This morning was foggy and mild... not uncommon for Houston in winter. I took some time to walk around and survey the garden, especially the fall transplants. Everything looks just fine and I found myself already looking forward to the spring bloom.

Regarding leaf mulch, I failed to mention that there's one type of tree whose leaves should be avoided. Black walnut leaves contain a natural herbicide which can stunt the growth of plants if used as mulch. One of the bags I was shredding yesterday turned out to contain some black walnut leaves and I had to discard the whole bag out of caution.

Seedling 13-108

This is seedling 13-108. It has 7" blooms on 31" scapes and comes from the cross (Hedwig's Eyes X Crazy Ivan).

Fitting in garden work during this busy holiday season is a bit of a challenge, but I am making progress. Since my last post I finished weeding and mulching the front beds. I also sprayed for rust again as the up-and-down temperatures keep activating it in some of the beds.

It occurred to me that I should track the number of bags of leaves it takes to mulch all my beds so I'll know how many bags to collect next fall. City recycling rules means the bags used are all the same size (33-gal) and that makes record keeping easy. Just about everyone in this neighborhood has a lawn service so the leaves are already partially chopped. My leaf shredder further reduces each 33-gal bag to about 15-gal. It took 27 bags to mulch just the front beds. My very rough calculations showed I didn't have enough bags left to do all the back beds so I collected another dozen bags yesterday. This neighborhood has lots of trees, mostly oak, so just about all the leaves I've gathered this year have come from only my block.

Seedling 12-070

Today's image is seedling 12-070. It has 6" blooms on 24" scapes and comes from the cross (Winter Wayfarer X Priscilla's Smile).

It was a busy weekend. I sprayed for rust on Saturday. It's been about 4 weeks since my last treatment. Rust isn't typically a problem when we have extended cold temps, but when the daytime temps reach the 70's for an extended period of time, rust makes his appearance.

Yesterday, I spent most of the day shredding leaves. I have to admit I'm relatively clueless as to how many bags of leaves I'll need to cover all my beds. A full bag of leaves from a lawn mower grass catcher is already partially shredded so after shredding I end up with a lot more than a full bag of leaves that have just been raked and bagged. I figure it won't hurt to have too many bags as opposed to not enough so I picked up another half dozen bags from the neighbors this morning. Because we had an early freeze many of the leaves have fallen within a relatively short period of time. This has led to a shortage of leaf bags. It's been said that the stores are having a hard time keeping up with demand.

Seedling 15-103

Seedling 15-103 has 6" blooms on 26" scapes and comes from the cross (Unspoken Love X Zella Panchaud).

I just finished mulching my first bed with shredded leaves (see November 21st post). I first weeded the bed thoroughly and then spread a small amount of Osmocote Plus. I spread the shredded leaves about 2" thick over the entire bed. This picture shows what the bed looks like now.

As this was my first attempt at using leaf mulch, I didn't want to apply it too thick as I'm a little concerned that too thick might lead to matting. It's a good thing I'm only using 2". Just this one bed used about 5 bags of leaves. Previously I was thinking I had gathered a ridiculous number of bags from the neighbors (30) but to cover all my beds even that may not be enough.

Seedling 13-062

Today's image is seedling 13-062. Yes, it's just another yellow daylily but I like the crinkled edge. It has 6" blooms on 25" scapes and comes from the cross (Moon Over Tibet X Spacecoast Gold Bonanza).

After waiting and waiting for some meaningful rainfall, I finally decided I had to water. Daylilies like water especially when they are actively growing like right now. It's easy to forget to water properly when the temperatures are cool.

While dragging the hose around, I noticed a seedling that had 3 fans but the fans had not put on nice new growth like most of the other seedlings. Suspecting tree roots, I dug the plant and I was right... tree roots had invaded the daylily roots. I removed the tree roots, amended the planting hole (see Nov 5th post), and replanted the seeding.

Seedling 10-087

Seedling 10-087 has 5.5" blooms on 26" scapes and comes from the cross (Open My Eyes X (Hedwig's Eyes x Spacecoast Gold Bonanza)).

Today I finished dividing and moving daylilies. Now I'm hoping for a little rain overnight to help settle everything in. Natural water is much better than city water IMHO.

