Question
I have had a beautiful patch of double day lillies for approx 15 yrs. and the past 2 seasons they have refused to bloom. I'm wondering if a small tree that was planted near them 3-4 yrs ago is the problen. I am getting the green foilage but no blossoms.

Answer
Hello Peg

The tree probably hasn't helped the situation, but at 15 years old your patch of Daylillies must be very big by now!  I think that the main problem is that the plant has become congested and pretty nutrient starved.

What you could do is split the plant into several pieces and plant them in other places in you yard.

Here's how:  Dig around the plant and ease it out of the ground with as much root as you can and, using the spade, cut the plant into several good sized pieces.

If it's too big to get the whole plant out at once (and I suspect that it will be), then once you have dug around it don't try to lift the plant away from the soil all at once.  Instead, put the spade into the plant and begin the cut off sections and lift out of the ground, with as much root as you can.

You may find that the middle of the plant has a lot of unhappy looking roots - dry and shriveled, these should be discarded.  Only replant pieces of the Daylily with healthy, plump roots.  Add some granular fertilizer the the new planting holes to give the Daylillies a good start.

The ground where the original Daylily was planted should be dug over and plenty of granular or organic fertilizer added - leaf mould or well rotted garden compost is OK.

You can, of course, put a piece of the original plant back in its original, improved home!

This sounds like hard work, I know, but it is the best way of rejuvenating an old plant and is well worth the effort - and it gives you plenty to spread around the rest of your yard - or give away to friends!