Perennial
plants are relatively care-free additions to the garden. They come up every
year growing bigger and better. But, believe it or not, they can actually get
too big. The new shoots and roots get crowded, the stems in the center can die
off or the foliage may turn yellow. They’ll produce fewer and smaller flowers.
These are all signs that your perennials need to be divided.
Dividing
your perennials has benefits that go beyond plant health. With all of your new
divisions you can increase their footprint in the bed they’re in or plant them
out to enliven other perennial borders. Sharing them with friends and neighbors
is always appreciated. Maybe they’ll share with you. Who doesn’t love free plants?
When to Divide Perennials
A general
rule of thumb is that perennials should be divided about every three or four
years. Like all rules, there are exceptions. Some very vigorous growers like gooseneck loosestrife may need to be divided every
year or two. Others, like peonies don’t like to be disturbed at all. When to
divide is a frequently asked question. Spring flowering perennials are best
divided in the fall and fall blooming plants should be divided in the spring.
Naturally, there are exceptions. Many people in cold climates do all of their
dividing in the spring because plants don’t have a chance to reestablish
themselves before freezing weather hits in the autumn.
Rules are made to be broken, given enough TLC before, during and after
dividing, you can do it whenever it best suits you as long as the ground is not
frozen. The advantages of spring and fall division is that weather conditions
are usually cool and wet. This reduces the chances of your plants becoming stressed
and dehydrated during the process.
How to Divide
Perennials
Prep Perennials
Water the perennials you intend to divide the day before you’ll actually
divide them. This makes it easier to get them apart and helps guard against the
roots drying out. It’s also a good idea to prepare the new bed they’ll be going
into so that the plants’ roots spend the least amount of time above ground. This
is also the best time to incorporate Espoma’s Bio-tone
Starter Plus into the soil. It will help the plants grow bigger, healthier
roots and also helps them to establish more quickly.
Divide the Plants
Grab some gloves and a spade and let’s start dividing. Use the spade to
cut a ring all the way around the plant to be divided and then pry it up. Depending
on the size of the plant or the root depth, you may need to use a trench
shovel. Holding the root ball over a wheelbarrow, gently loosen the soil around
the roots. Using a plant knife, an old kitchen knife or spade, divide the root
ball the best you can leaving as many roots as possible intact. If there a lot
of top growth on the plant, cut it back to about 6 inches so it is in balance
with the disturbed root system.
Relocate
Place the divided sections in their new locations and the divided plant
back where it came from. Back fill with soil, making sure the top of the root
ball is at the same level it was previously. Water deeply. And, continue
watering well every few days for the first couple of weeks, then you can taper
off. Your plant might look a little sad and droopy at first. Don’t worry, it
will need a couple of weeks to recover and then everything will be fine. After
your plants have established themselves feed with Espoma’s Organic Plant-Tone.
Want more perennials? Check out these powerhouse perennials that work
overtime…so you don’t.
Espoma Products for Dividing Perennials
