Last post in the rust thread - Code NC fungicides (not classified):

Triac 70 is a hydrophobic clarified extract of neem oil. It is listed as a fungicide, insecticide, and miticide. This product probably helps against daylily rust because hydrophobic is defined as water repellent and there'a a direct relationship between daylily rust and foliage remaining wet. At least that sounds somewhat logical to my unscientific brain (haha).

Double Nickel is what's called a 'biofungicide'. The active ingredient is Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. I've heard from other growers that it doesn't seem to have any direct observable affect on daylily rust but instead, makes the plants themselves more resistant to the rust. This allows the growers to have longer wait times between their fungicide treatments. I've also heard that only a couple of sprayings of Double Nickel are needed each spring and fall but in fairness, I've not tried this product myself.

Seedling 14-073

Today's image is seedling 14-073. It has 6" blooms on 29" scapes and comes from the cross (May I Have This Dance X Hog Heaven).

Continuing my rust thread:

For my personal spray schedule, I rotate between Cleary's 3336F (code 1), Honor Guard PPZ (code 3), and Heritage (code 11). I also add Dithane 75DF (code M3) to the mix every time I spray and a surfactant to make sure the spray sticks to the foliage.

When determining the frequency of spraying, it depends on how aggressive you want to be in keeping rust controlled. Commercial daylily growers have to spray frequently and regularly regardless of whether rust has been found. If the Agri inspector finds active rust in their gardens, they can be prevented from shipping.

Personally, I use a moderately aggressive spraying routine primarily in the fall and spring because that's when the plants are storing energy for the next bloom season. Otherwise I spray only if I see an outbreak of rust starting. I define moderately aggressive spraying as every 7-10 days whether I see rust or not.

Seedling 13-091

Seedling 13-091 has been a decent performer in my garden. It has 6" blooms on 32" scapes with a bud count in the mid 20's. It comes from the cross (Piping Rock X Jennifer Trimmer).

Continuing my rust thread:

There are six FRAC codes found to be affective toward rust control. The first three are systemic, the next two are contact, while the last is not classified as either.

Code 1 – Thiophanate-methyl (Cleary’s 3336F)
Code 3 – Propiconazole (Banner Maxx, Honor Guard PPZ, Bayleton)
Code 11 – Pyraclostrobin (Compass O, Heritage, Cabrio)
Code M3 – Mancozeb (Dithane 75DF)
Code M5 – Chlorothalonil (Daconil 500ZN)
Code NC – Triac 70 and Double Nickel 55

Using only a single fungicide from codes 1, 3, or 11 is not recommended because rust becomes resistant so easily. Alternating two or three fungicides from the first three codes is highly recommended. The others codes have very little chance of resistance building up even when used on a regular basis so they can be used repeatedly and frequently.

I'll discuss my personal spray schedule in my next post...

Daydream Spirit (Jarvis, 2010)

Today's image is Daydream Spirit. It has 5" blooms on 28" scapes and comes from the cross (Senegal X Sherry Lane Carr).

Continuing my rust thread:

Studies have shown that there are 'contact fungicides' that kill the rust pustules and spores they come in contact with but do nothing to prevent further eruptions. There are also 'systemic fungicides' that are absorbed into the leaves. These work by interfering with the ability to form new rust pustules. The systemic fungicides do not translocate through the leaves but are absorbed into the leaf only where they are sprayed. The best course of treatment is to use both contact and systemic fungicides when treating for rust.

Studies have also shown that rust easily becomes resistant to systemic fungicides. This can happen in as few as two or three consecutive uses. The Fungicide Resistance Action Committee has grouped fungicides by their mode of action into groups called ‘FRAC codes’. Understanding these FRAC codes can go a long way to help control rust in your garden.

More in my next post...

Morning Rendezvous (Jarvis, 2017)

This is Morning Rendezvous. It has 5.5" blooms on 26" scapes and comes from the cross [Spacecoast Sea Shells X {Spacecoast Sea Shells x (Hedwig's Eyes x Spacecoast Gold Bonanza)}].

