University of Missouri Extension

G6461, Revised September 2005

Growing Home Garden Tomatoes

Lewis W. Jett,
Division of Plant Sciences

Tomatoes are a popular home garden crop. They require a small area, bear repeatedly, are widely adapted and easy to grow, and have many culinary uses. Tomatoes are rich in vitamins A and C and low in calories. They are an excellent source of lycopene, the pigment that makes tomatoes red and has been linked to prevention of many forms of cancer.

Well-grown tomatoes produce an abundance of fruit.

Varieties

There are many excellent tomato varieties available to home gardeners, ranging from new hybrids to tasty heirloom varieties. Selection should consider productivity, freedom from fruit splitting and disease resistance. Fusarium wilt and verticillium wilt are two common problems that can be overcome by selecting wilt-resistant varieties and rotating the planting so that these organisms are not able to build up in the soil. Leaf diseases such as early blight cause substantial leaf damage in many home gardens. Although high-quality fruit varieties with resistance to this disease are not generally available, they exist and may soon become more common.

The hybrid tomato varieties listed here have been selected for quality fruit and good disease tolerance or resistance and have performed well under Missouri conditions.

Resistance key

Resistance to various diseases is indicated by the following letters.

• V
  Verticillium wilt resistance
• F
  Fusarium wilt resistance
• N
  Nematode resistance
• T
  Tobacco mosaic resistance

Beefmaster
(VFN)
This beefsteak-type of tomato has maintained popularity for many years. The firm, meaty red fruits may weigh up to 2 pounds. Plants are extremely vigorous and productive. Production begins about 80 days from planting into the garden.

Better Boy
(VFN)
A variety with vigorous plants that have gained and maintained popularity for many years. Fruits are bright red and may weigh up to about one pound. Fruits are firm, round and produced abundantly with first production about 75 days from transplants.

Big Beef
(VFN)
This variety has a greater range of disease resistance than many others and won an All-America Selections award in 1994. Fruits may range from 10 to 12 ounces and are produced abundantly. They are smooth, red and produced about 73 days from planting into the garden.

Celebrity
(VFNT)
This variety was an All-America Selections winner in 1984 but continues to be popular. Plants are determinate, which indicates that vines are short, and bushy, not lending themselves to staking. Fruits are firm, red and range from 7 to 8 ounces. Plants are highly productive and can usually have first harvest 70 days after planting.

Jet Star
(VF)
A variety that has maintained popularity and continues to be a favorite of home gardeners. Fruits are abundantly produced and range close to 8 ounces. Fruits are crack resistant, meaty and flavorful. Jet Star is a variety considered relatively low in acidity.

Lemon Boy
(VFN)
For gardeners interested in yellow tomatoes, Lemon Boy is a newer variety that is productive and attractive. Fruits are not a golden color as varieties such as Husky Gold, but are lighter yellow. Fruits are firm and weigh about 6 to 7 ounces. Plants are vigorous and productive.

Pik Rite
(VFN)
This hybrid, determinate tomato matures in approximately 75 days. The globe-shaped fruit has a concentrated set with both good size and good external appearance. Pik Rite performs well when grown either as a staked tomato or in cages.

Pink Girl
(VF)
The number of pink tomato varieties available is limited, but Pink Girl is a vigorous variety that will continue to produce throughout the summer. Fruits are about 8 ounces and have crack resistance and good flavor.

Producing tomato plants

Earliness of production and quantity of fruit produced may be influenced by quality of the plant at the time it is set in the garden.

The ideal tomato plant should be 8 to 10 inches tall and dark green with a stocky stem and a well-developed, healthy root system. Three to five weeks are usually required to produce a transplant of this size.

A family interested in having only fresh fruit should plant three to five plants per person. If enough fruit is wanted for processing, then five to 10 plants per person should be planted.

To get best results with only a few plants, and to minimize trouble, purchase them from your local plant grower at the proper planting time.

If a fairly large number of plants are needed, they may be started from seeds in a good seeding mix that has been sterilized. After seed has germinated, plant seedlings at least 2 inches apart for stocky development, and give them plenty of light.

If kept in the house, expose them to a south window, and rotate them regularly to give uniform light. Daily temperatures should be kept below 80 degrees Fahrenheit but not lower than 50 degrees.

For best results, use either a pasteurized potting soil or a seed starting mix for growing your tomato seedlings. Plants may be grown in hotbeds where they can be kept sufficiently warm. Then shift them to cold frames late in the season.

