Here are my top fifteen for this past season.
Genesta - 140 & 137. I am convinced that this one would have done even better if it was still warmer here. She is still trying right now, but I am going to cut the scapes within the next couple days and bring the prolif inside. I will post a pic of the final scape appearance.
Autumn King: 82,72,57,45
Ron Wilson's Online Garden Party: 51,33,32,23
August Flame: 50,49,32,31
Lavender Stardust: 49
Ruby Stella: 47,38,38,36,35,33,32. Must add that I have 4 clumps.
Ah Youth: 44,37,36
Three are tied for the eight spot: Lavender Heartthrob: 37
Pack Hunter: 37,36,31,30
Siloam Double Classic: 37,36,30
Entrapment: 36,33,30,27. I have 4 clumps.
Gudrid: 32,31
Carolina June Bug: 31,30,22,21
Three tied for 12th.
Crimson Pirate: 30,27
Lullaby Baby: 30,26,24
Prairie Wildfire: 30,25,19
Three tied for 13th.
Boundless Beauty: 29,19,15
Cajun Sunshine: 29
Orchid Corsage: 29,16
Four tied for 14th.
Elegant Candy: 28
Holly Dancer: 28,23,23,20
Knights In White Satin: 28,19,16
Northern Rose: 28,16
Two tied for 15th.
Carmine Monarch: 27,24
Malaysian Monarch: 27


RWOGP




Front Garden

Mike, is that the bud counts for each scape or a total of all scapes??? If it is for each scape, that is amazing. I have been growing daylilies for 20 plus years and have never had counts like that. I bought Enchanted April many years ago, hearing that the bud count was in the 50's but it never ever performed for me like that.

Cindy, that's for each scape.

You sure must be doing something right. That is amazing.

I didn't do any bud counts this year, but Holly Dancer was a blooming fool. Also, Old Termite went kinda crazy this year too

That is quite a list you have there Mike ~Jan

Mike - Your garden area is beautiful! Wow! I really like how you did that area with the curves.

I about dropped my teeth when I read your bloom counts! Are you singing to them? Bribing them with good fertilizer? What, what is your secret???? !!! Inquiring minds want to know!!!

I think the most bloom count I've had on a daylily plant is about 30. But that was not on one scape. That was 4 scapes. It is also my largest plant of all that I have. So ...

That leads me to believe the bigger and more mature the plant, the more blooms?

On a side note .... I planted some of the seeds you sent me in the small plastic containers. They are now sitting in my south window soaking up the warmth and filtered sunlight!

Beautiful curved garden bed, Mike. Job well done!!!
As for the bud count, yours are beyond amazing.

Want to share your garden secrets???? Enquiring minds
you know....

Mike, I'm curious how you determine your bud count. Do you make your counts while you're pulling dead/finished scapes in the fall? I often wondered how hybridizers determine their final bud count stats. Questions, Questions, questions!

beckygardener said:That leads me to believe the bigger and more mature the plant, the more blooms?

Yes.

For most plant species, the larger the plant, the more flowers. Sometimes, also the larger the plant, the larger the flowers. I suspect that also the larger the fan the more likely it is to rebloom (given all other necessary factors for rebloom).

For daylilies the basic plant is a fan. As the plant increases in size it is more likely to produce new fans and develop into a clump. Plant species that produce 'clumps' can operate in two different ways. One way is that the fans in the clump can cooperate and share resources (for example, water or manufactured food) because they are joined. In the other way, fans in the clump compete with each other for resources (for example, they can shade each other and compete for light). For daylilies, small clumps probably have a majority of fans cooperating while for large clumps the balance may be tilted to fans competing with each other. Competitiion will act to decrease bud counts, etc.

So, the larger the fan the more buds and flowers. This will be limited by the inherited fan size that each cultivar can reach. Fans (for example, newly sprouted seedlings) have to grow to a certain size (more or less) where they are mature and can then flower. The first scape is unlikely to have the highest possible number of flowers. The number of flowers is likely to increase as the fan grows larger (older). Under some growing conditions it may take many years for a fan to reach its maximum mature size. For example, in their natural growing regions and conditions daylilies might not ever reach their maximum possible sizes. In some growing conditions it might be possible for a daylily to reach its maximum potential size in one year. That would require optimum growing conditions (a very long growing season, optimum temperatures, optimum water, fertilizer, sunlight, weeding, no pod setting, etc.).

As a clump increases in size (number of fans) it will probably have a size with the highest average bud count but then as the clump continues to increase the average bud count per fan is likely to decrease. Some fans (perhaps those near rhe outside of the clump) may have higher budcounts than those in other parts of the clump. Then it is time to divide the clump. Depending on growing location and conditions clumps may need to be divided frequently to get maximum growth, flowering, increase, etc.

Maurice, that was very informative. Frankly, I take the time to prepare the soil before I plant. It's time consuming, but, that's what I do. It is so much easier that way than to try and amend the soil around the plant. At this time I use compost/manure, peat moss, Alfalfa Meal, pellets, Milorganite, Epsom salt. I sometimes use the extended release fertilizer, fish fertilizer. After the known/proven rebloomers are done with the first set of scapes, I top dress with Alfalfa and Milorganite.
Jill, after the scape is done or close to it, I count the bud scars, pods and remaining buds.
Genesta... rebloom scape in the middle.


Genesta... scape on the right with 140 buds. The lower branch alone has 44 buds/scars.


Genesta... scape on the left with 137 buds/scars


Front garden back in 2011 with sod cut.

Maurice - Thank you for explaining about plant size and bloom numbers. You might be right about re-bloomers and bloom size, too! Always interesting reading your posts with explanations!

Mike - You are my idol! I love your amazing blooming daylilies! And I also love how you added the daylily bed to your yard. I am doing that in my own yard currently. Making a border of NOID daylilies around various areas of my yard. I have a lot of young seedlings to plant. Since I hate mowing, the less yard ... the better!

Bud building is very clear on Genesta !

Mike, you should add those scape photos of Genesta to our database.

Juli, that's a great idea! Will do.

Beautiful daylilies Mike! I love your gardens.

Thanks Susan.
Cindy, did you see the Balsam in the top garden picture??

Yes I did Mike and it looks great in your bed

Mike, what did you use to cut your sod. Mine does not come up that easy I have St. Augustine and not a lot of luck killing it.

Susan, I rented a sod cutter to do the job. It was worth every penny on the time that it saved.

Mike, do the sod cutters take a lot of the topsoil when they cut??? I imagine you had to do some amending.