Oh, I hate to see you do that!

I have the same problem and I think it's the heat. What I do is trim the fading foliage down to about 3''. I also plant them in things that are going to take over. For example, in one roadside bed, I have this:

1) Daffodils
2) Day and ditch lilies
3) Blackberry Lily
4) Plumbago.

So things are blooming or getting ready to at all times. I trim back or hide the fading foliage under other plants. The daffodil leaves you need to leave, so I tuck them under the growing ditch lily leaves. So far, it's looked great.

If you must dig them out, if they're red, I'll take 'em...

Christine

Yes, daylilies are terrible plants. They should be removed from your garden and the remains must be disposed of properly. Lucky for you I have access to a hazardous waste disposal site that accepts daylily plants. Just send me an email and I will come over and dig up all the plants myself...to be sure they are disposed of properly! ;-)

Daylilies are one of my favorite plants: the foliage emerges early in the spring, their form contrasts nicely with other perennials, they flower for a reasonable amount of time, they are available in a wide range of bloom colors and they are very low maintenance. The foliage does look a bit ratty for a few weeks after flowering. I have learned to just cut them down to a few inches tall when the foliage starts browning. Within two weeks they will fill in with new foliage that will look good through several frosts. Try it out in a few of your plants.

- Brent

I visited a daylily hybridizer a few years ago and one of his main criteria for an acceptable plant was having good foliage for most of the growing season. Unfortunately, not all hybridizers feel the same way. A beautiful bloom to advertise in catalogs sells plants. Good foliage is just for us picky gardeners! LOL

I do have one variety that looks good most of the summer. It's Red Ribbons. I have to pull off a few leaves at the base that die back but it mostly does very well. Plus it has a gorgeous bloom as a "bonus." The rest I just cut back and let regrow. It's about the only down side I can find for daylilies. Anybody that wants to get rid of theirs, send them my way and I'll find them a loving home. ;-)

Sandy

I love daylillies because you have to cut them down- after a good rain, pull up the dead leaves and mix them with the still green but fading leaves and you're well on your way to hot compost! They'll heat up a half done pile of last year's leaves and get that pile small by fall.

Hey, you guys. I volunteered first!

Sandy, is your 'Red Ribbons' actually red?
Christine

Christine, it's a red spider with yellow to green centers. I've read some reviews that say it doesn't bloom very heavily but mine have done great. It took a couple of years (typical!) before they bloomed well but this summer they were a riot of color with 40 or so blooms per clump. Here's a link to a picture.

Sandy

Here is a link that might be useful: Red Ribbons Daylily

It helps to plant repeat bloomers. At least you get a longer flowering season for the amount of clean up you have to do to the foliage.

Sandy, Beautiful flower on your Red Ribbons. I planted lots of daylilies this year and since it's their first year in my garden, I don't have much to go on. I did plant them among other perennials and kept bloom times in mind. I do agree with giving them a trim to tidy things up. I bought mine through the daylily auction. It was so much fun. I truly need to get a life. I ended up with 24 varieties. I did give some away as I just didn't have the room. Hopefully in the future, I will have some to share at the swap. Some of them are simply stunning. Chris, when they bloom again, I will look for a red for you. I'm sure I have 2 or 3 varieties of red daylilies. I had them marked, but the tags faded. :-( Enjoy your weekend!

Here is a link that might be useful: Daylily auction

I forget which garden book recommended cutting daylilies back after blooming. (I usually do it in Aug.) That trim has really changed my opinion of them. The new foliage is much fresher.

It has also changed my opinion of rebloomers, since I cannot/do not trim them back in August.

Well-Tended Perennial Garden: Planting & Pruning Technique by Tracy DiSabato-Aust

Gardener_Sandy, those are pretty! The centers set off the red. Lovely.

And love my garden, I'd love to take any off your hands anyday! :)

C.