Double Helix

August 12, 2017Leave a comment

Today, I believe, brought my next to last NEW bloom for 2017. Pizza Crust, a late bloomer that I added last year. This year, a two bud wonder. Seriously?

At any rate, I was taken back by how it looked like a twin to Western Sandstone. Like, can you see a difference?

So, curiosity got the best of me. I thought that these two had the same DNA, and while their parents were not listed, they originate from the same hybridizer. Ah, ha . . . I think my eye does not deceive.

Honorable mention goes to Cherokee Star, who put out a near perfect, velvet bloom today.

Today was the beginning . . . of a weekend of daylily digging and putting in pots, again. This time the Southwest Garden. Only the bad side. But, that’s over 40 daylilies and the digging is hard. Tight space, tree roots and clay below the good soil that is now full of tree roots, too. I have 17 done and like 25 left to go. I think I will hit the hay early and get up early to start. I would prefer to be done or mostly done by Sunday. I still have divisions to do for friends. This work actually makes me look forward to snow . . . kind of. I do wonder if I will end up with decorative pots out in that garden, too. I guess this is a pilot. PS – I was digging up the daylilies out there to raise the grade of the garden at exactly this time last year. Sigh. It never ends!

Tomorrow, I think my Ugly Daylily will be in bloom. That is my confused Amaryllis. Life in the garden is always full of surprises.

Grit

August 3, 2017Leave a comment

Today was split shift . . . a day of grit to get more daylilies protected from the soil and roots in my home ground. I gotta tell you, I am ready to be done. And, yet, I have barely started in the Southwest garden. Ugh, that clay soil is definitely part of the problem in the area where the daylilies are not thriving as much. I put my first two full pots out there, buried. The challenge is to make sure the sprinkler hose hits them. Some others are in bottomless pots, and some in the black nursery containers, mostly without bottoms. We will see what works. It is possible that what works is just digging deeper in that clay and replacing it with real soil. But, the pots keep the unwanted roots out. Grit.

So, I had no new blooms. Decided to play with my photo editor. So, here is Indian Sky from today in colored chalk.

Also, I am resharing my Ned Roberts spider collage because I forgot Glen Eyrie. I guess 19 out of 69 could be worse. Almost 30%. But, that clay has to get split up to improve things. Next year, I would like to hit 40. Keep on digging. Grit! Except, this weekend I have a date with my tent.

Left to Right: Top Row – Adios Albuquerque, Aztec Firebird, Black Ice, Chaco Canyon, Chief Four Fingers, Coral Taco. Middle Row: Desert Icicle, Dream Catcher, Dream Keeper, Ghost Ranch, Glen Eyrie, Kokopelli, Papa Longlegs. Bottom Row – Pink Enchilada, Pueblo Dancer, Rasberry Propeller, Skinwalker, Twirling Pinata, Zuni Thunderbird

Born to Be (Nearly) Wild!

July 30, 2017July 30, 2017Leave a comment

Last night it rained. It has been overcast all day, and now it is raining, again. It is a good weekend to dig daylilies and put them in pots. It is not a good weekend to chill with my dogs at the brewery. Or, go camping!

So, I did have a new bloom today. Her name is Nearly Wild. And she held up pretty well to the rain and sprinkler.

I am fairly sure she is named for the ditch lily, Fulva, that is the original American daylily. It was brought to the US from Asia in the 19th century as an ornamental flower. It grows along ditches in certain areas of the country, and (unlike most daylilies we grow today) has rhizomes that make it invasive. You can order it, but it comes with a black box warning that it is invasive! But, it does look like Nearly Wild, don’t you think?

OK – so the pot moving took most of the day. So far, 43 moved and 13 to go. Of the 13, 10 are still in bloom or have scapes. So, tomorrow is a much shorter day with that piece. Plus, I am starting to do some dividing, so may do a bit of that tomorrow. The cool weather makes a good time to do this part. Probably more so than camping.

Drizzle

July 29, 2017July 29, 2017Leave a comment

It’s Friday! So, after work, I dashed out to continue the daylily potting project. Ran out of potting soil after the first two, so ran to Home Depot. Came home and was working on another two when the rain started. It is a nice rain . . . drizzle, but enough to cool things off and wet the garden.

