Jim, My honest opinion is that stuff is a mess to use! Mulch is my best friend.
Nancy
BTW, hope you have a speedy recovery! Yuck in July of all times! I know lots of people that got it this year too!

Jim, I'm with Nancy on this topic. You can always lay several layers of newspaper down then cover with mulch. The newspaper will eventually rot, but it's good for your soil, and by then you'll probably be needing to add more mulch anyway.This will prevent any weeds from growing around your dl's.
I hope you feel better soon. It seems like that stuff is harder to shake in hot weather. Stay inside, and don't fret about your dl's, they'll be just fine.
Jan

Gosh, gotta get that pneumonia under control. I ended up staying in the hospital a whole week. I am in agreement as to using the weed block fabric. I did try some when I was starting out and it stayed down for quite some time (years). When I did dig it was coming apart and I had black string hung up every where and, in my very amateur opinion, I don't think that the plants liked it so good under there. I DO like to use the landscape fabric under my pots, saves trying to pry them loose from the gound later where the weeds/grass grow to them.

I tried that landscape fabric in one area several years ago. Plants did push the fabric enough to grow, but it is a real pain to dig them up, & I really don't think the plants grew as well. I decided to dig everything in the bed I wanted & pull it up, which was NOT as easy as it sounds. I won't do it again. I use newspapers & mulch everywhere now.

I agree with everyone that you shouldn't use landscape fabric. The previous owners of my house used a lot and it was a pain to deal with. They had put shredded hardwood mulch on top of it which broke down into compost and then weeds grew on top of the fabric and the roots got all tangled up in the fabric, so the weeds were harder to get rid of than if the fabric hadn't been there. Plus the fabric disintegrated so it was hard to remove it because it tore into pieces. I think it would make it difficult to divide and move your daylilies.

Hope you fell better soon.

Juliet

I have done well using cardboard and newspaper underneath wood chips. The newspaper is easier to work with, the cardboard lasts longer. The plastic weedblocker makes it hard to improve the soil. Paper products break down into carbon, which DLs use for structural purposes.

In theory you could get some kind of weevil or voles or something living down under the cardboard. In practice they multiply and grow quite well. I dug up and gave away a bushel of plants today. They were easy to dig, fat and healthy. No sign of pests.

Have you tried Rhimax? It is an eco-friendly alternative to plastics and fabrics, and is durable and tough enough to provide several seasons of weed control. It is organic by nature and will biodegrade naturally. Also provides soil erosion protection and moisture control. It is made from 100% post consumer waste so environmentally it is a strong contributor to sustainability. You can order it on line (info@rhimax.net). I did and used it in my garden.

AM I EVER GLAD I READ THIS POSTING! I WAS THINKING OF THE FABRIC FOR MY BED. GLAD I FOUND THIS IN TIME! THANKS TO YOU ALL

I use landscape fabric and it's working well...all my plants in the rose/daylily bed are doing wonderfully, especially Stella de Oro. She's multiplied so much in 2 years, I've moving her out, she's become so huge! I didn't leave a big enough X in the fabric, though...didn't realize she would grow this big so quickly. In my yard, not using the fabric is not an option...it keeps the pesky squirrels from planting pecan trees everywhere!