Selecting growing area

Tomatoes grow best when they receive full sunshine. Plant them away from trees and buildings to get highest yield. A tomato plant needs a lot of water, so arrange for easy watering. Select a well-drained area because poor soil aeration leads to root loss and physiological problems such as blossom-end rot.

Preparing soil for planting

Tomato plants grow well in many types of soil. Work the soil only when it is dry enough so it will not stick to tools. Improve garden soil by adding peat moss, leaf mold, well-rotted manure or compost. Add lime in late fall for the garden area you plan for tomatoes the following spring.

Tomatoes grow best in nearly neutral soil with pH of 6.5 to 7.0. You seldom need to add more than 1 pound of agricultural limestone to an area of 100 square feet. Apply lime in late fall or early spring.

Fertilizing

Add a complete garden fertilizer at the time the soil is prepared. For tomatoes, use a fertilizer low in nitrogen (N), high in phosphorous (P) and medium to high in potassium (K). Among the best analyses for tomatoes are 8-32-16 and 6-24-24. Avoid using ammonia fertilizers such as urea or ammonium nitrate for tomato fertilization.

Proper spacing and staking are essential for healthy plants and good fruit production.

Use a maintenance rate of 1 pound per 100 square feet after the proper fertility level has been developed from previous soil tests and fertilizations. If only 5-10-5, 5-10-10, or similar analyses are available, apply 2 pounds per 100 square feet.

All fertilizer should be well worked into the upper 6 inches of soil.

Setting out plants

Set tomatoes in the garden when the weather has warmed and soil temperatures are above 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Tomato growth is impaired by temperatures below 50 degrees.

In southern Missouri, plant tomatoes outside from April 20 to May 15. In central Missouri, May 5 to 20 is the approximate planting time, and in northern Missouri and the Ozark area, planting from May 10 to 20 is usually best.

Before planting, remove all clay pots, plastic pots or wood bands from the soil ball. Peat pots may remain. Set plants a little deeper than they were originally growing so lower leaves are next to the ground. If only "leggy" plants are available, plant them at about a 30-degree angle in a trench long enough to leave only the top 5 or 6 inches of the plant exposed. Roots will develop along the buried portion of the stem. If the plant is in a peat pot, make sure the entire pot is covered. Exposed portions of the pot will act as a wick and rapidly dry the root ball.

Apply 1 cup of a fertilizer solution around the roots after placing the plant in the hole. Use a completely soluble fertilizer such as 10-52-17 or 15-30-15 at the rate of 2 level tablespoons per gallon of water. Guard the plant base from cutworms with a wax paper collar about 3 inches high (2 inches above the ground and 1 inch below).

Planting distances

Tomato planting distance depends on the type of tomato grown. Generally speaking, 24 to 36 inches between plants is the ideal spacing for most home garden tomatoes. Planting closer than 24 inches reduces air circulation around the plants and can trigger disease outbreaks. Large vine tomatoes should be spaced 36 inches apart. Rows should be 4 to 5 feet apart.

Staking

Staking improves marketable yield, fruit set and fruit quality and also makes the tomatoes easier to harvest. Staked plants are less likely than unstaked plants to get diseases. Stakes can be made from a 1 x 2 inch piece of wood 6 feet long, pointed at one end. Place it firmly about 4 inches from the plant at time of transplanting. Use soft cord for tying plants to the stake, and allow at least 1/ 2 inch of slack for stem enlargement. Many gardeners prefer to support tomato plants in cylindrical wire cages. Mesh should be large enough so it can be reached through to pick fruits inside. This method saves time required for staking, pruning and tying.

Pruning

Early-season varieties (maturity less than 70 days) typically do not require pruning. However, late-season or large vine varieties (indeterminates) need some of their side shoots removed or to be topped to prevent them from getting too bushy and tall.

When plants are grown in cages, less pruning is required. Break out only enough shoots to allow good light and air movement through the cage.

Watering

A tomato fruit is 95 percent water, so tomatoes need a lot of water to grow and develop fruit. Tomatoes should have about 2 quarts of water per day per plant until first harvest. Plants that are yielding fruit will need 2 to 4 quarts of water per plant.

Soak the soil thoroughly when watering. Frequent light waterings will encourage a weak root system. Mulching with straw, clean hay, compost, paper or plastic will reduce soil water evaporation. Plants growing in small containers may need daily waterings.

Sidedressing

Fertilizer applied at the time of planting will not supply enough nutrients for the entire season. Too much nitrogen in the beginning brings heavy vegetative growth and poor fruit set.

