Dividing perennials, you've probably heard of it somewhere. But where do you start? What do you need? How do you prevent damage to your plants? Read more about dividing perennials in this blog!
Perennials are permanent plants in your garden. They reappear every year and gradually grow larger. After a few years, it's smart to dig up and divide your plant during the winter months. You rejuvenate the plant and make it a bit smaller again, so there is more room to grow in your border. It keeps your plant healthy. It is also very important to regularly divide perennials in pots. This creates more space in the pot for fresh soil with nutrients.
You will need: A clean, sharp knife and a well-lit place to cut your plant.
We will show the division process using photos. Here you see a daylily that has been growing in a pot for two years. There are so many roots in the pot that there is very little room left to grow, and not much soil left.
Start by removing the top layer of soil. This often contains some weeds or moss and weed seeds that you don't see. Discard the soil in the green bin. There is probably not much nutrition left in the soil, so it's good to refresh it immediately.
Be brave and place your knife in the middle of the plant. Cut it straight in half.
You now have two parts and you can clearly see where the core of the plant is. In some plants, you can see an older, more rotten part in the middle of the core and new shoots on the sides. In this case, we don't see that. The core looks good and has nice strong roots. That's why the plant will survive this division well. With very large plants, you can sometimes divide a root ball into smaller pieces. This core is not that large, so we prefer not to do that. This leaves enough growth power for the plant. All the energy the plant needs to grow in spring is stored in the core. Multiple cuts also increase the chance of diseases.
Cut off a piece from the bottom and sides of the root ball, but retain some of the smaller feeder roots. Also, make sure not to cut into the core of the plant. Do this for both parts of the plant.
Pot the parts in fresh potting soil, each in its own pot. This gives the plant plenty of room to continue growing. Place the plant back in your garden. When you have just divided the plant, it is a little more susceptible to drying out. Pay particular attention during frost to ensure your plant does not dry out. Place the plant in a sheltered spot or cover the open ground with a layer of straw or wood chips and check for sufficient water.
You can divide many different perennials this way. Give it a try; you'll gain more experience as you go. Good luck, and if you have any questions, feel free to ask us!
