Scarring on Daylilies

I have noticed this scarring on several of my daylily buds.. Any thoughts??

Jazzpunkin, I have also been noticing some unusual stuff going on with my daylillies, that I wonder isn't related to what is happening with yours. Some of the buds on mind have a bumpy texture, and some weird mottling to the color. I have been coming out in the morning and been seeing black ants all over the buds- someone told me that means I likely have an aphid problem. I haven't seen aphids on them, but have seen what look like aphids (along with more ants) over in a container I have with some impatiens.

I'm new at gardening so I don't know how to handle it or if there is anything I can do to keep the problem from getting worse...I'm desperate to save my daylilies since they are just about to bloom for the season. I posted yesterday about this problem in the daylily forum but did not get any responses- I hope we both get some answers and possible solutions here.

Here are the pics I took today.

Noreaster, thrips make those protusions on your buds. You can use Neem or a systemic to kill them. Are there also silvery yellow lines on the leaves, if so, almost sure it's thrips.

I've got bumps on my daylily buds too. Are the thrips on the flower buds only? Or perhaps a better
question - where to you spray the neem? Whole Plant?

Tam

fly_girl, thanks- we've been having this discussion in the daylily forum, where several others have the same problem. I don't really see a problem with the leaves..maybe one or two here and there have a funky leaf, but not a lot. I think I have a combo of aphids and thrips (and ants).

I bought some "Safer" insecticidal soap- should I go and get one with Neem instead? I'm afraid to use anything super strong because I have dogs. I saw a few aphids back on them tonight shortly after I sprayed the leaves and buds, so I don't know if what I got is going to work. Is it just too late for mine?

Neem in small doses is non-toxic to mammals, the insecticidal soap may work okay, but may not get all the little nooks and crannies. I would go with a systemic.but not Kelthane. There are some bugs called minute pirate bugs that eat thrips, but you'd have to order those and then not use any chemicals until they do their work.

Kelthane is used for spider mites. Spinosad is registered for use on thrips, if that is what you have. So is Orthene, but I don't recommend it, since it is toxic to hummers and butterflies that would visit your daylily blooms.

Found this good fact sheet on daylily thrips:
http://www.daylilies.org/ahs_dictionary/thrips.html

This message was edited Jul 3, 2006 12:24 AM