Apply the first side-dressing when the first fruits are about one-third grown. Apply 0.5 pound of actual nitrogen per 100 feet of row. This is equivalent to 5 pounds of 10-10-10 fertilizer. Calcium nitrate is an excellent fertilizer to apply as a side dress. About 3.5 pounds of calcium nitrate can be side-dressed per 100 feet of row. Mix the fertilizer carefully into the top inch of soil. Don't get fertilizer on the foliage.

Apply the second side-dressing two weeks after picking the first ripe fruit. Make a third application a month later. Water in the nitrogen if rain is un likely.

Cultivating and controlling weeds

Many weeds are carriers of diseases that can seriously affect tomato plants when transmitted by insects or man. Weeds also compete for soil moisture and nutrients.

Use mulches to avoid a lot of hoeing and hand weeding. Hay, straw, grass clippings, paper, compost or plastic can be used as mulches for tomatoes. Black plastic warms the soil and is very beneficial for early plantings. Some growers have used red plastic mulch with success. Apply organic materials 2 to 4 inches thick to prevent weeds from developing.

Harvesting

Tomato color and flavor are optimal when average daily temperatures are about 75 degrees Fahrenheit. High temperatures (greater than 92 degrees) during ripening reduce fruit flavor, texture and color. Fruit exposed to high temperatures develops internal white tissue and yellow color on the fruit surface. Thus it is important to have good vine growth, which partially shades the fruit from intense sunlight. Do not refrigerate tomatoes after harvest. Flavor and quality are preserved by holding the fruit at room temperature.

Mature green fruits can be harvested in the fall and held for later use. Select fruits free of disease, wrap them in paper and store them at about 60 to 65 degrees. They will ripen slowly and provide good tomatoes for several weeks.

Physiological problems

Many of these disorders are quite common and should be readily recognized. Little can be done for most of them, but the fruit may be eaten if affected portions are removed. These problems are not caused by insects or disease.

Blossom-end rot
Very common problem on homegrown tomatoes. It appears as a depressed brownish, rather dry rot the size of a dime to a half dollar on the blossom end of the fruit. It is caused by a calcium deficiency coupled with wide fluctuations in available moisture. Training and pruning may increase blossom-end rot. Remove the affected fruit so others on the plant will develop normally and keep the plants well watered. Provide good soil drainage. Mulch to maintain a more uniform moisture supply. Avoid cultivating (hoeing) near the roots of tomato plants. Do not use ammonia fertilizers.

Catfacing
Badly formed tomatoes on the blossom end, usually rough with scar tissue. Cold weather at time of blossom set intensifies the deformities. Catfacing is usually most common in the large-fruited beefsteak-type tomatoes.

Cracking
Fruit cracking varies by the variety. Cracking is usually a problem when there is a fluctuation in soil moisture. Tomatoes exposed directly to sunlight are highly susceptible to cracking. Select varieties that are crack resistant.

Cloudy spots
Irregular whitish spots just under the skin. This is the result of stink bugs feeding on the fruit at some stage in its development.

Flower drop
Especially noticeable on early flowers when the grower is anxious for fruit to set for an early harvest. The problem occurs when night temperatures are lower than 55 degrees Fahrenheit; when day temperatures are higher than 95 degrees; or when night temperatures remain above 75 degrees. Hot drying winds may intensify the problem.

Varieties also will differ in their temperature response. Fruit-setting hormones may be used to help set fruit early in the season when the weather is cool. The problem usually disappears and fruits set normally after the weather improves.

Leaf roll
Most common on plants that have been pruned and on early-season varieties. Older and lower leaves of some tomato varieties may roll and become stiff and leathery. It is not a disease and is most common on plants that are trained and pruned. Fruiting is not affected by this condition.

Sunscald, poor color
High temperatures retard the development of good color. Fruits exposed to high temperatures will scald and develop uneven color. Good foliage cover is helpful.

Chemical problems

Chemical injury
Drift from 2,4-D and similar chemicals commonly used on lawns and in fields may cause distorted leaves, twisted stems, dropping of flowers and fruit abnormalities. The drift may originate half a mile or more away. Sprayers that have been used for herbicide and then used for disease and insect control on tomatoes may also be a source of contamination.

Walnut toxicity
Plants growing near black walnut trees may wilt and die. Avoid growing tomatoes within 50 feet of these trees or where they may come into contact with walnut roots

Insects

A variety of insects may attack tomatoes, although they can be controlled with a regular spray schedule. The following insects are a few that commonly attack tomatoes.

Aphids
Small, pear-shaped insects that congretate on the top growth or undersides of leaves. Aphids damage tomatoes by sucking plant sap and excreting a sticky substance on the foliage and fruit, making the fruit unattractive. Besides rain, insecticidal soaps and certain chemicals, controls include removing weeds, which may serve as hosts for aphids.

