Dividing and Transplanting perennials
by Melinda Myers
Divide repeat blooming daylilies and thread leaf coreopsis every few years keeps these plants reblooming without deadheading. Regular dividing also increases the hardiness of Shasta daisies and other short-lived perennials. Dig, divide and transplant overgrown spring and summer flowering perennials now. The soil is warm, the air cooler, and the plants will have time to adjust to their new location before winter.
You may have been told to divide spring blooming perennials in fall, fall blooming perennials in spring, and summer blooming perennials in spring or fall. This is a good guideline but sometimes necessity and your schedule determine when you can divide perennials. Proper post-transplant care will give your plants the best chance of survival no matter when you divide them.
Use a sharp spade shovel or garden fork to dig up the plant. Cut the clump into 2, 4, or more pieces. Remove the dead center and add it to the compost pile. Some gardeners use two garden forks back-to-back to pry the clump apart. I prefer a sharp linoleum knife or drywall saw. Though some fleshy rooted plants like mature daylilies and willow Amsonia may require a hatchet, machete or reciprocating saw.
Try this trick when dividing large, hard-to-manage perennials. Use a sharp spade shovel and dig around the outer edge of the plant to be divided. Then use the spade, root saw, or another tool to slice through the root ball dividing the plant into four or eight sections. Now use the shovel to wedge the smaller pieces out of the ground. Or just dig small sections from the outer edge of the plant when the perennial is performing nicely, and you just want to start a new plant. You can plant one piece back in the original location after amending the soil with compost. Use other divisions to expand existing gardens or create new beds.
Prepare the soil for planting by incorporating compost or other organic matter into the soil. Plant the divisions at the same depth they were growing in the garden and water thoroughly. Continue to water throughout the remainder of the season to help the new plants develop a robust root system.
Regularly digging and dividing perennials when needed keeps your plants and gardens looking their best.
