The new beds he built are display beds (he's an AHS display garden) only. He has a different area for sale plants and hybridizing.
This is all just my opinion and what works for me
The key phrase is "UP TO". It depends on your temps, climate, and how much it rains, and such. The ones listed for 8 months doesn't last that long in our heat from what I've been told and then if the temps go below 70 they quit releasing.
The Miracle Grow is used once or twice a week. It doesn't have to be Miracle Grow, that's just what James has been buying in the bigger containers. I have used another brand which I bought in a 25lb bag at the farmers co-op over by Fred; you can get it at local feed and seed stores as well. It's a 25-5-15 water soluble mixed at 8oz to 15 gal water. The ratio just depends on what the places are carrying at the time (15-5-10, 20-5-10,-25-5-10).
On the slow release, we do not use a triple number such as 10-10-10.
Everyone does everything different and you will read a hundred different ways to do things. You just need to find out what works for you and a SOIL TEST is the way to see what needs to be added. There are still some who use the triple number fertilizer, but I believe most have gone to the 3-1-2 ratio. Here's a link to what Dan Trimmer says about the care of daylilies; he talks about the fertilizer ratios.
http://www.ctdaylily.com/trimm... The middle number (phosporus) can build up in the soil and be more harmful than good and that's why we don't use the triple number, we use a lower middle number. Again, it all depends on what your soil needs as to what you need to use.
How many daylilies do you have that you plan to use the slow release on? It will get way too expensive buying it in the smaller packages at Lowes or Home Depot if you have a lot. The Florikan (Nutricote) is only sold at those places in the small containers under the name Dynamite. A less expensive way to go is to check with your local nurseries, usually the feed and SEED stores will carry the big bags of stuff because they are catering to people who plant large amounts of seeds for gardens and such. Also, if you have farmer co-op stores in your area they sell it as well. But DO price shop because around here a bag can be $39.99 up to $125.99. Some places mark theirs up way too much. It doesn't have to be Florikan either. Scott's puts out a good slow release (which I have used) and there's Osmocote (which I have used) and I'm sure there are other brands that are good.
It's not anyone on here, but I have been on other places where some people read what one person uses and decides to do what they do. Then they read what someone else does and decides they should do that, and then reads what someones else does and does that, and so on and so on. If it's not broke don't fix it. If you have beautiful, healthy daylilies you must be doing something right and you probably shouldn't change thing. But if you need a little something to help them along then you need to soil test. It could be something like the soil ph is too low or too high. This will keep the daylilies from absorbing the nutrients they need. I keep stressing soil test because this will save you $$$$$ in the long run because if you just add thing to the soil and don't really know what it needs you may be spending money on products that aren't needed and won't solve the problem and then you have to go and add something else.
Tree roots are a killer. Weeds will do the same thing in pots, you wonder where the soil went and it's just a tangles mess of roots if left in there too long. You will either eventually have to build raised beds, move the pots else where (probably your best bet if you have enough room), or cut the trees down.