Cutworms
Fat, gray, brown or black worms up to 1 1/ 4 inches long. They cut off plants close to the soil surface. They are most destructive early in the season. Use a wax paper collar as described in the "Setting out plants" section of this publication.

Flea beetles
Black or brown jumping bugs 1/ 16 inch long attack young transplants and leave them looking as if they have been shot full of small holes.

Hornworms
Large green worms up to 4 inches long eat foliage and fruit. Handpick them if only a few; sprays can be used for large infestations.

Leaf miners
Larvae that make long, slender white tunnels in the leaves. Start sprays early.

Spider mite
Tiny, tannish mite, barely visible to the naked eye; causes many small yellow specks and fine webs. Forceful water sprays, insecticidal soaps or chemical sprays may be used for control.

Stalk borer
Larvae are creamy-white to light purple and eat tunnels in the stem, causing the plant to wither and die. Remove and destroy weeds where the insect may breed. Locate hole in stem where the borer entered. Split stem lengthwise above the hole and kill the borer. Bind the split stem and keep the plant well watered. Spray to prevent further infestations.

Stink bugs
Brown, green, or black shield-shaped bugs that give off a foul odor. They suck juices from the plant and cause hard, whitish spots just under the skin of the fruit. Sprays are effective.

Tomato fruitworm
Green, brown or pink worm that eats holes in fruit and buds. Sprays during June help control this insect. Make several applications.

Diseases

Tomatoes are attacked by bacterial speck and spot, early blight, fusarium wilt, anthracnose, septoria leaf spot, tobacco mosaic virus, curly top virus and verticillium wilt.

G6461, revised September 2005

Related MU Extension publications

• G6202, Disease Prevention in Home Vegetable Gardens
  http://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=G6202
• G6950, Steps in Fertilizing Garden Soil: Vegetables and Annual Flowers
  http://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=G6950
• MP587, Tomatoes From Harvest to Health
  http://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=MP587

Order publications online at http://extension.missouri.edu/explore/shop/ or call toll-free 800-292-0969.

Diet Experts Issue New Guidelines for School Lunches

TV Chef Jamie Oliver Says New Equipment Necessary to Change School Lunch

By JOSEPH BROWNSTEIN
ABC News Medical Unit

Oct. 20, 2009—

Unchanged since 1995, the standards for school lunches have perhaps grown stale enough to lend themselves to jokes about cafeteria food.

But researchers hope to change all that with a new set of guidelines to promote healthier eating habits in American children and stem the rising levels of obesity. Today, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) -- part of the National Academy of Sciences -- released new guidelines in an attempt to change what schools serve for breakfast and lunch.

"What you really will see is the change in nutrient needs," said Mary Jo Tuckwell, a consultant for the food services group inTeam Associates in Ashland, Wis., and a member of the committee that wrote the guidelines. "Instead of targeting nutrients, we're really focusing on foods."

Several guidelines, as doctors have recommended for years, suggest adding more fruits, vegetables and whole grains to the menu.

But perhaps one of the biggest changes -- and one that is supported by both child nutritionists and a celebrity chef -- is an emphasis on adding new equipment and infrastructure to school kitchens to speed the changes along.

British TV chef Jamie Oliver told ABC News through a representative that the largest change schools could make to improve menus was to "teach nutrition services staff how to cook freshly prepared meals." Oliver said this would require training, better ways of storing fresh food, and in many cases adding equipment and facilities.

In early 2010, Oliver will begin starring in "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution," a show on ABC where he will remake the school lunch menu in Huntington, W. Va. The British chef had previously embarked on a project in the United Kingdom where he remade the meals at a school there to make them healthier.

Oliver had already pushed for people to learn to cook more nutritious meals at home. Taking the issue to the schools, he said, would make a big difference.

"Children are getting diabetes, heart disease, all sorts of diseases that only used to show up in adults, because of the food they are eating," said Oliver. "We can influence this in a massive way by improving at least one daily meal, school lunch."

Researchers backed that assertion.

"One of the ways in which we can stem the tide of obesity is to change what is happening in schools," said Dr. Lori Feldman-Winter, a pediatrician specializing in adolescent medicine at Cooper University Hospital. "Once that becomes the norm, we can actually change the eating habits of kids and teens."

She said that just 10 servings of a nutritious food can lead children to change their diets.

"If you offer healthy options enough, then that becomes the preferred option and kids do incorporate healthy eating into their habits," said Winter. "That is also what they're going to choose as they get older, and they will not select items that will land them in fast food environments, for example.

