I must keep my hobby-hybridizing daylilies in shaded pots due to the high summer temps here, and I only have access to 1-gallon pots at the moment. The fans I planted in those 1-gallon post last year did fine over the winter, though not as vigorously as other fans of the same variety did in the ground. But, I'm okay with that as long as the pot-DLs still survive and thrive enough to flower and set pods in our 100-degree-temps.

So, I'm wondering, has anyone ever tried "bonsai-ing" their smaller-pot daylilies to keep them going strong and blooming?

I worry that even one winter in the pots may have led them to already be root bound. But, can I cut back the roots a few inches to allow for this next year's growth, and just keep doing that each year? Will they bloom the same season after having roots cut back? Any thoughts are welcome, even if you haven't done this exact thing ... I'm just hoping to get some idea of what I might do without compromising bloom and pod-setting on my small-pot DLs.

Tina, I also grow everything I'm using for hybridizing in pots, and Lyle hooked me up with a place where I could get 2-gal. pots and that's what I use for the larger ones. Since I now have a few hundred in pots, I can't keep them all in 2-gal pots for space reasons, so the smaller ones are in 1-gal's. And I also purchased some 3-gal pots from the same place to handle the really big ones I get. So far my record of pod setting with them, and even scapes, is not stellar -- but this year I'm trying to push them a bit so I can get some crosses made before it gets really hot. I think our dry heat here has a lot to do with my fairly poor results at pod setting, but I keep struggling on. And guess what -- this morning I made my first cross of the year! I put SPACECOAST TINY PERFECTION pollen (frozen) on SPRING FORMAL, and I'm anticipating that it will not take -- but who knows! Just maybe it will... but it still gets into the low 50's here at night, so I don't have high hopes.

I really don't know about these things, but I suspect that if you play with the roots it might keep at least some of them from blooming this year. Hopefully someone in the know will jump in here with some advice...

Tina, here is the link to the nursery supply place where I get my pots. It's fairly reasonable for 100 pots, I think, but what really gets us is the shipping! Yikes!!! But the 2-gal pots have worked really well for me -- thank you Lyle!

http://www.growersupply.com/bl...

Woot! Congrats on your SPACECOAST TINY PERFECTION cross!! I'm hoping to get that daylily within the next year - its such a really all-round awesome cultivar :D

OOOOOOO!!!!!! That link is most awesome - I think I can afford that! If 2-gallons are working for long-term daylily pots ... I will make it happen!

Your experience is sooo helpful, thanks for sharing what you've done and your thoughts. I'm guessing that with both you and me having gut-level concerns about cutting roots and same-year blooming, perhaps I'm best off letting them stay in the 1-gallons till I have some 2-gallons in place, and just keeping a watchful eye on them to see if they are handling it okay. I don't see any roots peeking out of the drainage holes, so I'm hoping they'd not be too tightly bound after all.

*biting my nails worrying about all my babies!*

Hi Tina - I buy my 2 and 3 gallon pots from here:

http://plasticflowerpots.net/

Tina, if you're looking for SPACECOAST TINY PERFECTION I recommend you check out Subhana Ansari's website. I purchased two plants of it from her last summer and they were beautiful double fans. Right now she has it for either $8 or $9, and if you're interested I suggest you email her. She has an excel spreadsheet which she recommends you peruse for the most recent prices and availability and she shows it there for $8, but when you click on her Dwarf Varieties I think it lists for $9 -- but either way it's a great price! Plus when I purchase from her she's always talking about how I've earned so many bonus points with my order, or I get a 20+% discount, etc., and I have no idea what she's talking about -- but the total always ends up less than I've anticipated -- which I love!