Recently, while pulling a few weeds and tidying up one of the beds, I saw some daylily rust. Alas, the spring rust season has begun so the following day I began my rust spray schedule.

Ignoring the rust allows it to spread to other daylilies. Rust doesn't normally kill daylilies but it makes the foliage unsightly and can significantly weaken the plants. It follows that weakened plants won't bloom as well as healthy ones. The optimal conditions for rust include mild temperatures (60's & 70's) with foliage remaining wet for at least 4 hours. The gulf coast fits this description perfectly.

Daylily rust cannot be eliminated in our mild climate so it must be managed. In upcoming posts I'll be discussing which fungicides work and how to effectively use them.

Seedling 13-089

Today's image is seedling 13-089. It has 5.5" blooms on 28" scapes and comes from the cross [(Larry Grace x Spacecoast Gold Bonanza) X Lacy Dusk].

It was an unusually cool November with freezing temperatures a couple of nights. The freezes caused me to hold off on my last bed rework. I'll wait until we get out of this cold weather pattern - I have plenty of other tasks to keep me busy.

Seedling 14-044

Seedling 14-044 has 5.5" blooms on 32" scapes and comes from the cross:
[Christopher Moody X {Rock Candy x (Mask of Eternity x {Islesworth x Awesome Blossom})}].

Yesterday, I finished what I thought was going to be a 1-day project that actually took me 3 days to complete. I had planned to dig and reset about 25 daylilies in a long narrow bed by the front walk. Almost as soon as I started, I realized that my old nemesis (tree roots) had returned and completely taken over the bed. So I spent the first day digging and temporarily potting up the daylilies. It took me another day to dig and remove all the tree roots and the 3rd day preparing the soil and replanting the daylilies.

The planting process involves removing a shovel of soil and placing it in a 5-gal bucket. I then place a handful of alfalfa pellets in the bottom of the hole, mix a little, and cover with about an inch of soil. In the 5-gal bucket, I add a half shovel of compost and a couple of handfuls of MicroLife fertilizer to the soil I had removed from the planting hole and mix well. I use this to refill the hole and cover the roots of the replanted daylily.

The alfalfa pellets contain nitrogen and growth hormones but caution should be used as they can give off heat when they break down in the soil. That's why I cover them with a little soil and only use them in the fall or winter when the soil temperatures have begun cooling down. The daylily roots will eventually grow down to the level of the alfalfa where they access the nutrients. The Microlife fertilizer is non-burning so it's safe to use in the planting hole in moderate amounts. I further speculate that this warming in the soil from the alfafa decomposing may stimulate the microorganizms in the MicroLife helping to reestablish the soil food web that was disturbed when I dug up the daylilies. I used this planting procedure in a bed a couple of years ago with outstanding results.

Celestial Angel (Jarvis 2007)

Celestial Angel has 5" blooms on 27" scapes and comes from the cross (First Knight X Edge Of Heaven).

I've been too busy to post any garden news but I thought I'd at least upload another picture for those interested. Seedling 14-019 has 6" blooms on 24" scapes. It comes from the cross (Edwardian Charm X Happy Halloween).

Seedling 14-019

We finally received our first legitimate fall cool front this week. With morning temps in the low 60's it was time to get started on the fall projects. While I do have a couple of things pending in the daylily beds, I needed to remove the remaining landscape timbers so the heavy trash pickup next week can haul them off. Done... and checked off the list. Next week it's supposed to be even cooler. I guess it's time to start thinking about starting the fall rust spray schedule. Rust seems to be most prevalent when daytime temperatures are in the 70's & 80's and nighttime temperatures in the 50's & 60's.

Seedling 15-061

Seedling 15-061 has 5.5" blooms on 29" scapes and comes from the cross (Bella Vita X Frank's Hot Tamale).

Yesterday I purchased a bag of Microlife 6-2-4 fertilizer. I plan to spread some around each clump as soon as I get a chance. Recently I was asked why I use this fertilizer. The short answer is because I prefer to go organic whenever possible and this fertilizer fits the bill. Microlife contains minerals, vitamins, natural plant hormones, natural plant stimulators, essential sugars, amino acids, carbons, and proteins, all from natural sources. It also contains billions of beneficial microbes from over 70 different species including Mycorrhizal fungi. It's slow release so I don't have any worries about it burning the plants.