Seedling 13-102

Today's seedling is 13-102. This seedling is like the little girl who had a little curl (right in the middle of her forehead). When it is good, it is very very good... but when it is bad, it's horrid! I continue to grow it for the times that it's good. I'm also hoping I'll someday discover that when it's not good, it's my fault and I can somehow correct whatever I'm doing wrong. 13-102 has 6" blooms on 32" scapes and comes from the cross (Moonlight Sail X Violet Becomes You).

The past couple of days have been spent dividing daylilies and I'm getting close to finishing for this year. The weather has been spectacular with bright blue skies and a nice nip in the air. It was so nice yesterday that I found myself just sitting and enjoying instead of working.

Seedling 14-034

This is seedling 14-034. It has 5" blooms on 23" scapes and comes from the cross (Edwardian Charm X Happy Halloween). This year's blooms were not as good as previously because there was a big clump of Smoky Eyed Sally that was doing some seriously crowding. I moved 14-034 to a better location this afternoon where it should be able to do better next spring.

I decided to try a new way (for me at least) to mulch my plants. There are lots of oak and other deciduous trees throughout this neighborhood. Every fall the leaves are bagged and left for the city to collect as part of their yard waste recycling program. I decided to take advantage of some of this 'natures bounty' and purchased a leaf shredder. The other day, I picked up 6 bags of leaves from neighbors and began shredding. The bad news (there's always a downside) is that shredding dried leaves is an incredibly dusty & dirty process. The good news is that I was very pleased with the output. The shredded leaves look like they'll make a great mulch.

Rain is predicted for tonight and tomorrow so I ventured out in my pickup this afternoon to see if any bags of leaves had been put out during the past couple of days since the city last collected. In about 20 minutes I picked up 15 bags which are now in my back yard waiting to be shredded.

Seedling 14-013

Seedling 14-013 has 5" blooms on 20" scapes and comes from the cross (Mississippi Memento X Wild Cherry Round Up).

No garden work going on today. A 'blue norther' last night brought temps in the mid 30's this morning with gusty winds. There's also a light freeze predicted for tonight so I'll wait until conditions improve before venturing out to play in the dirt (smile).

Seedling 14-066

This is seedling 14-066. It has 5.5" blooms on 23" scapes and comes from the cross ((Always Baroque x (Hedwig's Eyes x Spacecoast Gold Bonanza)) X Crazy Ivan).

Following up on the rot treatment post (October 10th), about half the treated fans survived. The surviving fans were mostly the ones that looked pretty good when I treated them. I also treated some fans where the crowns had become a little soft even though the foliage hadn't shown signs of yellowing yet. Most of those fans eventually yellowed and died.

It's interesting that most rot in my garden happens in the early fall after the weather has begun to moderate. We actually call it the 'rot season' here in this area. After years of observation, here's what I think happens (IMHO). In the summer, daylilies shed some of their foliage to balance the moisture lost to transpiration. As the temperatures moderate a daylily will begin putting on new foliage to replace what it shed in the summer. To do this, daylilies pull resources from their roots. Many of these roots shrivel and die during the process to be later replaced with new roots. I suspect that as the roots die they may become infected by the rot pathogen which works its way into the crown. Because I dig in the fall, I have seen this root shriveling in many daylilies but it seems more frequent in daylilies that I dig to treat for rot. I have no idea why some daylilies are more susceptible to the pathogen while others never seem to get rot. (It's probably similar to why some people always get colds while others seldom do).

Seedling 13-055

Seedling 13-055 has 5" blooms on 22" scapes. It comes from the cross (Orange City X Caribbean Magic). The blooms open consistently and are especially striking in early morning sunshine.

Lots of Diggin' and Grinnin' going on (with apologies to Buck Owens and Roy Clark). I enjoy working the garden so much at this time of year that I'm sure I'm smiling most of the time.

I mentioned yesterday that I amend each planting hole before I replant the daylilies. The process goes like this...

• Dig up the soil around the hole as much as possible without disturbing adjacent daylilies
• Add a shovel of compost and work it into the soil
• Set aside enough of the soil to cover the daylily roots when planted
• Add about 1/4 cup of MicroLife Multi-Purpose Organic Fertilizer to the planting hole and mix into just the top 2" of soil.
• Set the daylilies on top of the soil and cover the roots with the soil you set aside.

