Very helpful feedback!!
Michele, your advice about the foliage is very well taken, thank you so much! ... I can see the leaves are already very limp and not only would they just crease over, crack, and die off, but they may make the root ball unstable, especially in windy areas, since fans will be planted with the crown so close to the top of the soil. I'll re-do the photos to explain and represent that.
Mary, those are such good pointers, and I'd love more feedback about when, why, and considerations about the best timing for re-potting! I'll include some more questions for everyone to respond to, if possible, so that people can get the best chance at success from the git-go.
NEW QUESTIONS:
- I'll be posting updated photos of the dried fans, and though I'll repot later this morning, I've no clue if they may be Too dried out and in need of some water-only-soaking or not ... if anyone has thoughts after seeing the photos, I could get them into water before re-potting if needed.
- I know for garden-to-pot diggings there are both professional and hobby hybridizers who, after initially placing a display/fan in the field/garden, decide to bring it back in under shadier conditions to ensure better pollen production and pod setting (very difficult over 90 degrees in-ground). Any other reasons or reasons-not-to? These might include advice about a plant that is struggling or diseased (like possible early stage root rot) that the owner wants to tend to more easily and directly, or cautions against it?
- What are some visual signs that a potted plant needs re-potting (water runs right through the pot, roots growing out of drainage holes, pale or rapid browning of foliage, pot soil dries out rapidly, etc)? For fans already established in pots, is it better to take the plant out to check on roots if one is not sure about it needing dividing, and/or is it best to divide before that root-bound stage is reached? Three to five years between dividing established potted plants is a good rule of thumb, but with such variety in size, growth-rate and time-to-increase, it would be great to hear some thoughts on other ways to evaluate when dividing is called for.
- Is it best to leave all repotting until a certain time of year or temperature range, if possible, or are DLs generally hardy enough to handle repotting year-round as long as temps are not extreme?
- I'll also add a photo of the likely tools needed at the top of the article in case people like to assemble everything first - if you see something else to include (common household or gardening supplies) let me know. As well, I'll add in that the bleach- or peroxide-solution might be used after soaking the fan/s to clean and disinfect the tools and the new or re-used pot.
- What about blooming or re-blooming? Will trimming always mean that it will be a year before you see another bloom? If repotting a rebloomer variety after a first summer bloom is already done, might you see a rebloom the same summer, or will it take a few months or a year to re-establish the foliage and send up a scape?
- Do you fertilize after repotting (slow release or mild liquid solution or just use new amended/soil, etc) after re-potting?
You've all been so patient, helpful, encouraging and wise ... I feel like I'm beginning to have a better handle on how to manage potted daylilies and that is just *priceless* information!
