I would like to know what people feel is the best fertilizer for Daylilies in zone 4. When should it be applied and how much to use. I now use milorganite in the spring and a good layer of oak leaves in the fall. My flowers do well when established, but take a couple of years to reach bloom stage. This spring, I gave a friend several fans that had bloomed the year before for me. I could not believe the way they had grown since early spring. They had tripled in size and were blooming like crazy. She uses composted cow manure from a local farmer. Is that the obvious answer??

They grow fast with high nitrogen, which manure has. Find the thread about alfalfa on this forum. It will help you a lot.

Cookies4kids

Cow manure is good and horse manure is also supposed to be good for daylilies.
And bunny droppings too.
I just learned alfalfa pellets can burn daylilies, so add them between plants.

I'm using a variety of fertilizers, most being long term since I don't want to take time for fertilizing more frequently with the watery kind.
Don't forget minerals. Your leaves are a wonderful addition. Keep adding them.

I'm not in your zone but most zones can use the same stuff just maybe at different times. If your friend is having good results from the composted cow manure I would try that.
Rabbit manure is suppose to be one of the best and it doesn't have to age before putting in beds. The beds I added it to last year had sooooo many more worms in it than the others and those still had tons. I love using alfalfa pellets and I have never had alfalfa pellets burn my daylilies, but I don't put it right up against the plants either.

Thanks so much to all of you who took the time to answer my questions. It has been such a help. I am looking forward to being a part of these forums. I have over 250 varieties and my gardens are planted in sections. I am going to try a few different
suggestions in different areas, and see which ones do best.
Thanks again

and welcome

I am about a month to a month-and-half off flowering starting. Should I do any other fertilizing other than the alfalfa that will enhance blooming?

Cookies4kids said:I. She uses composted cow manure from a local farmer. Is that the obvious answer??

Composted cow manure is great, whether fresh from the farm, or processed (ie, Black Kow).
One thing you have to understand, though. If the manure is fairly new, and still breaking down (ie, composting), it will leach nitrogen from the soil.

I've learned this with Black Kow, which I purchase by the cubic yard. There is no way to know how old it is. That is, how long it's been composting. Occasionally, I have to add some nitrogen to restore the balance.

Gleni said:I am about a month to a month-and-half off flowering starting. Should I do any other fertilizing other than the alfalfa that will enhance blooming?

Glen, I've been using a water-soluble 24-8-16 ratio and it's been great. I fertilize more frequently when the plants are actively growing (spring) and post-bloom, in the fall. Blooms are winding down here so I'll be starting again in the next several days.

Since I am in the ground water recharge area, I try to be careful with any liquid fertilizers and tend to avoid them if possible.

When I had horses, I never bought any flower fertilizer; just used compost made here on the farm.
Now I plan to haul shavings and horse manure in from local farms for my worms' dinners.
I plan to put that along the banks of the daylily beds so worms can crawl in and worms can crawl out.
Lots of worms here!

JWWC said:

Glen, I've been using a water-soluble 24-8-16 ratio and it's been great. I fertilize more frequently when the plants are actively growing (spring) and post-bloom, in the fall. Blooms are winding down here so I'll be starting again in the next several days.

James, 24-8-16 ratio of what. Meaning what is the product you are using?