I have heard that willow is like aspirin.

Before it came down, there was a neighbor's weeping willow that hung over the fence. I made a daylily bed in that area and always kept the dropped fall leaves in the bed hoping that they would help with growth.

I think after years, that they did. However it is also a 'hot' area, and the ground is never stepped on and the beds were made with compost. So who knows?

I like old truthful 'wise' tales!

Yesterday the Pierces of Floyd Cove Nursery spoke at Cobb County DS. Guy said that BAP would increase the number of fans, but was very bad for daylilies. He said that the flowers would be sterile, have much reduced bud count, and were generally bad plants. He said it was okay to put BAP in bracts to produce proliferations, which were nice, strong plants later, and wouldn't be weak like the fans created by spraying the crown itself. I have never heard that information before, but BAP was sort of like a trade secret for some big growers until recently. It's high price also discouraged backyard growers from using it. Now, since this is a first revelation of the information, I cannot say it is 100% correct, but Doris says that some we "BAPPED" a couple of years ago didn't seem to grow as well, even though they did increase in the number of fans. We did none this summer. and just a few last year. She believes that the best way to increase daylilies is to give them plenty of water and the other nutrients they need, plus sunlight. She is the smartest person I know. Okay, she did make ONE big mistake 33.5 years ago! But, she's always helping those who need help! Anyway, I guess we'll use BAP only on bracts to create prolifs, even though we haven't wanted to wait for prolifs to grow to blooming size. Has anyone else heard this about BAPPING the crowns being bad for them?
David

David, Thanks for the information! I'm totally curious, though, about that one mistake 33.5 years ago that was made my Doris! I'm pretty sure that I was involved, because that is the exact number of years ago that I made my one mistake! You gave me a good giggle on that one!

I've decided to skip the Bap, since I keep hearing that it's expensive. Looks like my Wild Horses will be moved and fertilized and babied along. If I can find some more fans locally, I'll buy more. I'm not even wanting to pay shipping charges to buy them online, since it's been such a slow grower for me. I bought mine locally, so I'm sure I'll find more. In the meantime, I'll just treasure those two little fans of it that I do have.

Hey David,

I have not heard that BAPPING the crown is bad for them. I know quite a few people that use it and have not seen a sterile one yet because of BAP. Now if it is over used or used too strongly then it can be harmful and may make the pollen no good

We use BAP on our club auction plants so we will have plenty for all the members to bid on with their club dollars they have earned and I own several of these BAPPED daylilies and haven't seen a decrease in bud count or vigor. Not to say it's not true for some daylilies, however, I have not seen it in mine.

I agree that the best way to increase daylilies is water and nutrients also. But chemicals do have their place as well.

Milorganite is my nutrient of choice.... for all my outdoor plants. It's natural, and you can't burn your plants from too much fertilizer. I mix about a teaspoon (no scientific amount) in the planting hole and around the plant drip line. I'm just a hobby gardener, but milorganite performs!

Glad to see this thread revised.
I will leave the BAP to commercial growers. What I try to do to get better increase in my fans is to give the plants plenty of water, lots of sunshine (both items I think are underestimated for creating increase) and also adding fertilizer (I am currently using a combination of Milorganite and 16-4-8 fertilizer) plus lots and lots or organic matter. I like the Milorganite because it has iron and does a good job of giving the foliage a nice green look. The 16-4-8 I use does have some micro nutrients in the blend. I think the organic matter helps condition the soil and attract earth worms and seems to help the overall health of the plants. One other thing that I think is often overlooked and that I have neglected to a large extent over the past several years is pest and disease control. I am trying to do a better job of that this year. I have resisted spraying using it only on a hap hazard basis, but I have witnessed how stressed some of my plants had become because of diseases and pests and decided that I was going to do a more dedicated and scheduled spray routine this year. Not using any expensive chemicals, just off the shelf 3 in one Mite, Disease and Insect control. Very early in the season so far, and one year is nothing to base a success on, but so far the plants do look healthier and greener and are growing very well.

