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Before going any further, it would be good to
explore just what is a perennial? Perennials are herbaceous plants
that die down at the end of each season, but re-emerge from energy
stores in roots, bulbs, tubers or corms year after year. There are a
variety of perennials from the popular hostas, to peonies, iris,
groundcover perennials such as bee balm, and woody plants such as
lavender.
If cared for properly a perennial will continue to provide a lovely
landscape for many years.
However, there are a few mistakes that folks make. Many think that
growing a perennial is a “do it and done” gardening process where
you put the plant in the ground and walk away. Not necessarily true.
As the years progress, if your plants remain prosperous, they may
eventually outgrow the space they are in or they may grow
aggressively and smother out other nearby plants.
Dividing plants and resetting them into other parts of your
landscape do two important things. It allows for the expansion of
your lawn décor with only time, water, and sometimes a slight soil
amendment required. This saves money for the gardener while creating
a lush landscape.
The second and perhaps more important reason to divide, is that
thinning out an overgrown area of perennials will contribute to the
overall wellbeing of the original plant, keeping it healthy and
lovely for years to come.
As perennials grow, some may consider that the overcrowding makes
the plants look fuller and prettier. For a while that may be true,
but eventually growers will note the consequences of overcrowding.
The University of Minnesota Extension offers some good advice about
why dividing perennials is important.
* Dividing or splitting a single perennial into multiple plants
helps the plant perform better.
* When perennials are divided, there is more space for roots to grow
and absorb nutrients and water.
* Dividing perennials can help manage the size of the plant.
* You will have more plants of the same kind to add to your garden
when you divide a perennial.
So, how do you know that your perennials need to be divided and are
not just simply very large healthy plants?
The UM extension also offers tips for determining this.
After a few years in the garden, these perennials may start to
produce smaller blooms, develop a 'bald spot' at the center of their
crown, or require staking to prevent their stems from falling over.
All of these are signs that it is time to divide.
When plants are large and healthy you may want to divide them even
if they are not overcrowded. Do this to expand your garden and save
money at the same time by not buying new plants.
To assure the best results and keep both the parent and the new
plant healthy be sure to consider the time of year that you do the
dividing. Some plants are best divided in the spring while others
would prefer to be divided in the fall.
UM offers more good advice on when to do your dividing.
Divide fall blooming perennials in the spring
because:
*New growth is emerging and it is easier to see what you are doing.
*Smaller leaves and shoots will not suffer as much damage as
full-grown leaves and stems.
*Plants have stored up energy in their roots that will aid in their
recovery.
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*Rain showers that generally come along with the
early season are helpful.
*Plants divided in spring have the entire growing season to recover
before winter.
Divide spring and summer blooming perennials in the fall because
*There is less gardening work to do in the fall compared with
spring.
*It is easy to locate the plants that need dividing.
*Perennials with fleshy roots such as peonies (Paeonia spp.),
Oriental poppy (Papaver orientale) and Siberian iris (Iris siberica)
are best divided in the fall.
*When dividing plants in the fall, time it for four to six weeks
before the ground freezes for the plants roots to become
established. This is particularly important in colder, northern
climates.
The act of cutting into your big beautiful plant may be a little
intimidating to some gardeners. “What if I do it wrong and kill
everything?”
Sometimes the best way to get some assurance that you are capable of
doing something is to watch it done by someone else.
This video gives you a quick overview of how to divide three types
of perennials, clumping, spreading, and woody.
VIDEO -
Dividing Perennials // Garden Answer
Additional tips from the University of Minnesota Extension include:
Divide perennials on a cloudy, overcast day as dividing on a hot
sunny day can cause the plants to dry out.
Water the soil a day in advance if the area to be worked on is dry.
Ideally, divide plants when there are a couple days of showers in
the forecast to provide enough moisture for the new transplants.
The UM Extension offers readers a top notch list of “what, when and
how” to divide perennials. The 10 page PDF gives direction for
dividing and re-planting 125 common perennials. This is a printable
document that can be put in your garden journal for future
reference.
Link to PDF
- Dividing Perennials, University of Minnesota Extension
So, take a look around your yard this spring. Do you have perennials
that you love and wish you had more of? If so, don’t run to the
store, instead run for the garden spade and tools. You can be sure
you are getting the same plant you have now and you can save quite a
bit of money in the long run.
Sources
How and when to divide perennials | UMN
Extension
Dividing Perennials - Why, When and How to
Divide Perennials (gilmour.com)
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