my car MS BLACKIE killed one last week and brought it to my front door and laid it doen blose to the door, so I would see it when I
go out.i am glad that you saved tyout oretty daylily and big smile is a very pretty one.

jean

So glad you found Big Smile in time. I haven't lost any to voles, but lost a few to crown rot & feel so bad when it happens.
I hate it when I have to divide such large daylilies. I had 2 that I divided a week or more ago, they had been there for years. I had such a horrible time trying to divide them. Some daylilies just seem to fall apart, others entwine together & refuse to separate. One I gave away all of it because I have another clump. The other I divided into 5 smaller-but still pretty large clumps. Not as many fans as yours, I bet there were close to 50 fans, but I lost a few trying to separate it. I don't have the heart to compost either, just fortunate to have lots of space, or been able to give away the ones I don't want. So far, I haven't had any downright ugly daylily seedlings, at least not to me :)
Congratulations on your save!

Mona, this was a fun read :) I'm totally there with you in having issues shovel pruning. I feel attached to plants and also feel like I'm "wasting" when I let plants that I spent so much time on, go.
That's amazing to me that you got 18 pots of fans out of that plant! WOW!!! LOL

I'm really sorry to hear about the vole but at the same time I'm really glad I posted the list of the Daylilies I purchased at the Tulsa sale since it seems to have helped your situation. My Big Smile is in the ground in a place where I can easily see it from the house. It was your love of Big Smile that made me snatch up the last fan available at the sale. Wish you success in dealing with the critters. Ann

I just came in from mowing the yard. Our riding mower of 15+ years finally died an honorable death this spring, so we have to use push mowers to mow about an acre. Now of course, when you take out about half of that for daylilies and other beds, it's really not bad. My DH rescued a 20" push mower from the trash that is wonderful!!!He cleaned and rebuilt the carborator(sp?) and it runs like brand new. In fact, it looks like new too. This ethanol gas is killing mowers faster than they can build them!!! So my little mower on cost $8 and it's the easiest push mower I've used. We really don't mind, we get some much needed exercise!!! It's so light and small that I can easily mow around everything. DH also got a 22" mowers that's a bigger, heavier mower the same way. So with two mowers we can nock it out in about an hour. It's amazing that some people just throw away really good stuff rather than trying to get it fixed. I don't know if you've priced push mowers lately, but most are around $200 or higher. I'm so blessed to have a hubbie that can fix most anything. He sure has saved us loads of money through our 40 years.

Thanks everyone for the responses. I really was so thankful how everything came together for saving Big Smile. It truly is a beautiful daylily and it grows like crazy.

If any of ya'll would like a fan or two, next Spring give me a hoot and I'll gladly share for postage. It'll be my way to repay the kindness of everyone for so long. I'd do it now, but they really must grow before going through any more trauma right now. I figure by late Spring they should be in good shape.

I love talking with ya'll and I've learned so much through the years. I sometimes disappear for a while, but I always come back. Kinda like the old saying about a bad penny, only I'm really not bad!!!! How could I be when I'm addicted to daylilies!!!!

Blessing to everyone, Mona

Glad you were able to save your daylily before the voles got the entire thing. Sounds like you need to get rid of those nasty creatures.