I am a newbie at growing daylilies and would like some help identifying what is going on with the foliage on a lot of my plants. These are all growing in pots right now in pretty much full sun (until the new bed is done). The foliage looked great a couple of weeks ago and now they look absolutely horrible! We did get some weather in the 90's last week. Is this scorch, leaf streak, an insect?? Do I cut all the yellow and brown foliage off? If I need to spray - with what and how often? Any help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Tina


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It's hard to be certain but some of it at least looks like leaf scorch, especially the leaves on the right.. Since it's primarily on the older leaves I wonder a bit about nutritional factors contributing. The plants look to be on stones and in black pots which could also increase the heat. If they've been well-watered and also fertilized (but not while it's hot) perhaps they might benefit from some shade until the new bed is ready?

Leaf scorch:
http://hyg.ipm.illinois.edu/pa...

Leaf streak:
http://www.daylilies.org/ahs_d...
http://hyg.ipm.illinois.edu/ar...
https://negreenhouseupdate.inf...

They are sitting on the gravel part of our driveway. I fertilized once in April with Plant Tone and in May with a little bit of fish emulsion. I think they are well watered? I hope!! I could try and put a shade cloth over them to give them some relief since there are to many to move until the bed is done. At least the weather is suppose to be cooler for the next week. If it is a nutritional deficiency...what would it be? Should I cut all of the yellow foliage off or would that stress them out more?

Thank you!!

This looks like heat/sun damage to me. It happens here, and I think I'm now considered in Zone 8a in my drier part of Texas. Shade will prevent some of it, but the plants seem to go into an inactive period after they bloom and the temperatures start rising. A lot of the foliage starts doing what I see in your photos. After a rest period, mine start growing again and usually by early fall they look good. Then some (those that are most inclined to go dormant) do it again because of the cooling weather as it approaches winter. It's been a remarkably wet and cool season here this year, but I noticed this morning that a couple that are almost done blooming have foliage die-back showing. It might be they aren't getting enough water. In my experience daylilies like water and it's pretty hard to give them too much, IMO. I have a few growing in those plastic pots that I just leave sitting in a rubber tub with water. They seem to like that.

Thank you for your input. I am glad to hear that you don't think it is a fungus. Mine have just started to bloom, so I will make sure they are watered good and get some much deserved shade. They sure look horrible though. I don't much care for the pots but that is where they will stay until fall when they are moved into their permanent bed.

kirby21 said:They are sitting on the gravel part of our driveway. I fertilized once in April with Plant Tone and in May with a little bit of fish emulsion. I think they are well watered? I hope!! I could try and put a shade cloth over them to give them some relief since there are to many to move until the bed is done. At least the weather is suppose to be cooler for the next week. If it is a nutritional deficiency...what would it be? Should I cut all of the yellow foliage off or would that stress them out more?

I would be inclined to give them some fertilizer formulated for container plants or all purpose. You don't want to do that when it's very hot especially if the pots are dry, though.. Container plants rely on you to supply all their nutrients whereas in they ground they can find their own unless something is in short supply. If it is related to low nutrients I would look first at nitrogen and potassium since the older leaves are more affected. Potassium deficiency can look like scorching also.

I would not remove leaves that have any green, but yellow or brown areas are not functioning so could be clipped off if you wish.

Can you put them somewher in the shade of a tree or building at least during the hottest part of th day? That would keep them cooler and needing less water. In hot weather plants in pots may need watering more than once a day, especially if they have a lot of roots.

This would be a great week to fertilize them since it is suppose to be much cooler all week. Could you suggest a fertilizer to use? Does it matter chemical or organic? Does an all purpose mean the npk have the same number? I am going to make room under some trees for them...hopefully they are much happier there.

We had an early short heat wave, couple of days in triple digits, and my daylilies have done the same thing. Some are really bad, and some show no damage, others are in between. I had the same thing last year when it got really hot fast. Foliage looks bad, but doesn't seem to affect the blooms. I also learned the hard way to not water during the heat of the day, it makes it worse.

Something like Miracle Gro soluble all purpose which has an analysis of 24-8-16 would do, I don't know what else would be available to you there. All purpose in the sense that it is suitable for container plants as well as in ground. In summer heat I would go easy on it though. Whether chemical or organic is personal preference but you may get better results from "chemical" in a pot. Organic fertilizers have to be converted to "chemicals" by microorganisms before the plants can use them so it partly depends on whether you have enough of the right microorganisms present in the medium. A "chemical" fertilizer that is all purpose would ideally have some of the nitrogen in a form that doesn't need conversion (nitrate). Maybe just try the MG at a quarter strength to start with and see if there is any improvement.

One thing to watch with watering is that if humidity is high it is easier to over-water even in hot weather. If humidity is low and/or it is windy they will need more water.

Plants that are deficient in potassium are more susceptible to environmental stresses.

Thanks Sue!! I think I have some MG on hand. I will start with a light application tomorrow. Hopefully that gives them a pick me up they are looking for. Great info about the humidity. I just checked the weather app I have and it says 87% right now.

Gale- I think you are just a few hours east from me.

Kirby, I live just West of Moses Lake, good to see someone else from Washington State on here.

That is a beautiful area. We are a little south of Puyallup and usually travel to your area to enjoy the sun and get out of the rain. Lately we haven't needed to travel, it has been plenty hot here.