"I think there is an opportunity in children to change their palate. School has taken on a role that goes beyond just education."

Authors of the guidelines said lifelong habits were among their goals.

"Studies have shown students may take multiple times to be exposed to something, but with those [exposures] they can&be more receptive to greater variety in the diet," said Helen Jensen, a professor of economics at Iowa State University and one of the members of the committee that wrote the new guidelines.

Freshening Up

While nutrition advocates praised the new guidelines, some said a few steps appeared to have been left out.

Only half of fruit servings in the new guidelines can be met through juices, and half of all grains served must be whole grains.

But some say more steps could be taken.

"In keeping with the concept of the fresh fruit and vegetable program, it would serve to reinforce that, that half of these fruit and vegetable servings should be in the form of raw fruits and vegetables," said Laurie Tansman, coordinator for the Department of Clinical Nutrition's Weight Control Initiatives at the Mount Sinai Hospital in New York.

With fruits and vegetables, "At least half of the offerings should be in the raw form," she said.

Tansman expressed concern that when schools were unable to give juice, they might give apple sauce. Also, she said, she would have liked some guideline included to ensure that fruit juice and canned fruit not have any sugar added.

But overall, she said, the guidelines help combat obesity in children if they are followed. "We do a lot of talking. We need to do more action," she said.

Paying Up

Jensen said changing school meals could be expensive. "I think this is certainly a challenge to schools."

She noted that the Department of Agriculture (USDA) reimburses schools for some of their expenses and would be looking into the price of implementing the new plan.

"There may be some upfront costs as schools work to incorporate a greater variety of foods and meet the recommendations," said Jensen.

"Experts at the USDA are engaged in a thorough review of the IOM recommendations and will develop a proposed rule to determine the best ways to improve the national school lunch program and school breakfast program based on IOM's final report," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in a statement released early today. "Stakeholders and the public will have ample opportunity to comment on USDA's proposed rule."

Part of what has held back school lunch programs in the past has been providing nutrition without exceeding school budgets.

"There's a saying, 'you get what you pay for,' and I think that's a very apt description of what exists for the school meal program," said Phyllis Bramson-Paul, director of the nutrition services division for the California Department of Education.

She said that the new guidelines provide a good map, including the need for equipment and training to provide better meals for students, but the onus would be on Congress to pass funding to help schools modernize their kitchens.

Overall, Bramson-Paul said the new guidelines deliver.

"We absolutely think revisions are necessary and we're thrilled to the release of this report," she said.

"We wanted to see increased attention to whole grains, more fruits and vegetables, lower fat milks. We wanted to see a maximum number of calories, and we wanted to see some sort of recognition that making these kinds of changes, which is absolutely necessary for good public health&that making these changes would cost something, and it's good to see the report recognizes that," said Bramson-Paul.

Copyright © 2010 ABC News Internet Ventures

Earth Fair Nine

Earth Fair 9: Wake Up to a Greener Earth

The Little Muddy Farm will be there with plants and fresh produce.

The City of Prairie Village is very happy to announce that after having taken a year off, Earth Fair is back and will be held in the newly remolded Shawnee Mission East High School. This will be the 9th Earth Fair and it is shaping up to be one of the best. In addition to the over 40 ecologically focused vendors and exhibitors, there will also be live entertainment as well. Weather permitting, half of the festivities will be outside, including music by Checkered Past (bluegrass), Alternative fuel vehicles, solar cooking demos, the boy scouts will be back doing gas cap testing, and there will be a framers’ market where you can get the first garden goodies of the season and vegetable starts for your garden.

Inside the Fair you can learn about ways to make you house more efficient inside and out, the environmental organizations in the community protecting our environment, and much more. There will also be an area for kids to discover the fun they can have making art out of recycled materials. Tired of your wardrobe? Then come and see recycled fashion show organized by the Environmental Club of Shawnee Mission East. We are also very happy to announce that the Stone Lion Puppet Show featuring life size puppets will be performing at the Fair. If you work up an appetite participating in all these earth friendly activities, you can satisfy your stomach and your taste buds with an organic lunch from the Bread of Life Bakery.

What better way to celebrate the planet we live on then being a part of your community and participating in this eco-friendly event.

DETAILS: Earth Fair 9: Wake up to a Greener Earth!

WHEN: April 17th, 2010 10-3pm

WHERE: Shawnee Mission East High School (75th and Mission Rd.)

