Spring Divisions Caring for Your Flower Beds Budget Gardening: Increase Stock with Cheap or Free Garden Plants
Some perennials do best if divided in the spring, some do best if divided in the fall, and others may be divided in either fall or spring.
The following may be divided in the fall with good results. I think you will be surprised at how many perennials can be successfully divided in the fall!
Propagation by division assures the new plant will be an exact match with the original.
Division is an inexpensive way to increase your stock of a favorite plant, or to create extra plants for swapping with friends.
1 Dig up the clump, taking care to get as much of the roots as possible without damage.Most roots are in the top 12 inches of soil, and the root’s mass will usually be the diameter the plant plus 3 to 6 inches beyond the plant. For digging and transplanting, going larger than this shouldn’t be necessary.
2 Use a sharp spade to cut or cleanly break the clump into two or more pieces (divisions), each with an obvious growing point and some roots.Work on the clump quickly so the plant parts don’t dry out too much (you can cover them with a tarp or mist them occasionally if need be). Discard any unproductive portions and any shriveled or rotten parts. Leave the roots surrounded with the soil to protect the root hairs from drying out and becoming damaged.
You can pry apart fibrous-rooted perennials with your bare hands; all others require sharp, strong, clean tools that are equal to the job: a stout knife, a trowel, even two spades or gardening forks braced back-to-back.
3 Replant the new pieces.Plant some in the same spot and the others perhaps elsewhere in your yard (or share them other gardeners).
Many perennials can be left in place for at least several years before they need dividing
-- and a few such as peony and baptisia -- rarely need dividing, if ever. But if you have plants that need to be divided, see if they are listed. If so, do it this fall and both you and your plants will get a good jump on spring!
These Perennials May Be Divided in Fall
Listed Alphabetically by Botanical Name
Achillea
Aconitum
Aegopodium
Ajuga
Amsonia
Anaphalis
Anchusa
Anemone
Anthemis
Arenaria
Armeria
Artemisia
Aruncus dioicus
Asarum
Astilbe
Aubrieta
Aurinia
Baptisia
Brunnera
Campanula
Centaurea
Cerastium
Chelone
Cimicifuga
Convalleria
Corydalis
Coreopsis
Crocosmia
Dianthus
Dicentra
Disporum
Dodecatheon
Echinops
Eremurus
Erigeron
Eupatorium
Euphorbia
Filipendula
Galium
Gaura
Geranium
Geum
Helenium
Helianthus
Hemerocallis
Heuchera
Heucherella
Hosta
Houttuynia
Iris (early fall)
Kniphofia
Lamiastrum
Lamium
Liatris
Ligularia
Lilium
Linum
Liriope
Lobelia
Lycoris
Lysimachia
Monarda
Nepeta
Paeonia
Papaver
Physostegia
Platycodon
Polemonium
Polygonatum
Potentilla
Pulmonaria
Ranunculus
Rodgersia
Salvia
Saponaria
Sedum
Senecio
Sidalcea
Smilacina
Solidago
Stachys
Stokesia
Tanacetum
Thalictrum
Tiarella
Trollius
Uvularia
Veronica
Viola
Yucca
Some perennials do best if divided in the spring, some do best if divided in the fall, and others may be divided in either fall or spring.
The following may be divided in the fall with good results. I think you will be surprised at how many perennials can be successfully divided in the fall!
Propagation by division assures the new plant will be an exact match with the original.
Division is an inexpensive way to increase your stock of a favorite plant, or to create extra plants for swapping with friends.
1 Dig up the clump, taking care to get as much of the roots as possible without damage.Most roots are in the top 12 inches of soil, and the root’s mass will usually be the diameter the plant plus 3 to 6 inches beyond the plant. For digging and transplanting, going larger than this shouldn’t be necessary.
2 Use a sharp spade to cut or cleanly break the clump into two or more pieces (divisions), each with an obvious growing point and some roots.Work on the clump quickly so the plant parts don’t dry out too much (you can cover them with a tarp or mist them occasionally if need be). Discard any unproductive portions and any shriveled or rotten parts. Leave the roots surrounded with the soil to protect the root hairs from drying out and becoming damaged.
You can pry apart fibrous-rooted perennials with your bare hands; all others require sharp, strong, clean tools that are equal to the job: a stout knife, a trowel, even two spades or gardening forks braced back-to-back.
3 Replant the new pieces.Plant some in the same spot and the others perhaps elsewhere in your yard (or share them other gardeners).
Many perennials can be left in place for at least several years before they need dividing
-- and a few such as peony and baptisia -- rarely need dividing, if ever. But if you have plants that need to be divided, see if they are listed. If so, do it this fall and both you and your plants will get a good jump on spring!
These Perennials May Be Divided in Fall
Listed Alphabetically by Botanical Name
Aconitum
Aegopodium
Ajuga
Amsonia
Anaphalis
Anchusa
Anemone
Anthemis
Arenaria
Armeria
Artemisia
Aruncus dioicus
Asarum
Astilbe
Aubrieta
Aurinia
Baptisia
Brunnera
Campanula
Centaurea
Cerastium
Chelone
Cimicifuga
Convalleria
Corydalis
Coreopsis
Crocosmia
Dianthus
Dicentra
Disporum
Dodecatheon
Echinops
Eremurus
Erigeron
Eupatorium
Euphorbia
Filipendula
Galium
Gaura
Geranium
Geum
Helenium
Helianthus
Hemerocallis
Heuchera
Heucherella
Hosta
Houttuynia
Iris (early fall)
Kniphofia
Lamiastrum
Lamium
Liatris
Ligularia
Lilium
Linum
Liriope
Lobelia
Lycoris
Lysimachia
Monarda
Nepeta
Paeonia
Papaver
Physostegia
Platycodon
Polemonium
Polygonatum
Potentilla
Pulmonaria
Ranunculus
Rodgersia
Salvia
Saponaria
Sedum
Senecio
Sidalcea
Smilacina
Solidago
Stachys
Stokesia
Tanacetum
Thalictrum
Tiarella
Trollius
Uvularia
Veronica
Viola
Yucca
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