Posted on

Shipping Plants – Size

Growing daylilies in northeast Wisconsin and shipping around the country is a constant challenge.  We started our business of selling our introductions in 2005.  That year we sold our first introductions  in late summer.  The plants were large and as big as the ones we got in spring from Florida.  However, most customers prefer their plants in spring. 

In 2006, we began shipping our introductions in spring.  We would select plants for introduction in the previous summer, divide the plants and line them out as single fans.  We shipped the largest plants we could but new introductions were often single fans. 

As our hybridizing program became more mature, we had more seedlings to select from for potential introduction.  In 2009, we lined out potential introductions in fall and evaluated them in 2010.  The plants we ended up introducing had many plants lined out to be large plants in spring 2011.  As a result, we were able to ship almost all of our introductions as double fans. 

In summer of 2010, we again lined out potential introductions.  With our high moisture spring, the plants are growing well and will be large plants when we select for introductions and get ready to ship in spring 2012. 

We are excited about sending out larger plants and our customers have indicated their pleasure with the plants we shipped this spring.  The photo below shows plants ready for shipment this spring.  Althout the foliage is immature, the roots are large and the daylilies should adapt well and be ready to grow well this year. 

Plants ready for shipping