The MicroLife is slow release and won't burn the plants. Mixing it in the 2" just below the roots will ensure it's where the roots can find it.

Seedling 16-008

Seedling 16-008 has 6.5" blooms on 32" scapes and comes from the cross (Violet Stained Glass X Born To Be Wild). It does have a flaw however. The scapes tend to lean over when multiple blooms are open.

Yesterday I started my fall dividing. It went kinda slow because I only have one wheelbarrow this year and the primary reason I was dividing was to make sure every named cultivar in the front yard also had some in the back yard. Dig a cultivar in the front... plant some of it in the same hole... plant the rest of it in the back... and both locations have to be amended before planting (lots of walking back and forth).

The front yard bed had become completely filled with tree roots since I cleaned them out a couple of years ago. That explains why the bed had poor performance last spring after having great performance the previous year. It's apparent that this will be an ongoing issue. So it's not a simple dig, divide, amend the planting hole, and pop them back in the ground.

Seedling 12-059

Seedling 12-059 put on a nice show this year. It seems to like where I've planted it and rewarded me with lots of scapes and excellent rebloom. It has 7" blooms on 27" scapes and comes from the cross (Sweet Tranquility X Princess of Wales).

Yesterday I sprayed again for rust. The fungicide I used was Honor Guard and as usual I added some Dithane 75DF. I don't like to spray unless the winds are light. I want the spray to go where I aim it and not be blown elsewhere where it's wasted.

Seedling 13-015

Seedling 13-015 has 6" blooms on 26" scapes and comes from the cross (Hedwig's Eyes X New Paradigm).

The ground is soft from the recent rains so I decided it was a good time to remove the grass from the area in the seating bed where the swing will go. I even got a chance to lay down about a dozen of the pavers. It's slow work for an 'old guy' but the weather has been nice so I really don't mind.

Seedling 10-094

This is seedling 10-094. It has 5.5" blooms on 33" scapes and comes from the cross (May I Have This Dance X Elegant Universe).

In preparation for fall dividing, yesterday I purchased a half yard of compost which is now piled in my driveway. I was able to get a 50-50 mix of 'fungal' (well aged) and 'leaf mold' composts. I'll be incorporating it into the soil wherever I dig and there should be enough left to fortify the beds around my new seating area.

Seedling 14-074

Today's image is seedling 14-074. It has 6" blooms on 24" scapes and comes from the cross (Shipwreck Cove X (Always Baroque x (Hedwig's Eyes x Spacecoast Gold Bonanza))). The bud count continues to be unimpressive but the coloration is unique enough to give it a place in my garden.

I just received confirmation for four new daylily registrations. So without further ado, here are my new registrations for 2019.

Lemon Enchantment - 7.0" bloom on 34" scapes

Lemon Enchantment comes from the cross (Daydream Spirit x Priscilla's Smile). It can have up to 35 buds and 6-way branching.

Ripples In Time - 4.75" bloom on 26" scapes

Ripples In Time comes from the cross ((Web of Intrigue x Optical Art) x Bit of Blue). It typically has 20 buds on 4-way branching.

Live Your Dream - 6.0" bloom on 26" scapes

Live Your Dream comes from the cross (Moon Over Tibet x Spacecoast Gold Bonanza). It can have up to 29 buds on 6-way branching. It won 'best seedling' award in our club's show this year.

Smoky Eyed Sally - 5.5" bloom on 28" scapes

Smoky Eyed Sally comes from the cross (Goldenzelle x Bella Vita). It can have up to 28 buds on 5-way branching and clumps up very quickly.

You can see all my registrations on my Hemerocallis The Daylily site.

Yesterday I performed my first fall rust treatment. I don't see much rust during the hot weather but once it turns cooler rust is always waiting to make its appearance. Usually I have so much to do that fall that spraying takes a back seat. This year I'm going to try and "stay on it". Yes I know... I say that every year (smile). I believe that keeping the foliage healthy during the fall and spring should help next year's bloom. I used Heritage and Dithane 75DF and included a surfactant in the mix.