COST: Free admission

SCHEDULE: Stone Lion Puppets, 10:15 and 1:45
Briarwood Elementary School Singers, 11:00
Checkered Past, all day (with breaks throughout the day)

I am reducing my inventory of Dr. Munson Triploid Daylilies

Daylily

Shiloh's Garden is changing it's focus. After twenty years of restrained tree growth resulting in to much shade, they are gone and now the daylilies must go I am going to save a few of my favorite varieties but the other will be sold, traded or donated. If you live in the greater Kansas City Area, and are interested please let me know by e-mailing me at misterjones@kc.rr.com

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Daylily
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Hemerocallidaceae
Genus:	Hemerocallis
Species
See text.

Daylilies at the Block Island resort in Rhode Island

Daylily is the common name of the species, hybrids and cultivars of the genus Hemerocallis (pronounced /ˌhɛmɨroʊˈkælɪs/).^[1] The flowers of these plants are highly diverse in colour and form, often resulting from hybridization by gardening enthusiasts. Thousands of registered cultivars are appreciated and studied by international Hemerocallis societies.^[2] Once considered part of the Liliaceae family, such as Lilium (true lilies), the genus name was given to the family Hemerocallidaceae in later circumscriptions.

Contents [hide] 1 Description 2 Cultivars 3 Culinary use 4 Species 5 References 6 See also 7 External links

[edit] Description

These plants are perennial. The name Hemerocallis comes from the Greek words ἡμέρα (hēmera) "day" and καλός (kalos) "beautiful". The flowers of most species open at sunrise and wither at sunset, possibly replaced by another one on the same stem the next day. Some species are night-blooming. Daylilies are not commonly used as cut flowers for formal flower arranging, yet they make good cut flowers otherwise as new flowers continue to open on cut stems over several days.

Originally native from Europe to China, Korea, and Japan, their large showy flowers have made them popular worldwide. There are over 60,000 registered cultivars. Only a few cultivars are scented. Some cultivars rebloom later in the season, particularly if their developing seedpods are removed.

Daylilies occur as a clump including leaves, the crown, and the roots. The long, often linear lanceolate leaves are grouped into opposite flat fans with leaves arching out to both sides. The crown of a daylily is the small white portion between the leaves and the roots, an essential part of the fan. Along the flower stem or scape, small leafy "proliferations" may form at nodes or in bracts. These proliferations form roots when planted and are the exact clones of the parent plant. Some daylilies show elongated widenings along the roots, made by the plant mostly for water storage and an indication of good health.

The flower consists of three petals and three sepals, collectively called tepals, each with a midrib in the same or in a contrasting color. The centermost section of the flower, called the throat, has usually a different and contrasting color. There are six (sometimes seven) stamens, each with a two-lobed anther. After pollination, the flower forms a pod.

The common Daylily has potential to become a noxious weed and is listed as such by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources ^[3]. While sometimes planted due to their ease of growth and the fact that they produce a flower, non-clumping varieties of daylily can quickly overrun a garden. Once established, it is difficult to remove runner daylilies from the yard.

[edit] Cultivars

Daylilies can be grown in USDA plant hardiness zones 1 through 11, making them some of the most adaptable landscape plants. Most of the cultivars have been developed within the last 100 years. The large-flowered clear yellow 'Hyperion', introduced in the 1920s, heralded a return to gardens of the once-dismissed daylily, and is still widely available. Daylily breeding has been a specialty in the United States, where their heat- and drought-resistance made them garden standbys during the later 20th century. New cultivars have sold for thousands of dollars, but sturdy and prolific introductions soon reach reasonable prices.

'Kwanzo' - a triple-flowered triploid cultivar

The Tawny Daylily (Hemerocallis fulva), and sweet-scented H. lilioasphodelus (H. flava is an illegitimate name), colloquially called Lemon Lily, were early imports from England to 17th century American gardens and soon established themselves. Tawny Daylily is so widely growing wild that it is often considered a native wildflower. It is called Roadside or Railroad Daylily, and gained the nickname Wash-house or Outhouse Lily because it was frequently planted at such buildings.

Hemerocallis is one of the most hybridized of all garden plants, with registrations of new hybrids being made in the thousands each year in the search for new traits. Hybridizers have extended the plant's color range from the yellow, orange, and pale pink of the species, to vibrant reds, purples, lavenders, greenish tones, near-black, near-white, and more. However, a blue daylily is a milestone yet to be reached.

