Soil Requirements

Daylilies grow best in loose, mildly acidic, well-drained soil that contains a lot of rich organic material. Their roots need to be moist but not wet, so a tight, damp clay soil is a disaster for them.

Both heavy clay soils and light, sandy soils can be effectively amended to accommodate daylilies. Turning peat moss, rotted manure, or compost into either type of soil will help a great deal, and a thorough tilling or spading will loosen compaction and provide greater drainage in clay soils.

Raised beds can help in damp or poorly-drained areas.

A soil pH of 6.0-6.5 is ideal for daylilies (as it is for most plants).

Planting Daylilies

Time to plant: Daylilies can be planted at any time of the year, though early fall is generally considered the optimum planting season.

Spacing: Most daylilies can be planted 18 to 24 inches apart.

How to plant: Daylilies have very aggressive root systems that will definitely compete for food and water, so even if you're planting several next to each other, resist the temptation to dig a trench. Instead dig individual holes for each plant, making each hole at least a foot deep and several inches wider than the root system.

Create a small mound of soil at the bottom of the hole and set the center of the rootball on the mount, with the roots trailing downward

The soil should be worked into a friable condition before replacing it around the roots. Adjust the height of the mound so that the plant sits roughly as deep as it was in its container, making sure the point where the roots and foliage meet is no more than one inch below the surface.

Fill in the hole with soil and firm it well, but be careful not to pack it down. Water the newly planted daylily thoroughly, and continue to water it daily for at least a week.