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Why Are My Daylilies Not Blooming? 4 Reasons Why!

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Despite their name featuring lilies, daylilies are not true lilies. They are popular perennials used as edging and borders because of their attractive flowers.

Daylilies tolerate droughts and moist soil and thrive in high temperatures. However, they are not resistant to specific issues and may need help. It is, therefore, not rare to hear the question, ‘Why are my daylilies not blooming?’ 

Why are your daylilies not blooming? A common reason may be inadequate sunlight. An apparent lack of adequate sunlight can lead to your daylilies not blooming. If you can’t determine what the problem is, the information given in this guide will help you figure out the problem and what to do. 

Why Are My Daylilies Not Blooming
via Flickr

Why Are My Daylilies Not Blooming?

It is easy to determine that your daylilies are in distress. One of the signs shown is a lack of blooms. At this point, you know your daylilies are not healthy. Figuring out what ails them, however, may be a challenge. Find out the common reason why below. 

1. Inadequate Sunlight   

The most likely cause your daylilies are not blooming is because they are not getting enough sunlight. If you plant your daylilies in a location where there is shade, they will not flourish. Whether planted in flower beds or pots, daylilies require at least six hours of sunlight. 

Daylilies that can’t get enough sunlight will not bloom though they will keep living. You may discover that your daylilies previously produced flowers but started doing poorly and no longer produce blooms. Your plant not blooming might be due to the nearby trees completely shading them from the sun. 

How to Fix

If you discover that your daylilies are not blooming is caused due to a lack of enough sunlight, do the following. First, if your daylily is planted in a pot indoors, locate it at a window that gets sunlight all day long. 

If your daylily is planted in a flower bed outdoors, ensure that the location meets their light requirements. You also want to keep your daylily away from proximity to any trees around. This will prevent unplanned shade over your flowers in the future.  

If you place your daylily in a shady area, ensure you move the plant to a location with better sunlight exposure. You could also move it to a window where the sunlight is reflected. Your plant is best transplanted in spring or autumn when the weather is cool.

2. Overcrowded 

A common answer to the question ‘why are my daylillies not blooming?’ is overcrowding. If your daylilies previously produced flowers but no longer do so, your plant might be overcrowded. Daylilies are perennials plant, and so they keep growing. At a point, they will become crowded and begin to compete for space and nutrients. 

When this happens, the blooming potential of the daylilies is significantly reduced. This reduces the number of flowers the plant produces. Alternatively, the plant could fail to bloom. It might be necessary to divide the plant every few years.

How to Fix 

If your daylily plant is overcrowded, you will need to separate and replant in another patch of your flower bed or a new pot. Generally, you can divide daylilies during the growing season, though spring is the best time for the daylily to establish itself.

Ensure that you bury the crown at the correct soil level when separating and transplanting your daylily. Decreased or failed blooming will occur when the daylilies are too deep, 12 inches into the soil enough for the transplanted daylily. 

Why Are My Daylilies Not Blooming 2
Daylilies Not Blooming – via ask2.extension.org

3. Hemerocallis Gall Midge   

An effective answer to the question ‘why is my daylillies not blooming’ is hemerocallis gall midge. One Gall midge lays its eggs directly in flower buds, mainly from May to July. Gall midge leads to a swollen and closed bud as the larvae grow in the buds.

These larvae make flowers fail to bloom. The likelihood that the bud will bloom is almost nil. This pest might be why your daylilies are not blooming. 

How to Fix 

If you suspect that your daylilies have gall midges, you need to take immediate action. The first step would be to cut off the affected buds. Then, you can use an insecticide to control the spread of the gall midges. However, you should note that no known gall midges control or cure is guaranteed. 

4. Overcrowding From Other Plants 

Sometimes your daylilies are not blooming because other plants and trees or shrubs are overcrowding your plant. The likelihood of your daylilies being overcrowded increases if you plant them close to established trees and shrubs. 

These well-established trees take up most of the nutrients and water available as they have a vast network of roots. Sometimes, large trees will take up all the water around their roots mass, leaving your daylilies struggling. In addition, when your daylilies are amid aggressive competitors, they most likely will not bloom. 

How to Fix

You will want to transplant your daylilies if you discover other plants are overcrowding your plant. Ensure that you carefully choose the new location to prevent the same situation.

Look out for a place with plenty of space so your daylily can spread its roots. Through this, the number of nutrients taken up by the daylily will be enough to help it bloom. 


Conclusion 

You may have noticed that your daylilies don’t grow as big as they used to. It could have led you to think, ‘Why are my daylilies not blooming?’ But, most times, all your plant requires is a simple adjustment to its care. In our guide above, you can find the common reasons why your daylilies are so not blooming. 

We hope this insightful post helps you figure out the problem with your daylilies plant. Make a note of the symptoms in this guide and compare them to your daylilies plant.

It will help you determine what action to take. Also included is the best solution to each cause to nurse your daylilies back to health in little time. Finally, share your comments and queries in the comment section below.