I would suggest to keep them watered and just wait for the season's end. Not much else that you can or need to do. They are pretty low maintenance plants.

One tip I received from an experienced collector in zone 6 who has a display garden is to place bricks or stones around the crowns of newly planted daylilies in the fall. This is to prevent freeze-thaw from heaving the crowns out of the ground during the winter.

I've never heard about soaking daylilies for 24 hours. If they are freshly dug maybe an hour or two at most. I've left the roots in longer then a few hours a time or two and they always start looking water logged to me. Unless the grower specifically told you to soak for that long, and it would void some sort of warranty, then I'd cut back on the time they spend in water. Bare root roses on the other hand can take a good long soaking. Usually because they have been held bare root in cold storage for so long. Maybe you were thinking what's good for roses is also good for daylilies? And perhaps if you buy those poor dried out roots that have been sitting too long on the shelf at Walmart etc, they may need a longer soaking. But I just can't see it for freshly dug and delivered daylilies.....Maryl

I soak all new daylilies overnight. Its noticeable as they respond and more important for end of summer buys.

I also soak overnight. Too hot here to do any less, especially this time of year.
kay

Dan Hansen has said, "Skip the soak." I suspect most people soak their plants far too long. A long soak with crown immersed is a good way to encourage crown rot. Situations will vary (especially if one got plants that were really dessicated), but I find that a couple of hours (with little of the crown under water) is more than adequate.

I don't know, Mantis. The one time I did not soak overnight, the plants did not do nearly as well as usual. They were lovely healthy appearing plants too. I routinely soak overnight, and, thus far, have never lost one to crown rot. I do not, however, allow any of the crown to be underwater which may be the difference.
kay

I usually soak for 24 or hours, or several days, until I have time to plant. I seldom ever have time to plant the day they arrive. But I do make sure the crown is not immersed.

Debra

I am rather new to daylilies and recently ordered Ted's Tribute to Linda for early October delivery :( It was not cheap and I am in zone 5; is there any way I can keep from losing it to early frost, etc? Can they be potted and wintered inside?

Plant and mulch well later. Forecast here is actually for above normal temps next weekend. I would urge the seller to send the plant as soon as possible (explaining your circumstances). Sellers are often more flexible than their initial information indicates. In the future, you should not plant later than mid-September in your zone. Yes, some years you may be lucky, but nothing is gained by late planting anyway.

So here's what I wound up doing: different suppliers of DL...one batch I planted directly into the ground from the box (packing was still damp). The other batch I soaked for. 24 hrs.

The soaked batch were planted 2 days after the ones that were not soaked in water. By far, the DL's that were soaked show plenty of good green new growth. The not soaked batch is still yet to show some new growth!

Lemonthyme! That is great information. I never thought to do that to compare outcomes. I have soaked my bare root daylilies for maybe an hour or two before I plant them. Your experience tells me that is the thing to do. Here in zone 5 I planted my last bare root order a week ago. This lily auction seller refused to dig earlier so I had to wait over a month for my plant. It is showing growth already, hope it does ok over the winter with its preplanting soak.

Sherry

Your "experiment" is ridiculous in its extremes. Almost every plant should get at least a brief soak, as most plants received are quite dried out. Also, plants need to be well watered when planted and daily for about two weeks to get established. If plants are initially potted in semi-shade, I find they are easier to care for in the heat of late summer. When Dan Hansen said, "Skip the soak," he was using hyperbole to emphasize the dangers of crown rot, especially a problem in the South.

This happened only because I needed to get them in the ground right away. The first plants' soak was an upcoming shower. That's the only reason I planted without soaking. We were supposed get 2-3 inches but it was more like .7 of an inch. I keep watering my plants until they show new growth. These have been slow starters so I hope they get established before we get cold weather