How to Start a Daylily Greenhouse

Daylilies are hardy perennials that are easy to care for. They love sunlight and fertile soil and thrive in almost any climate. They are easy to hybridize; as the number of genes in both parents are the same, you can breed many plants together. Though you can plant seeds in the late summer and early fall, if you receive mature daylilies or bulbs later than that, you may want to keep them in a greenhouse during the winter and transplant them in the spring.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You’ll Need

• Greenhouse
• Seeds
• Sandwich bags
• Plant pots
• Potted plant soil
• Water
• Compost

1. Set up a cool or warm greenhouse. Cool greenhouses do not drop below 45 degrees Fahrenheit during the night, and warm greenhouses do not drop below 55 F. Because frost can kill tender daylily seedlings or bulbs, you must keep the greenhouse temperature at least 45 degrees throughout the night. Do not use a cold or hot greenhouse with daylilies.
2. Put each seed in a separate plastic sandwich bag with two teaspoons of water and a small piece of paper or a little paper towel. You want just enough paper in the bag to absorb excess water so the seed does not rot. You do not want it to die of thirst. Squeeze the air out of the bags and seal them. Keep them in a cool environment, and check daily for sprouts. Pot any sprouted seeds.
3. Pot all of your seeds, even if they haven’t sprouted, after four weeks. They should be 1/2 inch below the surface in standard potted plant soil. Water them so the soil is moist, but not so wet that the seedlings drown or rot. Position them in your greenhouse so they receive six to seven hours of sun every day.
4. Transplant the daylilies into your garden after the last expected frost of spring. If you plan to sell or give daylilies away, like for Mother’s Day, keep them potted, though you can move them outside or keep them in the greenhouse if you want.
5. Place compost or another mulch on the soil around the crown of all your daylilies. The mulch helps maintain the moisture content of the soil and can keep outdoor daylilies from freezing in an unexpected frost.
6. Water the daylilies in your greenhouse twice a day; the daylilies in the yard only need an inch of water over the course of the week. Because daylilies in your greenhouse are in full sun and in containers, the soil dries out faster. But be careful that the soil does not feel wet or muddy, or the roots may rot.

Tips & Warnings

• Never plant daylilies outdoors after mid-autumn.