My new daylily craze: several Master Gardeners visited the Missouri Botanical Gardens in St. Louis in June especially to view the daylilies in bloom. A short program was given by a St. Louis Master Gardener and member of the American Hemerocallis Society. Then in early July Coles County Master Gardeners had a day trip to the Five Acres Daylily Farm near Bogard (off Route 130 on route to Champaign). Suddenly I wanted to add several more daylilies to my garden. The choice is endless with new hybrids being developed every year. Today's hybrids fall into two main groups: diploids (having a single complement of chromosomes) and tetraploids (with an artificially doubled chromosome complement). I know – that is more than you wanted to know but the difference in the groups is what makes the difference in the color, form, and season of bloom. The larger flowers with exceptionally thick petals that hold up better in the heat of the day and keep their color are usually tetraploid daylilies. There is a frenzy to create new cultivars with broad petals, bicolor bands and blazes, extra frills (ruffled edges) and extended bloom.

Frankly, I pick the daylily that strikes my fancy and to do this you have to see the plant in bloom. Also look for plants with straight scapes (stalks) that tower above the leaves and many flower buds. It isn't always possible to purchase the plant at the time you see it in bloom so record the name and perhaps reserve with the grower to be purchased when it is available for sale. Thanks to the American Hemerocallis Society for most of the following information. Daylilies may be planted from mid to late April through early September because the plant's root system should become anchored in the soil before the ground freezes. Daylilies bloom best in full sun (six hours of sun) but they will tolerate partial shade. Planted in a shadier area will yield less blooms. Almost any well-drained soil will grow daylilies. If you want them to flourish add one-third organic compost. Do not use fertilizers at the time of planting. For established plants that have remained in the same spot at least one year, very little maintenance is needed. In early spring, the dead foliage that served as a crown cover during the winter months should be removed. In mid-April a dry, chemical fertilizer (12-12-12) may be broadcast over the flower bed, watered in and then mulched to help hold water in the upcoming months. Daylilies love water while the bloom scapes are forming (that is the stalk with the flower bud). Water does more for blooms than fertilizers. One weekly soaking of an inch or so is better than a daily sprinkle.

Individual dead blooms should be removed daily – remember a daylily flower only lasts one day), then when the plant is through blooming, the scape – the flower stalk – should be removed down to the ground. They snap off easily. Every four to six years most clumps of daylilies will need dividing. I have some daylilies that were separated only 3 years ago and got so large I had to divide this year. If a clump is taking over the garden, it is time to divide. This is best done immediately after flowering. Cut the foliage back to approximately six inches from the ground. Dig out the entire clump. Divide with a knife if you can't divide by pulling apart or use two spading forks back to back inserted in the center of the clump and pull them apart. Return three to five fans to the ground and find new homes for the leftover plants.

Tips for Roses and Houseplants -- University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator Ron Wolford says, "A few tips can make life easier for the summer gardener who deals with roses and what to do with houseplants while on vacation." Per Wolford, "For roses, avoid fertilizing after mid-August. Fertilizing roses after mid-August can promote new growth that will not have time to harden off before the cold temperatures set in. After roses have gone dormant, you can fertilize and the fertilizer will be available to the plant in the spring. Watch out for black spot on roses. Circular black spots appear on the leaves starting from the bottom of the plant and moving upward. Splashing from rain or watering will spread the disease. Spray weekly with a fungicide after reading and following all label directions. The fungus causing blackspot overwinters on fallen leaves, so raking and removing the leaves in the fall will provide some control."

Wolford has come up with a rather interesting procedure for watering houseplants while on vacation. He says, "Set up a temporary houseplant self-watering system in your bathtub. All that is needed is an old dish-drying rack, white cotton shoelaces, and a bathroom that gets some natural light. Set the dish rack upside down in the tub and place the plants without saucers on the rack. Poke three to four inches of shoelace into the soil through the drainage hole. Run a few inches of water into the tub. The shoelace will act as a wick and keep your houseplants from drying out."

I left for vacation (Alaska) about the time I had to submit this article to the Extension Office, but had a problem – no bathtub, no natural light in the bathroom and several planters that did not have drainage holes (you know the kind that arrive from the florist in very pretty ceramic containers). So I used the kitchen sink since it has natural light and inserted the shoelace into the planter from the top. Will let you know if this worked or I came home to dead houseplants.

If you have any horticulture questions, call the U of I Extension office 345-7034. Volunteer Master Gardeners are in the office on: Monday—2 to 4 p.m.; Wednesday and Friday—9-11 a.m.

This column is based on information and materials at the University of Illinois Extension office, located at 707 Windsor Road, Suite A., Charleston, 61920; phone 345-7034; or web site: www.extension.uiuc.edu/coles/