Why do I deadhead the daylilies?
- Each flower lives for only a day, so removing the old ones keeps them looking tidier
- The new blooms aren't obstructed by the slimy, sticky, old blooms
- The plant can put more effort into producing flowers instead of seed pods
- And finally, deadheading stops any errant seeds or pods from falling and implanting in the middle of an established clump. You can deduce that a stray seed dropped if you find a plain yellow daylily blooming in the midst of a clump of pink daylilies.
I could wear latex gloves, but I cause far less damage to my plants by using just my hands. In July I can usually get about 4 buckets-full of dead blooms on an average day. And yes, even the bucket turns purple!
The Rx for Purple Hand Syndrome? Lemon juice. Thanks for the tip Carol and Roger!