The foliage of my daylilies turns brown in late July and August. What am I doing wrong?
Despite frequent watering, you may notice your daylilies going into a decline following their initial bloom. We refer to this as “summer dormancy”. In the northwest where temps stay more moderate and rain is frequent, this behavior is rarely noted. Similarly, summer dormancy is only occasionally seen in the northeast. However in the majority of the heartland and across the south, this is more or less the norm. Characteristics of “summer dormancy” are browning in the old foliage with little new foliage being produced. This is the plant’s way of conserving moisture during the hottest and driest time of the year. With little leaf blade exposed, the plant carries on less photosynthesis, and therefore needs less water. All in all, your plants are being sensitive to climatic conditions. This is akin to us humans sitting in the shade and moving around a lot less. It puts less strain on our systems during hot weather. Once temps cool off and the rains return, the daylilies will resume growth.
