Is this a good idea? Anybody else do this? I need a mulch but my budget is like zero for this.

I know it could give voles a place to hide but I bury the beds with leaves in the fall. So nothing new there.

Any other minuses? Any pluses?

If it is wheat straw, you are likely to get some volunteer wheat that germinates.

Gale

But it's easy to pull out! I use straw as mulch a lot and see no reason not to use it for daylilies -- I did that in fact with some new ones. Straw can protect them from excess heat and sun a bit too because it's lightweight enough to pile up around the plant (though you would need to pull it right away from the crown when it's going to rain or time to water.)

And I am not experienced with daylilies so there may be issues I am not aware of. (fair warning on my opinions here. )

Sorry for the double post but also wanted to suggest white pine shavings as a cheap mulch. A bale (okay, not remembering how big it is but it's big) for about five bucks. Make sure it's white pine and not cedar, and make sure to water so the shavings don't wick the water from the soil, but it is lightweight, cheap, and very easy to use. Cheaper than straw I expect. Feed stores and farm stores carry it; it's used as rabbit bedding and kennel bedding and the like.

Straw, I would think is fine,but make sure you don't get hay! I won't say any hay, but most hay I have seen people use is just full of weed seeds. I use leaves for mulch, you still have to be careful what type you get!

Luckily I know not to get hay!! I will be getting straw from Tractor Supply. That is where I got the straw for my tomato plants.