Seedling 00-048

Today's image is the oldest seedling in my garden having first bloomed back in the year 2000. It has 5.5" blooms on 31" scapes with 4-way branching. I like the dark purple color and the bud count is in the low 20's. However, lacking any unusual characteristics like a gold edge (smile), I've never registered it. I just grow it because I like it.

About a week ago I came across a partial bag of Microlife fertilizer that I purchased this past spring. There was just enough left for me to sprinkle a little around most of the daylilies, which I did. The following couple of days were rainy followed by a few days of sun and then more rain. Yesterday, I noticed that many of the plants were starting to put on some new growth. This week I plan to purchase another bag and give them a proper fertilization. Fall is the most important time to fertilize here along the gulf coast (IMHO).

Seedling 14-058

Seedling 14-058 has 6" blooms on 26" scapes. It comes from the cross (What Love Can Do X Priscilla's Smile). While not real intense, some green can be seen in the outer edges.

Summer heat drones on but yesterday I saw a hint that fall is coming. I was visiting a local garden center to check out their sale offerings. While checking out some Hamelia, I was surprised to see a hummingbird feeding from blooms only a few feet away. Hummers migrate through here in the fall so this is a good sign!

Seedling 12-014

Today's image is seedling 12-014. It has 6" blooms on 29" scapes and comes from the cross (Face Paint X Hedwig's Eyes).

Typically, cooler fall weather begins here in Houston around the second week in October. That means it's time to start thinking about fall projects. So today, I'm starting to make my list of things I want to accomplish during the cooler weather. Unlike years past, there aren't any big daylily related projects to be done - just a few daylilies that need to be divided. However, I have a couple of big projects that are garden related just not with daylilies.

Now that I'm no longer producing new seedlings I have a couple of beds that need to be repurposed and there are other household maintenance projects to be done. I learned years ago that it's easy to forget to do something important. I also tend to get side-tracked into doing what I prefer as opposed to what's important. Keeping a list helps keep me focused.

What Love Can Do (Jarvis, 2010)

What Love Can Do didn't perform quite as well this year as last year but performance sometimes drops a little after a particularly stellar year like last season. It has 5.5" blooms on 30" scapes and comes from the cross (Spacecoast Starburst X Ruffled Masterpiece).

Seedling 13-055 below has to stretch to reach 5" with average blooms around 4.75" What I like about it is the red veining on the orange cream petals. The scapes are proportional to the smaller flower at only 22" which makes it good as a border plant. It comes from the cross (Orange City X Caribbean Magic).

Seedling 13-055

Today's images are Spring Reverie. It has 5" blooms on 28" scapes. Bud count is typically in the upper 20's. It comes from the cross (Edge Of Heaven X J.T. Davis).

Spring Reverie (Jarvis, 2010)

The first image is a little over exposed but the second is a better color representation. It's registered as a mid season bloomer but the past few years it has bloomed more like a mid to late season bloomer.

The summer doldrums continue with watering and weeding being pretty much all that's on the gardening project list. Actually, it hasn't been a big deal this year. The soaker hoses have made watering easy and because I'm keeping up with the weeding this year, it has been pretty easy to keep things looking good.

Seedling 15-015

This is seedling 15-015. It has 6" blooms on 32" scapes. It usually opens flat and its tall scapes help it stand out in the garden. It comes from the cross (Sunshine Kisses X Fashion Police).

In my previous post I described how I would make selections from annual daylily sale flyers from growers. While my initial selections are based on my personal likes, I didn't address another important factor in my selection process. I also needed a way to identify possible potential from a hybridizing standpoint. This may seem like a daunting problem but there is a way that sometimes helps.

The American Daylily Society (a.k.a. American Hemerocallis Society) website has an online database of all registered cultivars. It has expanded search capabilities which allow displaying lists of cultivars that match various requested search criteria. For example, you can search for all cultivars registered by a particular hybridizer or for all daylilies registered as "bi-tones". These features are available using the 'advanced search' features.

