How to Divide a Daylily

Dividing daylilies is a relatively easy task. Separating them on a regular basis, usually four to five years, makes the plants healthier and multiplies the number of blooms produced. Also, the process provides you with an inexpensive means of extending your garden.

Step 1: While daylilies will do well if separated in early spring when the first green leaves become visible, the best time to divide them is late summer or early fall when they are no longer flowering.  Do your digging then so that the roots will  have time to become established and grow before the onset of winter.

Step2:  Locate a central area of your daylily bed where the vegetation is thinner and fewer flowering stalks are present.

Step 3: Using a sharp shovel or garden fork, dig into the ground about a foot from the center of the clump. Ease your tool around the edge of the clump in a gentle, lifting motion.

Step 4: When the roots have separated from the soil, turn the clump over. Using the shovel, cut the clump into several smaller ones, each being about six inches in diameter. For maximum garden expansion, however, gently separate the clump with your  hands, dividing it into individual plants. Each plant should have a cluster of roots.

Step 5: Cut the dried foliage back, but leave a couple inches on each plant to help it conserve moisture during the time it is being re-established.

Step 6: Plant the new clumps or individual daylilies in freshly-prepared soil at least six inches apart.