Daylilies dwindling

These daylilies have been in the ground for about 6 years. I don't remember where I got them, but they are quality hybrids from a good quality nursery. They have never really thrived. Some of the plants actually just disappeared. I wonder if anyone can tell me what might be wrong with these plants. My soil is heavy clay and I heavily amended with mushroom compost and mulch with pine bark mulch. I always water well in the very hot parts of the summer. The leaves are quite yellow and remind me of discolored German iris leaves. Is this some sort of bacterial blight? The clumps just don't get bigger each year. I thought they would be very hardy and healthy and they never have been.
Other plants in the bed are fine. Some are really doing well. However, I have had to remove an aster because it had persistent fungus which defoliated the plant. Also I removed a 'David' Phlox because stems kept wilting and dying. They were near the daylilies. But there is a Korean lilac next to the daylilies which is incredibly healthy. I'm interested to hear what you all think.

Hi, I am in NC and have to amend my soil as well as we also have the horrible cement-like red clay, infact some spot in the yard are so bad we actually have to dig the hard clay out and plant in organic potting soil, dont use miracle grow as after a year it turns into vitamin depleted sludge that will rot your plants. you appear to have leaf streak and possibly some slight rust as well, the severe humidity in the southeast where I am is bad for it and the rain and to much watering as well can spread it. I bet your soil is to moist and you are watering to much or your area is to shaded..I dont water at all, and in the drought this Summer June and Early July I still only watered once a week. rust and leaf streak are issues that require daily effort, ive found that pulling the worst of the leaves off every day and keeping the plants tidy is the best solution, not harsh toxic fungicides that usually wont work and can kill birds and wildlife. Just make sure you dispose of diseased rust or leaf streak leaves in the garbage and do not put them on the mulch pile! dispose of spent blooms in the trash as well as they can harbor thrips that spread disease and make the colors bleed and flower edges crinkled, then in November and then again in the Spring your gonna want to remove all the dead leaves before the new growth comes up so it does not recontaminate the new leaves. Also are your plants in a soggy or shaded area? the more sun daylilies get the more they thrive, shady or soggy conditions equal problems, thats why although many daylily farms are field grown operations, alot of us hobbyists and gardeners who grow daylilies or Iris for Leisure grow them on hillsides or slopes or raised areas or beds, where their is good drainage. hope I could help. Sandra

Does Maryland have rust? I thought it was just a southern problem. I would move the plants. I have had some ne'er do wells that I moved to a different spot and they recovered and grew well. There may be things going on that you don't realize - like a ground hog or mole tunneling around in that bed! I had that problem really bad for a couple of years, and some of the plants that I thought had died are just now starting to bloom. Nice surprises!

I agree, I would move the plants as well to a very sunny location, and yes Maryland has rust, my older sister lives in Brandywine, Maryland. it is a mid-atlantic state, and actually, isnt anything below the top border of Maryland below the mason-dixon line..lol.. illinois growers are expreiencing rust problems for the first time 2013 and 2014. It is not only unattractive but can weaken the immune system of the plant which will lead to nasty things like crown rot in entire areas of the garden in humid climates. last year I would have advised any one getting daylilies or iris from the deep south to soak them for 15 minutes in 10 cups water with one cup beach and then rinse them of for 15 seconds and plant, but know I would advise gardeners getting daylilies and iris from multiple locations anywhere in the United States even the cold hardy North to do this as well. Leaf spot a similar fungal disease to rust, of iris, and borers are a real problem for Iris lately in the cold hardy midwest like Ohio and Indiana as well, as now rust which originally came from Asia to a garden somewhere in Florida around 2002 and is now every year working its way further North.

I try to isolate any plants I get from the warmer states in case something shows up. The cold winter kills rust up here so the only way we are going to get it is through plants that came in contact with it before being shipped here. I have moved plants that were not doing well and they recovered. I have since planted similar plants in the same location (after amending of course) and they do fine. Michael Miller and Laura Harwood comes to mind.

Michael Miller has performed wonderfully for me. I had 2 clumps each diameter of 1'. Last summer, I dug it up and replanted and anticipating a clump of 4' diameter (in 2-3 years).

Onegoodman1955 my Michael Miller is doing fine in its new location. I got it as a single fan. It probably struggled because it is a evergreen and it was planted in late summer.

Mike I have to know. Mulch or not mulch???

Bev it's mulch for me!

This message was edited Mar 8, 2015 9:23 AM

What do you use?

Bev, I use the mini pinebark mulch. Last fall I bought enough to save some for spring because it is not easy to find. There are a few spots where I use the red mulch for mostly it decorative traits. It beats watering more frequently.
Mike

I also use the mini pinebark mulch and only find at Home Depot. So that less mulch is blown off the beds by winter winds, I usually don't clean up the beds until spring hoping the plant foilage will slow down the traveling mulch.

My daffodils aren't peeking yet...maybe by the end of this warm week.

Thanks for the info guys.

Bev you are welcome.