Is about a teaspoon the recommended amount for a settled in clump? I have not used it before, I guess it tells on the bag, but I like to know what works best for you

I have found that plants that were treated with BAP to increase before sale were less hardy or vigorous. I have lost many dozens of plants over the years in their first two years in my garden, and I can not decide if it is their being EVR, or treated with BAP that made them disappear so fast. Too many growers breed for flower size, color, shape, form, etc., etc., at the expense of plant performance. Too many expensive "annuals" are being sold. I do not want to get a greenhouse to enjoy my favorite flower.

The teaspoon goes in the planting hole, Nancy. For established clumps. I'll sprinkle anywhere up to one tablespoon around each plant, depending on the size of the clump, and work it in the soil.

@Seedfork Larry most likely can give you a good idea of measurements, method, and timing than I, Nancy. He's right about the greenery, too.

No teaspoon or tablespoon here. After mixing my concoction together in a cake dome or something similar. I have used ice cream bucket also. I just grab a handful and mix it into the planting hole before planting and mix some with the soil that the plant is backfilled with. In the early fall I sometimes broadcast Milorganite that is left over. I also use compost mixed with potting soil when planting.

Actually, that's what I do too. I guess I try to give it a measurement estimate for 'clarity' that wasn't so clear anyway.

Thanks! I think I can work with that, just don't want to overdo it

Late to the party, but I like to work the Milorganite into the soil with some 16-4-8 and work it into the soil really well, when I first plant. Established clumps will often get two handfuls or more of the mixture. I start out circling the plant with my hand distributing the fertilizer and use ever how much it takes to put an even band around the entire plant...so the size of the clump actually determines the amount of fertilizer the plants get.
Edited to add:
Recently I have made a few fertilizer applicators...a plastic bottle on the end of a broom or mop handle. The top is usually a creamer top with holes, or a lid I have drilled holes in. This was mostly done to keep my back from acting up, but during the summer I like this because it keeps my hands further away in case of snakes.I get a little hesitant about reaching down and pulling back the foliage. I can use the applicator to push the foliage back out of the way. But the process is the same and I just estimate how much to put out as I go according to the size of the plants. If I am doing seedlings, I will use smaller holes or just move a little faster down the row. I like how I have to shade the applicator as I go and that it does not just freely spill out, gives me more control over how much to apply. This has worked really good with pots also.

I am just now reading this thread. The following expresses my experiences with alfalfa.

Alfalfa mixture for both hostas and daylilies.

I use pellets because they are easier to hydrate.
For Hostas, alfalfa is most fantastic. It feeds up to five years and increases the rate of growth.
Before I plant Hostas, I soak the pellets overnight in a five gallon bucket; 20% pellets to 80% water. The hydrated alfalfa will look like diarrhea.
In the hole in the ground, I put the mixture, place the hosta on top, and finish up with soil. Water well. For established Hostas, work the mixture around the plants and water well.
Miniature, 1 cup
Small, 2 cups
Medium, 3 cups
Large, 4 cups

Of course I use alfalfa with daylilies. Daylilies need for frequent application.
As with hostas, when first planting a daylily, I use the mixture in the hole and place the plant over the mixture and cover with soil. When I am finished with all new planted daylilies in that area, I water all the plants.
Follow up feeding is a little simpler: I scatter four cups on the ground near the base of the plants and I water all. The pellets start to hydrate and eventually, they dissolved. Follow up early spring, and if you time, again after blooming.

Really great info, especially since I noticed my hosta were not growing as well last year, maybe it will give them a little boost.

I am experimenting with alfalfa pellets this year and probably haven't been using enough.

With regards to increasing growth and fans, I came across this on YouTube recently. It is a video made by Lynn Treece several years ago. He is an advocate of what he calls "raising the crown" to increase root growth and the production of increased fans....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

This second video is made a year later showing some results and his method of planting thousands of daylilies when you are in a hurry.... :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?...


.................

I have watched those videos before and still enjoy them every time!

Great videos, thank you for the link!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!! 🍀🍀🍀