TIDEWATER GARDENING

by K. Marc Teffeau, Ph.D.

Daylily Delights

One highlight of the July landscape is that daylilies are in full bloom. Native to Asia and grown from antiquity, this plant was named “Hemerocallis,” or “beautiful for a day,” by the ancient Greeks because the individual flowers only last a single day. They make for excellent cut flowers if you cut them early in the morning. Depending on the variety, they flower from June to September, with each type blooming for a three- to fourweek period. There are literally thousands of varieties of daylilies. I like reblooming daylilies. They have a first flush of blooms and then periodically bloom all through the growing season. One that I like and use in my landscape is the Stella d’Oro, a dwarf variety that blooms from early May into September and October. ‘Blackeyed Stella’ is similar to ‘Stella d’Oro,’ only with a dark red eye. Other reblooming daylilies include ‘Apricot-sparkles,’ ‘Early bird-cardinal,’ and ‘Pardon-me,’ to name a few. first house, one of the first things we did was find a wild patch of these lilies growing in a highway right of way, dig up a clump and plant them along the foundation. I call these “railroad” lilies because you see them growing wild along railroad tracks.

My wife and I got married in late June, when the wild orange lilies (AKA “ditch lilies”) that you see along the roadside were coming into bloom. When we bought our

Lilies are easy to care for and have many uses in the landscape. They can be planted along banks or used as filler between shrubs or in a perennial bed. They prefer full sun but will do fine in open shade sites. Plants range from about 1 to 3 feet in height and produce flowers in shades of orange, yellow, red and pink. They are adaptable to a wide range of soils but don’t tolerate poorly drained areas.

Early spring and late summer are the best times to transplant new plants. Heavy clumps can be dug up and divided after flowering. I recommend that this be done every three years, as the larger the clump, the fewer flowers over time.

Cut the leaves back to about onethird of their original length, and then divide the clump with a sharp spade into the number of pieces you want.

I always cut the flower stems, called scapes, after all the buds on the scape have flowered. You can wait until they turn brown and pull them out, though this allows the flowers to produce seed pods. I prefer that the energy needed for seed pod production goes back into the plant. Lilies are not fussy as to soil fertility, but it always helps when planting or replanting to work some compost or other organic matter into the soil. Set the plants with the junction of the buds and roots 1 inch below the soil surface, and space them 2 to 3 feet apart. Water well until new growth appears. In spring, scatter 5-10-5 or 5-10-10 fertilizer around each plant, making sure the fertilizer doesn’t come into direct contact with the plant’s crown.

Asiatic and Oriental lilies also provide colorful, easy-to-grow, additions to your garden and land-

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scape. They are easy to care for and offer a wide variety of heights, flower forms and colors. These lilies do well as container plants on the porch and patio. While they usually do better if planted in fall, you can plant them in spring if you get them early. If you plant a combination of early, mid-season and late-blooming cultivars, you can have lilies in flower from mid-June through mid-September.

Asiatic lilies require minimal care and are very hardy. They need no staking and are not particularly demanding about soil, as long as it is well drained and slightly acidic (6.5 pH). Asiatic and Oriental lilies grow best in full sunlight but will tolerate light shade. Six to eight hours of direct sunlight is best. They bloom early, usually in June and July. Bulbs can be left in the ground and will multiply readily when planted in an ideal location.

Oriental lilies are the latest to bloom (late July or August) and are also the most exotic. Most are tall and bear big, fragrant flowers, so they may require staking. For the best effect, plant lilies in groups of three or five identical bulbs. Space them 8 to 12 inches apart, keeping groups 3 to 5 feet apart, depending on the vigor and size of the lilies. Plant small lily bulbs 2 to 4 inches deep and large bulbs 4 to 6 inches deep, measuring from the top of the bulb.

Divide and replant large clusters of bulbs every three years or so—or when it seems they are not blooming as well as they did originally. Keep the roots shaded by planting them between other plants or covering them with mulch. Fertilize the soil each spring with a phosphorus-rich formula such as 5-10-10. Slow-release fertilizers also work well. Deadhead fading flowers by breaking them off carefully. Do not remove stems or foliage. They’ll continue to put energy into the bulb as long as they remain green. Remove old foliage in late fall or early spring by cutting down the dead stalks. Once the leaves and stems turn yellow and wither, cut the plant back to the ground.