No new faces today. Tiger Kitten lost his only bud 😦 For tomorrow, I think maybe Nearly Wild might bloom. At any rate, I decided to make a collage like I did every day last year during the peak. I don’t have enough time do to that this year, but wanted something to show for the last of the big bloom days of July.

The rain on Wednesday bought mushrooms to my Southwest garden . . . guessing the mushroom compost come to life. Weird, in the desert.

Tomorrow, the journey continues. I wanted to be camping, but decided to plan 3 camping trips for August this weekend AND STICK TO IT!!!! But, for now, I am making good progress on the daylily potting. And, not camping in the rain. I have so much to do before freeze and Amazon is slow with my second order of pots. Oh, well, like the daylily, all we really have is this moment.

After the Rain

July 27, 2017July 27, 2017Leave a comment

The rain came and brought a new bloom – Classy Lady. She is another one I got to get a better rate on postage. I believe she was an early Lily Auction purchase. Two years in a row, she has been a one-bud-wonder. It is a great flower, though.

The peak will soon drop to a handful of blooms a day. Last year, they went into November. That’s right . . . November. My bud count has just not been predictive of rebloomers this year. I do have 5 late bloomers with scapes, some are new scapes. But, that is about it for predicted new faces.

So, I got 3 different delivery carriers bringing me pots from Amazon today. It was actually a decent deal and I could do some chosen colors in numbers to make it kind of cool. On split shift, I got 9 more plants moved to pots. They were in the most troubled spot in the yard. Of the 9, five bloomed a couple of times. The rest were quiet.

The pots will be easier to keep moist and fertilize, etc. The only problem is that I now have mixed pots with ones in the soil that have scapes. I need to keep the bloomers watered, but not over water the pots. This should be interesting 🙂

Speaking of pots, I decided that I would grow my garlic for next year in 6-inch pots. Those, too, have not thrived in my root-laden soil like they should. So my pot color scheme is turquoise and purple mostly. Some earth colors and maroon. The garlic will be similar. My veggie garden was a little of everything – I thought that would be fun with lots of different colors.

The whole thing makes me amazed that the Anasazi could grow corn and stuff here. Like, I have sprinklers and I still have issues.

I think the next new bloom will be tiger kitten. Tomorrow? Who knows?

Fol de Rol

July 26, 2017Leave a comment

The rain came today . . . and in a big way. For the high desert. And, one of my two Fol de Rol buds opened. This is one that I got on the auction, I think. I ordered a Ned Roberts spider and the same hybridizer had this one. The thing about postage and daylilies is that you are better off to buy more than one. So, I liked this one! And, I hope for more buds next year when it is in a pot.

Speaking of the pots, I did some research. Most say that it is best to plant in-ground. Unless, of course, your soil is clay. Now, my front garden soil isn’t bad, but everything turns alkaline here in no time. And, the daylilies are not native to this place, so the more native plants take over. They like daylily roots – moisture holders in the desert. In these cases, pots can be better.

Looking at the bloom rate and scape size around my yard, pots are better. The Southwest garden (fortunately) has fewer competitors. And, most the plants are decent sized and healthy. Some put on quite a show this summer out there!

So, one of the other things I learned about pots is that you can move them. Well, I knew that. But, I hadn’t really thought about moving the ones in the front garden because they are (or will be) partially buried. But, it did occur to me that if I want to add a new flower and give away one that I am less crazy about, it will be a ton easier.

That brings to mind the chore of dividing a few pots. And, some I want to have in two places. Jungle Queen, Mesa Verde, and Canyon Colors, for sure. All three are evergreen, so the grand experiment is to see how they do if they are left out all winter. They are big enough, I think they stand a decent chance. While I am developing 3 new daylily areas, neither is that big. Eventually, I will run out of space!

Free Lily!

July 23, 2017July 23, 2017Leave a comment

Remember the movie “Free Willy” about the orcha whale who was trapped in a theme park? Well, today I played the part of the person who had a plan to free Willy. I freed another 8 daylilies from the fray of my garden soil. “Be above it,” I tell them. And, hopefully having an individual ecosystem will help them to thrive with a soil line a couple inches above the garden. It is amazing just how much stuff is growing out of their roots underneath.

