Dividing Perennials in Early Spring
Early spring is a good time to divide and conquer … your perennials!
There are many perennials plants that benefit from regular thinning and division. As some plants grow and multiply, they can become crowded. This overgrowth can cause them to slowly die off over time. By digging them up and splitting them, you will alleviate the overcrowding and have more perennials to either relocate in your garden or give away to friends and family!
Examples of perennials that may require division at some
point are Hosta, Irises, Ornamental Grasses and Daylilies
How To:
You will need to dig up the plant to expose the clump of roots. With most plants it will be easy to see where you can divide the root clump. Use a knife if you cannot do this by hand and make sure that there are plenty of roots on each divided piece.
If the plant clump is too large to dig up from the ground, expose the roots as best you can. Stick two garden forks, back-to-back, down the center and gently pry them apart. Simply dig around the piece that you want to move, saving as much of the root system as possible. Replant the new sections immediately. We recommend using a mixture of Daddy Pete’s Soil Conditioner and Espoma Biotone Root Stimulator to encourage proper drainage and root growth when re-planting.
Your garden will be healthier, neater and more beautiful after this simple maintenance. Your plants will thank you (if they could)!