Other flower traits that hybridizers develop include height, scent, ruffled edges, contrasting "eyes" in the center of the bloom, and an illusion of glitter or "diamond dust." Sought-after improvements in foliage include color, variegation, disease resistance, and the ability to form large, neat clumps. Hybridizers also seek to make less hardy plants hardier in the North by breeding evergreen or semi-evergreen plants with those that become dormant. All daylilies are herbaceous perennials - some are evergreen or semi-evergreen while some go dormant in winter, losing their foliage. Although, there are a number of northern hybridizers that specialize in the advancements of the dormant daylily.

A recent trend in hybridizing is to focus on tetraploid plants, with thicker petal substance and sturdier stems. Until this trend took root, nearly all daylilies were diploid. "Tets," as they are called by aficionados, have double the number of chromosomes as a diploid plant.^[4] Hemerocallis fulva 'Europa', H. fulva 'Kwanso', H. fulva 'Kwanso Variegata,' H. fulva 'Kwanso Kaempfer,' H. fulva var. maculata, H. fulva var. angustifolia ,and H. fulva 'Flore Pleno' are all triplods which cannot set seed and are reproduced solely by underground runners (stolons) and division. Usually referred to as a "double," meaning producing flowers with double the usual number of petals (e.g., daylily 'Double Grapette'), 'Kwanzo' actually produces triple the usual number of petals.

Orange/Red common daylily (vulgaris)

[edit] Culinary use

The flowers of some species are edible and are used in Chinese cuisine. They are sold (fresh or dried) in Asian markets as gum jum or golden needles (金针 in Chinese; pinyin: jīnzhēn) or yellow flower vegetables (黃花菜 in Chinese; pinyin: huánghuācài). They are used in hot and sour soup, daylily soup (金針花湯), Buddha's delight, and moo shu pork. The young green leaves and the tubers of some (but not all^{[citation needed]}) species are also edible. The plant has also been used for medicinal purposes. Care must be used as some species can be toxic.

Dried golden needles

[edit] Species

This is a list of species, not of cultivars, which number in the thousands:

Illustration, 1885

Hemerocallis thunbergii

A Hemerocallis fulva longituba commonly called a "Red Magic" daylily for its color combination

• Hemerocallis altissima Stout
• Hemerocallis aurantiaca Baker
• Hemerocallis citrina Baroni

• Hemerocallis cordata C.P.Thunberg ex A. Murray
• Hemerocallis coreana Nakai
• Hemerocallis darrowiana S.Y.Hu
• Hemerocallis dumortierii Morr
• Hemerocallis esculenta Koidz.
• Hemerocallis exaltata Stout
• Hemerocallis ×exilis Satake
• Hemerocallis forrestii Diels
• Hemerocallis fulva L. : Orange Daylily, Tawny Daylily, Tiger Lily, Ditch Lily
• Hemerocallis hakuunensis Nakai
• Hemerocallis hongdoensis M.G.Chung & S.S.Kang
• Hemerocallis ×hybrida (hort.)
• Hemerocallis japonica C.P.Thunberg ex A. Murray
• Hemerocallis lilioasphodelus L, Hemerocallis flava L, Lemon Lily, Yellow daylily
• Hemerocallis littorea Makino
• Hemerocallis micrantha Nakai
• Hemerocallis middendorffii Trautv. & Mey.
• Hemerocallis minor Mill.
• Hemerocallis multiflora Stout
• Hemerocallis nana W.W.Sm. & Forrest
• Hemerocallis ×ochroleuca (hort. ex Bergmans)
• Hemerocallis pedicellata Nakai
• Hemerocallis plicata Stapf
• Hemerocallis sempervirens Araki
• Hemerocallis sendaica Ohwi
• Hemerocallis serotina Focke
• Hemerocallis ×stoutiana Traub (hort.)
• Hemerocallis sulphurea Nakai
• Hemerocallis taeanensis S.S.Kang & M.G.Chung
• Hemerocallis thunbergii Baker
• Hemerocallis ×traubara Moldenke (hort.)
• Hemerocallis ×traubiana Moldenke (hort.)
• Hemerocallis vespertina Hara
• Hemerocallis washingtonia Traub
• Hemerocallis ×yeldara Traub (hort.)
• Hemerocallis ×yeldiana Traub (hort.)
• Hemerocallis yezoensis Hara

[edit] References

1. ^ Sunset Western Garden Book, 1995:606–607
2. ^ "International Daylily Groups". American Hemerocallis Society. http://www.daylilies.org/ingroups.html.
3. ^ "Weeds of Wisconsin". US Department of Agriculture. retrieved 10-26-09.
4. ^ Daylilies undated info page at University of Nebraska. Accessed August 1, 2007.

