today, I planted a bunch of bare root daylillies. They had roots attached to about 1 inch white stems. I planted them at ground level meaning that the whole thing including the white stems is just underground. I then came inside and read that only roots should be at ground level so that the white tips are sticking out of the ground. I could dig them out and readjust the position. I'm also thinking the white tips will freeze at night fairly soon as I'm planting too late in the season so maybe they should stay below ground. Any advice on how I should proceed would be appreciated. I still have a bunch more of these to plant this week.

imafan26
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Posts: 13962
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:32 am
Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

Most companies that send daylilies have planting instructions on the back of the package. I don't plant the stems of the daylilies, they may rot. You can mulch them to give them some insulation.

https://www.daylilymeadows.com/Article-D ... rcare.html

Most perennials can be divided in the fall not just bulbs. Cutting back on the top and the roots helps gets them going faster. I have to divide chives and lemon grass because the center dies out if it gets too thick. Cutting tops back are better since muscling the roots apart and cutting out the damaged or long ones does put the plant in shock. Most of the time even if I leave the leaves on, they wilt and turn yellow so I am better off cutting the tops back as well. They come back nicer without the broken leaves. Usually the planting bed is renewed with compost or compost and manure. Mulching helps to hold in moisture and the plants will need to have regular water until they establish themselves again. I use compost instead of mulch on perennial beds I am not digging up. The compost will get worked down by the organisms in the soil,I am bad about fertilizing, I haven't fertilized the agapanthus or daylilies in a long time.



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