You won’t believe this, but I had a new bloom today. Adios Albuquerque had its first bloom ever here, out in my Southwestern Garden. It does not have a high bud count this year, but the plant is huge. I live is some fear that I may be doing the container trick in that garden next year if it works. Sigh.

Oh, and I think I figured out the little, unnamed flower from yesterday is Pardon Me. I recall buying one by that name for one of the little gardens a few years back. And, this one looks like it could be a match. Check out yesterday’s bloom (first) and the bloom from the internet.

It feels like the work of preparing for fall has already started. But, next weekend I hope to be camping. Really, want to do most the transplanting at least 6 weeks before freeze. Plus, I have to divide up some of the existing pots, as the most common reason for no bloom is crowding by new daylily fans. I guess some of my friends will be getting free lilies 🙂 PS, I sincerely hope that next year is not as much work once the pots are in . . .

Going to Pot

July 23, 2017July 23, 2017Leave a comment

It’s Colorado, but not that kind of pot. I mean that I sunk about a dozen daylilies from my walkway garden into buried pots. I look at the fans and they look so sad compared to the daylilies in pots around the yard. So, that made me consider bloom rate (and volume) of pot vs in the soil daylilies. I figured out my bloom rate in the pots is 70% +. My overall bloom rate is going to be around 50%. The pots have better bud count, too. So, we will see what spring 2018 brings.

So, believe it or not, I had two new faces today. First off, Fairytale Pink. I love the color and shape of this one. It needs a pot when it is done with its few buds.

Next is a cute little red miniature and I have no clue on the name. It is one I rescued from the shady garden near the back fence last year. I put those in before I knew this much about daylilies, so did not keep track of names. It is cute. I’ll have to research it, I guess. Maybe it is a Ruby Stella?

Well, I must be running out of new faces . . . but I do have scapes around on a few that are still small. So, who knows. I am working around the ones with scapes for now on the potting. So far, I have about 20 that bloomed last year that didn’t bloom this year. And, I have about the same number that bloomed this year and not last year. Last year, I spent so much time mulching and fertilizing each walkway garden daylily, but the grass and other flowers liked the treat as well as the daylilies. I have daisies and blue bells that are invasive. And so, I will go broke buying plastic pots!

Black Eyes and Twirls

July 19, 2017July 19, 2017Leave a comment

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.

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.

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.

Honey, I Planted My Family

June 28, 2017June 28, 2017Leave a comment

Today, Stephanie Returned to my yard. Stephanie Returns, that is. She is a sweet light pink girl who bears the same name as my daughter. And, she was added the year my daughter returned to Colorado. Hard to get good lighting today. She was unbloomed, and then the sun hit full force. She looks a little dry and I upped her water. (I have daylilies that bear the names of my grandmother, mom, and both grandkids. I want to get a Santa Clause for in memory of my dad).

The other first-timer for the year was Inwood. I love the contrast on the blooms.

I believe my back porch has now reached peak bloom with this addition. Sadly, Electric Lizard is still not looking like it will produce much despite the addition of some more fans last fall. Maybe it needs a larger pot. Nosferatu, Cheddar Cheese, and Canyon Colors all have big fans but no scapes. Guessing not enough sun, too much fertilizer or some other imbalance. I am still hoping . . . but would have expected scapes by now. Generally, my pots grow bigger, healthier blooms than this basic clay soil. But, sometimes the mix is off. (Below is Jungle Queen, quite happy in the same pot for 2 years).

As for the Southwest garden – it looks like I’ll have some new blooms tomorrow. Soco Gap is about to give birth. I think I’ll see my first Pink Enchilada tomorrow. Papa Long Legs and Kokopelli, perhaps. Maybe Indian Love Call. I was hoping for 50% bloom out there, but I am guessing it may be 30% now. I am erring on the side of fertilizer this year to get the plants big. I think I need to do more soil amendments in the fall, too. Most the plants are blooming size. A few have died back. I have to remember that some of mine had spring in the South last year, so may not bloom this year. Bare root daylilies are not instant gratification.

The flowers are so pretty, they are worth the amazing time and energy to make them thrive. Tomorrow also holds the promise of our first The Colorado Kid (our mascot) of the year. Can’t wait to see what happens next.

Colorado Kid Daylilies

A Blog About My Western Colorado Daylily Adventure

Tag: Container daylilies