Subhead
Dividing perennials
by Christine Yesko
Plants benefit from division every three to five years, as they grow quickly, with new roots and shoots crowding each other. A shrinking plant, with a dead center and fewer flowers, is a sign that a plant needs to be divided. Ornamental grasses, daylilies, irises, and stonecrop are some examples.
Given care and maintenance, perennials can be divided at any time the ground is not frozen. Usually, spring flowering perennials are divided in late summer and fall, while all other flowering perennials are divided in spring, often as early as new growth is detected.
If you divide in the fall, allow six to eight weeks for roots to be established, as the freezing and thawing of the ground can cause plants to heave up out of the moist ground as temperatures drop. Summer dividing helps early blooming perennials, as plants have plenty of time to develop roots before winter. This gives them a better chance of survival and allows plants like iris and Oriental poppies to be completely ready to bloom next spring. Energy is put into root growth as opposed to leaf and flower growth.
Before you divide your perennials, prepare the new bed and dig the holes where you intend to plant the divisions. Water both the plant you will divide and it’s future home. Choose a cloudy day, and divide in the morning. Cut back foliage before digging, so the smaller root system won’t have to support as much foliage. If a plant’s leaves are mostly at the ends of stems, like coral bells, cut individual leaves in half. Shear plants whose leaves go all the way to the ground, such as daylilies, cut to two or three inches. Dig up the whole clump and try to keep the root ball intact. Generally, digging eight inches away from the crown is ample room. It helps to fully ring the plant with a spade before attempting to pry it up. Gently rinse the soil from the roots. Remove only enough so you can see the root system. Spread the roots outward and plant on a mound of soil in the hole, water well, and cover with soil. Keep your new plantings watered till the ground freezes. Then come spring you should be gifted with new and fresh plantings.
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