[edit] See also

• Arlow Stout - pioneer in the hybridization of daylilies

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Hemerocallis fulva

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Hemerocallis minor

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Hemerocallis thunbergii

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Hemerocallis sp.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Hemerocallis citrina

Wikibooks has a book on the topic of How to Grow Daylilies

• The American Hemerocallis Society
• Australian Daylily Society
• Ontario Daylily Society
• The Daylily Exchange (Links to informational and commercial daylily websites)
• The Lily Auction (A fun commercial site with thousands of daylily images.)
• Daylily Community How to Guides – Forums – Images
• Extensive information and daylily pictures
• Daylilies hybrids
• UKDaylilies Hemerocallis daylilies site with botanical photographs
• Guide to buying daylilies online
• How to Plant/Grow/Care for Daylilies
• Reblooming Daylilies variety that Deer Steer Clear
• Hemerocallis species by the Drs. Lobeck has species, hybrids, and cultivars; links; terms and Latin meanings; images and history of hybrids

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daylily"

Categories: Flowers | Hemerocallidaceae genera | Inflorescence vegetables | Root vegetables | Leaf vegetables

April 1, 2010 No fooling.........

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 00:00 EDT

© whenthemusicstops.com

A sudden and unexplained mass enlightenment of the US population leads to jubilant celebrations
Washington - President Obama, U.S. congressmen and their aides held an emergency four hour-long meeting Wednesday to decide what action to take to stem a sudden and unprecedented mass enlightenment of the US population that threatens to destabilize the Government and create a fiscal crisis.

Millions of citizens jubilantly celebrated their new awareness as they suddenly realized they have been lied to all their lives on just about everything by their psychopathic, conscienceless leaders of major corporations, government and security agencies.

Residents in all major cities across the United States awoke Wednesday morning complaining that they were experiencing an inexplicable mental clarity that was causing them to realize the way they were about to spend their day was utterly pointless, a potential health threat and would only add energy and finances to a powerful wealthy elite that had been ruling their lives since as long as they could remember.

Congress was thrown into chaos when a majority of staff decided to simply stop showing up for work until their bosses resign; in a move of solidarity, energy companies turned off the power to government buildings and military bases, while water companies shut down their water supply; repair people refused to carry out repairs for the politically well-connected and television network staff refused to report the lies they are routinely ordered to tell by their editors.

One Chicago resident's report was consistent with many similar accounts coming in from across the country. Joe, 42 told us how he had become aware of the diversionary, divide and conquer machinations of the psychopathic oligarchs, especially in relation to abortion, health care, immigration, global warming, peak oil, 9/11, fake terrorism, both current wars and past wars, 'necessary police actions', empire building and resource plundering, left vs right, evolution vs creationism, fundamentalists vs everybody else!

"Wow! I sort of felt things weren't right but to suddenly be able to see the true nature of all the lies we've been bombarded with by media and Big Government is just mind-boggling," Joe exclaimed.

"The public seems to have finally understood that they're so sick and going bankrupt because of the FDA/AMA medical mafia and Big Pharma's Gestapo death grip over absolutely everything! I've noticed how food companies, Monsanto and Big Pharma's share prices have exploded over the past few years," said Joe. "I can see it's because they have bought Congress and have a complete monopoly over our food supply, health and non-existent consideration for others' well-being."

Reports are flooding in of people deciding to buy or trade for goods with hand crafters in their own region instead of shopping at Wal-Mart. Rather than buying GMO foods at the supermarket chain stores, they've formed co-ops with their neighbors, bought fresh food in bulk and are getting together to can foods, smoke meats and pickle vegetables - followed by a barbecue. Feeling so connected and enthused by that, ordinary people across the nation are organizing all kinds of meetings to learn all the old skills that their grandparents knew that made them independent.

People are leaving the cities in droves and, en masse, have established themselves on previously restricted government land. This resulted in a veritable frenzy of house-building and barn raising parties followed, once again, by barbecues where home-made pickles were enjoyed by all.

The reasons for the mass-awakening are as yet unclear. One possible explanation has been given by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency where officials have discovered that the normally high levels of fluoride added to the nation's drinking water were "accidentally omitted." It's suspected that workers at water plants are responsible. Government Health officials have advised all citizens to carry on working as normal, eat lots of fast-food and stay glued to their TV sets in the hope that any thoughts generated in people by seeing the reality of the situation will be pacified by toxins, apathy and a return to the steady atrophy of their brains.

Citizens have been urged by the Obama administration to report anyone they witness behaving in a non-consumer-capitalist manner to Homeland Security who, with the help of FEMA, will permanently detain anyone found more than 5 meters from a Television screen.