If you have bearded iris in the flower bed, the best time to plant or transplant is from six weeks after bloom is finished through September and October. Divide and trans -

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plant iris after flowering, saving only the most vigorous ones. Discard any that have any type of root or iris borer damage. Also remove any leftover flower stalks.

Bearded iris emerge from a fleshy, bulblike stem called a rhizome that grows horizontally just below the soil surface. When you plant the rhizome, it is important that you keep in on the soil surface. In heavy clay soils, the rhizome should be planted higher so that up to half of it is exposed above soil level.

When preparing the soil for a new bearded iris bed, fertilize with a complete fertilizer that is low in nitrogen and high in phosphorus and potassium, such as 5-10-10. A general rule of thumb is to apply 1 pound of 5-10-10 per 100 square feet. Work the fertilizer into the soil, and let the bed settle before planting. Bearded iris prefer slightly alkaline soil, so in the absence of a soil test, lightly sprinkle some lime into the planting bed.

While bearded iris grow from rhizomes, Dutch iris are grown from bulbs. These bloom in early summer and produce slender, graceful flowers in deep and light blue, purple, yellow and white on 24-inch stems. They prefer sun or afternoon shade and rich, well-drained soil. Plant Dutch iris bulbs 4 to 6 inches deep in October or November.

July is also the time to divide and replant crowded early-blooming perennials. Be sure to deadhead or cut off spent blooms in the perennial bed. Also do this for annuals to keep them blooming. You want the plant’s energy to go into producing more flowers, not seeds. Be sure to stake tall perennials to keep them from falling over. If you are growing lavender, cut the first flowers to encourage a second crop. Also try rubbing your hands with lavender leaves to remove strong odors such as garlic or onion. Cut back and fertilize delphinium and phlox for a second show of bloom, and be sure to pinch chrysanthemums for the last time in mid-July.

In the vegetable garden, it’s time to start thinking about fall. Start your broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower seeds now so you can set them out as fall transplants in August. Mid- to late July is a good time to direct seed lettuce, spinach, beets, carrots and turnips into the garden, though they may be a little slow in germinating because of the high temperatures. Try lowering the soil temperatures by covering the seed bed with a floating row cover like re-may or some other shading material. Succession plantings of green beans can go in until the first of August, but wait until August to plant peas for fall.

Your tomato plants need attention in July. Even though tomatoes are self-pollinating, they need movement to transfer pollen within the flower. If it is hot and calm for several days, gently shake plants to ensure pollen transfer and fruit set. Temperatures over 90°F can interfere with blossom set. I make it a practice every day to give my tomato plants a little gentle nudging to help the pollination process along. Also keep an eye out for tomato hornworm, the caterpillar stage of the brown and gray hawk moth. These huge worms can do enormous damage overnight.

It is very important not to wet the tomato foliage when irrigating the plants, as this encourages the spread of leaf disease. Early and late leaf blight, Septoria leaf spot and bacterial leaf spot are all spread by water from leaf to leaf. Water early in the morning at the base of the plants to reduce possible leaf disease issues. One thing you might notice on your tomato plants is the yellowing of the lower leaves. This is a natural process, as these were the first leaves produced by the plant and as such are becoming less efficient at producing nutrients. Remove these yellow leaves to encourage good plant health.

Your zucchini and yellow squash plants might look bad and be starting to wilt. Squash vine borer is the most common culprit. Do a second planting of each to prolong the season, and remove and trash the infested plants.

Annuals in the landscape usually start to fade in mid- to late July. You can rejuvenate them by cutting them back to approximately half their height, fertilizing them with ½ cup of 5-10-10 per square yard of planted area, watering and then applying a 1- to 2-inch layer of mulch. You can also apply a liquid fertilizer or a manure or compost “tea” to give them a shot in the arm, so to speak. Remove any annuals that don’t make it and add them to the compost pile. You can replant beds with hardy annuals or perennials such as calendulas, globe thistles or sea pinks. Happy Gardening!

Marc Teffeau retired as Director of Research and Regulatory Affairs at the American Nursery and Landscape Association in Washington, D.C. He now lives in Georgia with his wife, Linda.