This is an ideal time to divide spring and summer blooming perennials. The process involves splitting an existing plant into several new smaller ones. This is a great way to control aggressive plants and it also helps to rejuvenate crowded, poorly performing perennials.
Division is most successful when the parent plant is dug, divided, and all plants are immediately replanted. If you must hold the newly divided plants for a short time, keep them cool, shaded, and moist. Wet some peat moss or shredded newspaper and cover the plants with several inches of the material. This propagation method is simple and requires only a few tools, a small amount of planning, and plenty of elbow grease and back strength.
Before dividing a plant, prepare the area where the new divisions are to be located. This allows you to quickly put plants back into the ground and increases survival rates. Next, gather the tools you’ll need; most divisions can be done using a spade and either two garden forks, a large butcher knife, or a folding pruning saw. The type plant you’re dividing will dictate which cutting device will be needed. Use a spade to cut around the outer perimeter of the plant. Loosen the plant with a garden fork, lift the clump out of the ground and remove most of the soil from the roots. Soil is removed from the roots so the individual plants within the clump are visible. Observe the plant crown and discard any portion that is severely injured or appears to be unhealthy.
A daylily is easily divided by placing two garden forks back to back in the center of the clump. Pulling the handles together and then pushing them apart causes the fork tines to separate the roots. Once the clump has been loosened, new divisions that contain two or three shoots can be separated out.
Iris should be divided about every three years because the center of the plant will die due to crowding. Divide by separating the vigorous rhizome side shoots from the old mature rhizome, and then throw away the old mature portion. Trim the foliage back to 50% before planting the new divisions.
How quickly a newly planted division blooms is largely dependent on the size of the division. If you want blooming to occur next spring divide the clump into a few large plants. If you want a large number of plants and are willing to wait several years for blooms, divide the clump into many small plants. Regardless of size, all divisions should be planted immediately so they can become established before cold weather arrives. Providing winter protection may help poorly established plants survive cold weather.
Severe drought and/or unusually hot temperatures can put plants in a stressed condition, which will require extra care prior to, during, and after division. Thoroughly water the plants the day before division begins. This water will help loosen the soil and hydrate the root system. Try to do the division on a cloudy or overcast day and have a bucket of water at the site. After dividing, soak the root system in the water for about an hour prior to re-planting.
Water thoroughly immediately after planting and closely monitor the soil moisture for several weeks after planting. Do not allow these new plants to dry out. If the weather continues to be extremely hot, providing temporary shade will help the divisions establish quickly.
(By Mary Ann Bowdy, Horticulture Specialist, University of Missouri, Columbia via The Green Thumb, First Men’s Garden Club of Dallas)
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