Sscape said: β¦.
I had a problem with short scapes, too. Over a period of four years I went from about 20% short scapes, to over 50%. I thought it was the weather, but I knew that it was not that simple. I posed the question to the AHS Robin. Pat Stamile said to give the plants more Nitrogen. This was last year. At Tractor Supply (while getting some things for my wife's hobby: chickens), I saw a bag of 30-0-17 fertilizer for lawns. I got it and sprinkled some around each plant last early September--then again in mid March this year. In early April I sprinkled some 13-13-13 around each plant. Voila! Short scapes down to less than 10%, and flowers better than ever! Thanks to you, Mr. Stamile!
Hi Greg
@Sscape, I'm reaching back to this post because an issue with short scapes has come up that I am trying to help resolve. You had some success with yours back when this was posted and I wonder how it has held up since?
You didn't say how short yours were. In this sad case they are reduced to 6" or less with the buds clustered just above ground level! You can see images on the thread here in the Daylily Forum. It's titled "June 7 2020 and its June 2022 and no answers need help"
She has soil and plant tissue analyses and the results are rather conflicting. I'm working to sort them out as well as I can. I've considered the possibility that additional N will help even though the tissue level looks adequate. Daylilies are pretty much gluttons for N and I've read that high nitrogen makes the scapes grow taller.
There are clearly other factors at work. I'll target raising the potassium and magnesium levels, for example. 13-13-13 would not be a good accessory fertilizer because the phosphorus is already too high but additional N could be applied to spike the level at spaced out times.
Thanks for any response! I'm sure you are up to your eyebrows in pollination and seed collection work now! Hope you're gathering a bountiful harvest.ππ» The seedlings I'm growing from the ones I bought last winter look terrific. π
Pat
