Spring and Daylily Season

2 years ago

Getting my gardens ready for daylily bloom season was hard this year because of a knee injury I got at the beginning of March. The knee still hurts when I bend over for very long, so not nearly as much weeding got done as I would like. Some days I can still barely walk. I had the knee x-rayed and the doc says just arthritis flare-ups, so I'm on meds for arthritis pain and swelling.

It looks like bud counts on the early bloomers will be low again - partly because of late freezes and partly because of so little rain in April. We had the second wettest March on record, but the dryest April ever recorded for Nashville. There's been little more than sprinkles in May, as the rain always seems to go west and south of us.

On the up side, I have more than 50 seedlings with scapes that will have their first blooms soon, including at least a dozen first-year seedlings. I'm excited to see those in the coming weeks.

Here's Lightning Round again, today with a much better bloom.

Dragonfly Dawn had its ffo today, but the bloom looked bad and was down in the foliage.

Debra

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Comments (15)

hoosier_nan (IN z5b/6a)
2 years ago
I'm sorry you are suffering from the knee pain. I know it's no fun. Even after two replaced knees, I can't crawl on the ground like Bob can.

Lightning Round is lovely! How exciting to see so many scapes on the seedlings. We are seeing lots of scapes on the our seedlings too. The first years are especially eager to bloom.

I hope you get a good rain soon. We have had a pretty wet spring so far.

Nancy
lilykate7a
2 years ago
With all our tornado activity we had plenty of rain in April but very little in May. I had to break out the hoses today to water some new purchases.

So sorry about your knee! Knees or back-neither is a good thing to be hurting when one is trying to garden!

I still like Lightning Round. Such a pretty bloom.
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sherrygirl zone5 N il
2 years ago
That’s a lovely bloom today, Debra! I can sympathize, getting older is literally a PAIN! My back slows me down. Keep fightin the good fight Debra!

Sherry
shive
Original Author
2 years ago
Hoosier Nan - I'm glad you're seeing lots of scapes on your seedlings, and especially those first-year seedlings. I seldom have more than a couple first-year seedlings bloom, so I was excited to see a dozen with scapes already. Most of the first-time blooming seedlings will be second year plants, along with a few third-year stragglers.

Sherry - Aging does take its toll. Hope your back isn't acting up too much.

Kate - I've been watering my new acquisitions and seedling for a couple of weeks. The established daylilies miss out on moisture because I just can't afford that big of a water bill.

Debra
Julia WV (6b)
2 years ago
Good pic of Lightning Round. Looking forward to seeing your seedling blooms. Hope your knee gets better.

Julia
Nancy 6b
2 years ago
A really pretty bloom, Debra. I hope your knee improves soon, you have been going thru it for quite a while. I have been watering some, but other things to do so the daylilies probably wish they had more. I had hoped not to have to water til July.
shive
Original Author
2 years ago
Nancy - I imagine I'll always have problems with this right knee after planting or weeding. When I go a couple of days without doing those things, the knee feels fine. If I weren't gardening, it probably would have healed long ago. It is a pain to do so much watering so early. Maybe you and I will get some of these scattered showers in the forecast in the next couple of days.

Debra
shive
Original Author
2 years ago
Thanks everyone on the knee sympathy!

Debra
Nancy 6b
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
I sure hope we both get some rain! I hate hauling around a
Nancy 6b
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Ok, is there something about water hose that is dirty, and I am not getting it? Or is it going to let me say it here? I tried 3 times editing, and it just dropped it, maybe just does not like me
shive
Original Author
2 years ago
Nancy - Men have water hoses and women don't. LOL

Debra
Nancy 6b
2 years ago
It did vaguely occur to me, but...
shive
Original Author
2 years ago
Nancy - Blocking it on a gardening forum is crazy. Someone said last year to think like a middle schooler would about what they block.

Debra
Brad KY 6b
2 years ago
I can relate to the knee pain. I had that meniscus surgery in 2019. No problem since! You might want to consider going to an arthritis specialist and get shots. I've had the shots in my hips and wow do the shots help.

Brad
Maryl (Okla. Zone 7a)
2 years ago
I think we can all sympathize with the knee problem. From the waist down I'm a wreck. As Brad mentioned I've known several people (including my DH for his shoulder) get "the shot". They work until they don't unfortunately..............I still like the form and edge on Lightening Round...............Maryl