Tag: bloom rate

Black Eyes and Twirls

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Today, two brand new faces joined the yard.  I am most excited about Twirling Pinata.  It’s a new Ned Roberts spider that I added last fall.  I just love the curly ones!  The color is nice, too.

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The other one joined this spring after a trip to the nursery in Grand Junction.  The name caught my eye – Black Eyed Susan.  I like the color of those flowers.  And, the daylily version does not disappoint with the rich golden yellow-orange.  It has a LOT of buds, too. It was an early addition, so I think it is happy here.

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The blooms continue at a steady pace.  I am disappointed so many are dropping buds.  In continuous improvement, we make changes at a rapid pace to improve outcomes.  Daylilies are slower.  I can try adding more water or fertilizer, but the die have been largely cast for the year.  I’m at 35% bloom.  If all bloom with scapes (help me out here insects), then it climbs to 45%.  I am sure I will get a handful of late ones to add.  Maybe 50% for the year.

At some point, you go from having a few daylilies in your yard to being a hobbiest/collector.  For me, I think that happened at about 50.  In a way, it becomes more work at that point.  There is an art and science that you have to learn.  Most do better in pots here, a few prefer the ground.  Most all prefer the drip system on my porch.  Some areas get more sun.  I have a ton of work to do on those who didn’t bloom for the next cycle.  But, will it work for next year?

Life goes on, and the years we have left with the flowers shrinks.  Heaven help me, I will be at 80% bloom long before I run out of time.

Engagement

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Smiles are a sign of human engagement.  And, for now, my smiles are daylilies.  I miss my mornings in the garden and am thankful for my photos.

Last night, I praised my Ruby Spider for having the most days of blooms.  Tonight, I praise Return A Smile for having the longest run of blooms.  She was the first one, and she was blooming on Monday when I left.  She has scapes that survived that late snow storm. She was purchased at the same time as Ruby Spider . . . maybe 8 years ago.  They live in the same planter – which seems too small but they thrive.  Return a Smile, Like Ruby, has been divided and lives in 2 locations in my yard.

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It gives me some faith to see them flourish.  I figured it out, and if all those with scapes bloom, I’ll be at 42% bloom this year.  I hope a few more produce.  I have to dig some more up and put them in pots.  I may bury the pots – but they need better soil and less competition to stand a chance of blooming.  I wonder if I’ll need to do that in the Southwestern Garden?  For this year, I think I’ll try breaking through the clay a little deeper and see what next year brings.

Farming is hard work, yet it brings a sense of engagement and purpose to life.  All of the world’s longest living people garden.  I can understand why.