I have a question about daylilies in pots.

First, I will say that I've never tried it, and don't really plan to do so. However, my partner and I purchased a number of daylilies during the recent Mecca here in Florida, and seven or eight of them are still in the pots they were growing in.

I have noticed that in the gardens where most plants, if not all, are grown in pots, the pots are placed so closely together that they are almost touching each other. Few if any of the pots themselves (ie, the plastic containers) receive any direct sunlight which, of course, bakes the moisture out of them.

We don't plan to plant our purchases until later this year, certainly not until three of them bloom - they're full of scapes at the moment.

I have them lined up along one side of the house - a side that isn't in direct sunlight until a little after noon. Some of the outer leaves on these plants are beginning to turn brown, despite the fact that they're watered regularly, sometimes twice a day.

Thinking back to how the pots were kept at the gardens where we purchased them, most of the actual plastic side of the pots were ever exposed to direct sunlight.

Which has led me to the theory that because the pots themselves are now exposed to direct sunlight several hours a day, the soil in them is heating up and causing this damage.

Does this make sense?

It makes a lot of sense to me, those black plastic pots in full sun get very hot. I just wonder if those plants had also been grown under shade cloth?

It sounds like these have not been acclimated. Put your pots in indired sunlight for two weeks, and each week after that, place them a little more into direct light.

And of course, water every day.

I think what may be the issue is that the plants were moved. Even though they are in pots and you don't think the roots get disturbed just picking them up and moving them can actually disturb them and it can make the outer foliage die off the same way as on a newly transplanted daylilies outer foliage usually dies off. It happens every year here when we start moving plants after shipping to consolidate the beds.

Seedfork said:It makes a lot of sense to me, those black plastic pots in full sun get very hot. I just wonder if those plants had also been grown under shade cloth?

Two of them were under a very light shade cloth, the others were not.

tink3472 said:I think what may be the issue is that the plants were moved. Even though they are in pots and you don't think the roots get disturbed just picking them up and moving them can actually disturb them and it can make the outer foliage die off the same way as on a newly transplanted daylilies outer foliage usually dies off. It happens every year here when we start moving plants after shipping to consolidate the beds.

That's good to know. Thanks.

Main roots like to grow to the north. When transplanting I always try to place the plant roots in the same north/south direction.

I have all my new daylilies growing in plastic pots and the soil does get warm even though they get periodic shade from an overhanging tree branch.
And the pots are close together so the plants tend to shade each other's pots. (Plants from Trimmer's are so bushy that they shade the entire pot.)
But I'm thinking of moving my pots to the east side of the house where they'll get morning sun and afternoon shade.

I'm new to seriously growing daylilies, but I've been growing plants all my life.

Want to add too that I have some old dormant daylilies that I stuck in pots years ago to keep track of them...I was afraid when they went dormant they'd get lost with all the other stuff growing here. So they have lived for years, uncared for in pots, but they did get some shade from other plants (don't think they got watered much either). Now they are in different pots, getting attention and doing great.

Roots growing in a certain direction? Awww....you are kidding right? Can't imagine how confused the plants must get that are planted in pots and keep getting moved around? I laugh just thinking about them trying to reorient themselves every time the pot is turned? Of course the leaves grow toward the sun, so I suppose the magnetic poles could pull the roots in a northerly direction?
No really, I have never paid any attention to the direction of roots, I thought a root grew in the direction of the food and water? Any reason for a main root to grow toward the north?

I have never heard of planting roots in a certain direction either.

Seedfork said:Roots growing in a certain direction? Awww....you are kidding right? Can't imagine how confused the plants must get that are planted in pots and keep getting moved around? I laugh just thinking about them trying to reorient themselves every time the pot is turned? Of course the leaves grow toward the sun, so I suppose the magnetic poles could pull the roots in a northerly direction?
No really, I have never paid any attention to the direction of roots, I thought a root grew in the direction of the food and water? Any reason for a main root to grow toward the north?

I'd imagine roots want to grow in a northern direction just like a compass needle points north -- magnetic pull.

If you look at young trees and other plants with tap roots, you may notice the major root is growing northward and should be replanted in the same direction to lessen shock.
An old Italian gardener told me about this. He died at age 100, so sorry, can't ask him any questions.
Plants in pots are pretty much set in their environment, so probably wouldn't be as shocked as bare root transfers.

Yes, plant roots do grow after food and water. My banana plants manage to move themselves several feet across my yard in a few years by doing that...almost like they are "walking" across the yard.

(I talk to my plants too and they often tell me what they want..."plant whisperer" )

I am not known for being the most observant person on the planet, and here is another example of something that proves it, I am making a mental note to check root directions of young trees!

I must check to see if mine grow south.

farawayfarmer said:I have a question about daylilies in pots.

First, I will say that I've never tried it, and don't really plan to do so. However, my partner and I purchased a number of daylilies during the recent Mecca here in Florida, and seven or eight of them are still in the pots they were growing in.

I have noticed that in the gardens where most plants, if not all, are grown in pots, the pots are placed so closely together that they are almost touching each other. Few if any of the pots themselves (ie, the plastic containers) receive any direct sunlight which, of course, bakes the moisture out of them.

We don't plan to plant our purchases until later this year, certainly not until three of them bloom - they're full of scapes at the moment.

I have them lined up along one side of the house - a side that isn't in direct sunlight until a little after noon. Some of the outer leaves on these plants are beginning to turn brown, despite the fact that they're watered regularly, sometimes twice a day.

Thinking back to how the pots were kept at the gardens where we purchased them, most of the actual plastic side of the pots were ever exposed to direct sunlight.

Which has led me to the theory that because the pots themselves are now exposed to direct sunlight several hours a day, the soil in them is heating up and causing this damage.

Does this make sense?

For the record: moving the pots worked. They aren't in the sun until a little after noon, and the leaves are no longer turning color.