The weather was so nice that I was able to finish laying the border stones for the new bed and seating area I'm working on in the back yard.

Seedling 12-025

Seedling 12-025 is another that has improved since being transplanted from a pot to in the ground. It has 5.5" blooms on 26" scapes and comes from the cross (Hedwig's Eyes X Crazy Ivan).

We received 1.6" of rain early this morning so there's no digging in the garden today. The wet soil made it easy to pull some weeds and the cooler temperatures made it nice to be outside. I also added another half dozen potted Lycoris to one of the front yard beds. The remaining bulbs will be held for the new flower beds I'm building in the back yard.

Gina Jarvis (Jarvis, 2015)

Today's image is Gina Jarvis. It has 5.5" blooms on 26" scapes and comes from the cross (Regal Fantasy × Blue Eyed Angel).

Another cool front yesterday with early morning temps in the low 50's. I spent the morning with daylily club members potting up daylilies for club use as sale and raffle plants. The only thing better than working with daylilies is working with daylilies with friends. We had a great time!

In the afternoon, I tackled a small but pleasant task. Three years ago I planted some Lycoris (Red Spider Lily) bulbs in 1-gallon pots. The reason I grow them in pots was so they could be placed among my daylilies and temporarily moved without disturbing the bulbs when the daylilies need to be divided. The pots are sunk in the soil except for the top 1-2 inches. Over the winter I noticed some of the pots were broken. It turns out the bulbs had multiplied so much they had forced the sides of the pots to split open. What started out as around 30 bulbs three years ago has multiplied to over 80 bulbs. I now have many more pots to place in my daylily beds.

Lycoris radiata (red spider lily)

Seedling 14-001

Seedling 14-001 has performed better now that it's growing directly in the ground. It has 6" blooms on 22" scapes and comes from the cross (Calamity Jane X Mississippi Memento).

We finally had our first cool front of the season. The refreshing temps lasted just a couple of days and today it's back to same-old-same-old, although another front is scheduled in a couple more days. I did get a chance to do some garden cleanup and my body let me know it wasn't accustomed to hard work (smile).

I found a few daylilies that were starting to show signs of the dreaded 'crown rot'. Normally, once rot starts in a clump it continues devouring off fan after fan until the entire clump is gone. As it was time to start dividing anyway, I decided to see what I could salvage from these clumps.

The process was simple. Remove the daylily and the soil around the root system. Fans with firm crowns are washed to remove all soil and remove any soft or spongy roots along with roots that show any obvious signs of rot. Then submerge the crowns and roots in a bucket containing a solution of a gallon of water and a couple of tablespoons of ordinary household bleach. Discard all infected plant material and the soil removed with the plant when you dug it up. Don't put the soil back in the same hole as it can contain a high concentration of the rot pathegen. After the roots have soaked for a few minutes, pot the fans in new soil (no need to rinse) and place the pot in a semi-shaded area to recover. Once you know the process was successful, these plants can be transplanted back in the ground. If possible, don't put them back in the same planting hole. I plan to put mine back in the ground probably in the early spring.

Seedling 14-043

Seedling 14-043 has 6" blooms on 28" scapes. It comes from the cross (Patsy Cline X Steve Martin). I love the bright gold color but unfortunately, it's a little tempermental when it comes to opening.

Still waiting for the first fall cool front but there are always things to keep me busy. Today I gave the roses a light pruning and applied their fall fertilizer. This should give them one more good show before it gets cool.

I tested the pH in each of my beds today. I was pretty sure the pH would be ok due to the use of lots of organic matter but over the years I've lost all the pine trees except one and the nice acidic pine straw that come with the pines. I've also been told the city water is fairly alkaline and I was afraid that could have disrupted the pH. The good news is that the results showed all beds were in the 6-7 range which is about right for daylilies which do best with a slightly acidic to neutral soil pH.

Seedling 12-066

This is seedling 12-066. It has 5.5" blooms on 25" scapes and comes from the cross (Catching The Light X Lacy Border). The flowers on the first set of scapes show much more pink than this picture. On rebloom however, if the weather is hot, the blooms may only show a hint of lavender such as this picture.