Let's say I am considering purchasing a daylily named Emerald Bay. On the advanced search page (near the bottom) there is a section titled 'Parentage'. By entering the name Emerald Bay and selecting 'exact' match, the search returns about a dozen cultivars where Emerald Bay was used as one of the parents.

So what does this do for me? Generally speaking if a cultivar has been around for several years but nothing shows up on this search, it may not be a good parent. On the other hand, a good parent may have a fairly extensive list of resulting cultivars. The cultivar Ed Brown lists 48 cultivars. I use this as an indicator of potential but of course, there's no guarantee it will produce for me. Note that this doesn't work for very new cultivars as they haven't had enough time to result in many new registrations.

Seedling 14-046

Today's image is seedling 14-046. It has 5.5" blooms on 24" scapes and comes from the cross (Edwardian Charm X Happy Halloween).

The daylily fall sale flyers have started to arrive. These can be a benefit for those who are looking to add some newer cultivars to their collection without breaking the bank. Like any selling type business, daylily growers can end up with too much inventory on some cultivars. This can happen for a variety of reasons. To resolve this overstock problem, many growers do the same as retail stores - they have sales. The fall sales are typically 'buy one and get a second of equal or lesser value free'.

I have to admit that I purchased daylilies from these fall sales for years and generally I was pleased. My day job kept me from traveling to any of the large grower gardens during bloom season so most of my purchases were from catalog descriptions and pictures. I should also add that the reputation of the hybridizer for introducing only quality plants as well as the seller's reputation for sending healthy plants is also very important.

The process was fairly straight forward. Some cultivars are eliminated from the info in the flyer such as dormants (don't do well here), flower forms I'm not interested in (I like large blooms, wide petals, eyes, and edges), and hybridizers who's work I've not been impressed with (which I won't go into). I would then Google for pictures of other cultivars. Lots of good pictures usually meant that lots of people grew it while few pictures or only pictures from the hybridizer meant it might not be that popular. Lots of pictures but no good pictures was also not a good sign IMHO. If it passed the picture test I would go to the hybridizer's website to see what they had to say about it. Hybrizers will promote the cultivar's good points but sometimes gloss over any faults. For example, if a hybridizer usually provides typical bud counts and branching but doesn't for a specific cultivar, I usually wouldn't take a chance on that cultivar.

If after doing the research I'm still interested in the cultivar, I add it to my 'under consideration' list along with any notes from my research. After I finish making this list, I then go back over it eliminating lesser interesting cultivars until I the list comes into line my budget (smile). One other consideration which I'll cover in my next post is 'hybridizing potential'. This was important for me but probably not for the average daylily grower.

Seedling 16-064

Today's image is seedling 16-064. It has 6.5" blooms on 25" scapes and comes from the cross (Cimarron Rose X Rose Sensation).

Some daylilies produce what look like small fans on the scapes after blooming. These are called 'proliferations' or 'prolifs' and if rooted will grow into plants identical to the mother plants. Several methods can be used to root these prolifs but the best success is had once the prolifs have started forming tiny roots at the point where they are attached to the scape.

In the past I would remove the prolifs leaving about 1" of scape above and 2" below where the prolif is attached. I would push the prolif into the soil right next to the mother plant where it can receive as much shade as possible. The base of the prolif should be about 3/4" into the soil. Keeping the plants (and prolifs) watered was usually enough for them to root and having them close to the mother plants meant I didn't have to keep track of which plant each prolif came from.

This year I'm trying to root a few prolifs in pots. I'm doing this because the scapes the prolifs were growing on were drying up before the tiny roots began to form. Without any observable roots I don't know if I'll get them to root but it's fun to try.

Honky Tonk Floozy (Jarvis, 2015)

This is Honky Tonk Floozy. I picked the name because the bright red color reminded me of what my grandmother used to call 'floozy lipstick'. It has 6" blooms on 29" scapes and comes from a cross between Sunshine Kisses and a seedling. The seedling's parentage is not known.