Subhana has been great to communicate with and I suspect she's probably not that far from you, although I think she's closer to the coast. And she has shared some of her seedlings with me too! Love that!!! She sends great plants, and her user name is Subhanaflourishing on the Lily Auction. I believe her email address is listed with the ordering information if you're interested.

http://www.flourishingdaylilie...

dormantsrule, your source for pots looks really great -- I'll have to check it out next time I need to purchase! And does it cost a lot to ship? Whenever I need to order another 100 2-gal pots the price is maybe slightly more than what yours shows, but by the time they add the UPS shipping it's always almost $100! And that part just kills me...

Oh, now we're cookin' with gas ... I just did the estimated shipping on plasticflowerpots.net for 100 2-gallon pots: about $47 by UPS ground. Thanks!!!

And, thank you Betty, for the tip re Subhana. Yes, she is on the coast and in a wildly different USDA zone (so crazy around here!), but I will check it out!

I grow in pots, but nothing is in less than a 5 gallon pot, except 1st year seedlings. I check freecycle and craigs list for plastic pots, stop and ask landscapers that are planting. They will give away the smaller ones, but its harder to get the large 25-30 gallon ones Im really after. Clearly, the bigger the pot, the pricer it is to fill them, but if you want them to multiply, youve got to give them somewhere to do that.

Another supplier for nursery pots, a bit higher in price, but shipping is much cheaper-

http://www.greenhousemegastore...

These tips and leads to suppliers is ever so helpful, all! It gives me hope ... and I will try to hold off just long enough to save up my nickles and dimes to get the largest I can. I can see now its an investment in my hobby that will be useful for many years to come.

I buy 2 and 3 gallon nursery pots used from a large local nursery. I am able to buy all I need at a much reduced price and no shipping, just my gasoline to drive to the nursery. As I combine my trips with my other shopping, it really does not add to the cost.

Hi Tina:

Was going to suggest what Ladysmith said. A private nursery I go to has them piled to the roof. Although they aren't free (not from this guy -no siree) he does only charge about 1/2 what retail would be. I've also gotten pots at Lowes for free if they have a dead plant in them. Since it's one of those mart type stores there are usually lots of dead plants once the weather and their watering schedule catch up with each other.....As for keeping them in pots, almost all of mine are in pots and unlike some, I just don't have the room for larger then a 5 gallon pot. Some of mine I try and keep in a 3 gallon pot (10"). I've already started refreshing some of the 3 gallon pots by root pruning the bottom inch or two of the roots and replacing with new potting mix and Osmocote. On the 5 gallon pots (12 inches) I divide about every 2-3 years to keep the plant within bounds. But since they are in pots, it's alot easier to divide then digging them up from the ground. Do the plants get root bound in such small pots. You betcha they do by the end of the season. But last year, even with the smaller pots, I had a record bloom. Scapes kept coming up forever it seemed. I do use Miracid at 1/2 strength when I get around to it and it really seems to help..........Maryl

I love Space Coast Tiny Perfection. Every flower opens beautifully. I have it planted next to Space Coast Sweetness and it makes a good combo.

What zone are you in? Your right, sc tiny perfection is great.

Maryl I notice you use miracid, I never knew daylilies want some acid. Do you find it works better than just plain miracle grow? I have trouble getting my potted plants to rebloom. The few I have in the ground rebloom tho.

Pam, I use Miracid because of it's higher nitrogen content (30-10-10). I've read some University studies that lead me to believe that a high Phosphorus/Potassium level is not necessary to increase flower production (Jeff Gillman Un. of Min) contrary to what some fertilizer manufacturers might advertise. Since daylilies are in pots that are continually watered, a renewal of their depleted nitrogen is nescessary however. So even though I start out with Osmocote Plus (with minors) in the spring, it has improved the performance of my container plants (including roses) to periodically water in Miracid at 1/2 strength throughout the summer when watering is at it's peak. The acidic properties in this small supplimental dose of Miracid aren't so overwhelming that it affects the plant growth. My private blend potting soil tests out at a 6.6-6.8 Ph btw....The answer is then, that Miracid works better then Miracle Gro for me mainly because of a higher nitrogen content (the micros in Miracid are an added benefit).....Hope that makes sense.....Maryl