When To Cut Back the Daylilies

[Tabby]

Some of my daylilies (that are finished blooming) are starting to look a little unsightly and covering up other things that are still blooming.

Is it okay to trim the leaves back now (and if so how far) or do they need their leaves for nourishment?

Best regards, Diane

[John]

I do trim mine back to about 9" tall or so. A lot of them seem to want to go dormant right after they bloom, and look awful. I'd say the leaves make food for the plant, but in this case they are mostly yellow or brown now anyway. It seems to encourage new growth from the center of the fans.

[Tabby]

Thanks John. That makes sense to cut them back, but not all the way. I find it interesting that you said 'a lot' (but not all?) of your daylilies want to go dormant. I find that my smaller ones (like Pandora's Box) still have lovely green leaves, but the larger ones start to look messy.

Interesting! And thanks.

Diane

[nanny_56]

I trim mine back too. I can't stand all those long ugly leaves hanging and flopping all over.

[Ed_B]

I must be the odd ball, I never cut back my leaves
I leave them to help protect the crown through the coming winter, I remove the old dried up foliage the following Spring
Ed

[John]

Ed, you're probably right about leaving the foliage as mulch, but I prefer to think of it as removing the dead leaves where disease may harbor overwinter. I do know that ornamental grasses should never be cut back until spring... and daylilies are in the same family...

Tabby, I think it would be the daylilies whose foliage is described as 'dormant', that do actually go dormant after blooming; the evergreen foliage ones are probably the nicer looking ones. I'd have to actually check on that correlation. Here in NJ, almost all (again) show semi-evergreen behavior over winter.

[Tabby]

Thanks to all for responding! This is such a great forum.