Mike,

I'm in Greenville and I'm having similar problems. I even had one scape that began to form and just grew curled up and eventually broke off on itself. Kinda like a curly q. Many of my other scapes are shaped odd with a curving of some sort. Each clumps has the scapes curving in the same general direction. I've also got a few that are very short like you described. This has never been a problem for me and I have no clue what the cause could be.

I'd love to hear some opinions!

Jennie E

Mike and Jennie, I'll be waiting with you for answers as I have a number of scapes that bloomed well above the foliage last year but are in or just at the top of the foliage this year. However, right next to one of these short scapes can be a scape that is the normal height.
Is it just us in the southeast? It has been a rainy spring here. In fact, the rainiest in the past three or four years, and along with the rain, a lot of clouds and overcast skies. Not the typical amount of sun. Could either of those things have anything to do with it?
Larry

I'd like to know, too. We haven't had the rain you've had Larry (below normal actually)...but we have had cooler temps the last week or so. I'm getting a few rebloom scapes that are normal height...but many of the first scapes were much shorter than usual. Sure would like to know what causes this, so that I could try to correct the problem. Would more fertilizer in the Fall help?
Kathy

Folks, no answer here, but the same problem. Dl's that have previously had normal scapes are blooming on very short or stunted scapes this year. Of couse I'm also in the SE and we've had much more rain than normal in our area. I really don't see how the rain could cause this problem however. You would think it would have the opposite affect.
Sure wish someone could answer this question for all of us.
Jan

So strange that all these similar posts are coming from GA, SC, FL, and AL. Has to be weather related. Hopefully someone can give us a clue. I too would like to try and prevent this. I would think that any "defect" in the scape is going to affect the overall performance of the flowers even if it is just the overall presentation.

Jennie

Hi folks,
I live in NE Ms. We've had a ton of rain and very cool days and lows into the 40's at night for the last 3 weeks. My daylilies are showing some stress from the weather. Or atleast that's what I hope it's from. I'm having buds drop off. And manyare so deformed that they open about halfway and they fall off. Is this from the cool nights and the cold nights? I hope this makes since. I've taking my sleeping meds and I'm about gone for the night. I'll write more tomorrow.
Blessings to all, Mona

Hate to say it, but i think it could be the cool spring here. I am have the same thing here in South Carolina. Most of mine are bad short this year.Some of my scapes started out right, ended up looking at the ground. Hope it is just the cool nights.

Hmmmm...sure sounds like a weather thing, doesn't it. I have noticed that my latest scapes seem to be normal since the temps have warmed up. Although with the cool stuff this week, it could stunt some more...uuggghhhhh!!!! :)
Jan

I'm having some of the same problems. I thought I had done something wrong. It has been a very strange spring.

It sure does make me feel better that maybe this is simply something that is coming from nature. The overwhelming majority of mine are really short. There are some exceptions, but only a very few.

Oddly, also, I am seeing some very hard bumps on the buds before they open. I have never noticed this before. I wonder if this is weather related, too. I always have a variation in flowers--some practically perfect and others with spots or discoloration. This seems especially bad this year with darks: Black Ambrosia opened a flower yesterday which was a dull, light cocoa brown. Very strange!

Mike

Mike the bumps on the buds are thrips....I always have some even though I spray for them in the early spring. They will cause spots and discoloration on the blooms.
As for the stunted scapes, it's strange that some of mine are affected then lots aren't. Who knows, hopefully this is a weather related thing and it too will pass. :)
Jan