If perennials do not flower or have become too big, it is advisable to use a spade. But not to remove the plants from the garden, but to share them.
When perennials are freshly planted, they please us with their vitality and their willingness to bloom. However, this can decrease significantly over the years. If the perennials only grow in height or width without flowering once or if they even become bare in the middle, then it is high time for a rejuvenation cure. And not in the form of a fertilizer or other means. No, a perennial makeover means dividing them. This not only ensures that the plants become fit and vital again. Sharing also gives you lots of new plants to plant in your own garden or give away to family, friends and neighbors.
But when is the perfect time to divide perennials and what is there to consider? We would like to clarify all of this in this post.
Reasons to share perennials
As you have already learned, it can make sense to divide the perennials in the garden for several reasons. These include:
▷ Propagation:
If you can't get enough of your perennials, division and thus propagation is a great way to get new plants cheaply. In addition: in this way you can also exchange a few plants with neighbors and friends and maybe even expand your garden with a new plant species. You can also create a completely new perennial bed with the divided plants.
▷ Taper:
Perennials become lazy over the years. In addition, the leaves are becoming fewer and fewer and the shoots remain smaller. Some perennials even completely bare in the middle. That is a typical sign of aging. At the latest when it has come this far, it is advisable to divide the perennials. Because then sharing seems like a makeover. The perennials then appear revitalized and grow vigorously and beautifully again.
▷ Containment:
Some perennials spread so quickly in the garden that otherPlants also quickly overgrow and thus crowd out. To prevent this, it helps to pick up a spade and divide the perennials regularly.
Tip:
A root barrier helps to contain the spread from the outset.
When is the best time to share?
When it comes to the perfect time to divide perennials, you should know that there are three groups:
❍ Spring and early summer bloomers:
Spring flowering perennials and early summer flowering bulbs need all their strength to flower. They are therefore best divided in early autumn. These plants include, for example:
- Beard-Iris
- Bergenia
- Funkie
- Thrift
- Further Phlox
- Gransbill
❍ Summer and autumn flowering perennials:
Summer and fall flowering perennials are best divided in early spring. This means before budding, because then the perennials have already absorbed enough nutrients that they need for future growth after dividing. These plants include, for example:
- Globe thistle
- Perennial Sunflowers
- Purple Coneflowers
- Yellow Coneflower
- Chrysanthemums
- Sun Eye
- Flame Flower
- Bellflower
- Woman's Mantle
- Purple Bells
- Sedum hen
❍ Perennials that should not be divided at all:
But there are also perennials that don't like being divided at all. If you do this anyway, you have to expect that the plants will then die. These plants mainly include perennials with a deep taproot. Here are a few examples of perennials that should not be divided:
- Turkish poppy seed
- Columbine
- Peonies
- Larkspur (caution! It is one of the very poisonous perennials)
- Bleeding Heart
- Chinese reed
- Pasque flowers (divide very carefully)
- Pearl Piers
- Bullyleaf Aster
- Silver Candle
- Gypsophila
How to divide perennials
Dividing perennials is not a great art. In addition, it is done quickly if you know in advance where the divided plants are to be planted again. All you need is:
➭ Pruning shears
➭ Digging fork
➭ Spade or knife
➭ Mature compost, horn shavings or organic fertilizer
➭ Watering can with water
➭ possibly perennial supports
Have them alltools at hand, then before dividing, first think about where the divided perennials are to be planted later. Because once they are divided, it has to be done quickly later. Once you have your planting concept in place, you can start dividing your perennials. The best way to do this is as follows:
Step 1:
Use garden shears to cut off the above-ground parts of the plant a hand's breadth above the ground.
Step 2:
Prick the ground around the plant with a spade and then carefully pull the plant out of the ground with a digging fork.
Step 3:
Shake off the rootstock briefly or hose it down with a jet of water to be able to divide it better in the next step.
Step 4:
If the root ball is very firm and large, it is best to divide it into several pieces with a spade. On the other hand, if the root ball is small, you can easily divide it into several pieces with a sharp knife.
Remove dead, lignified and dried-up parts of the plant at the same time. In order to ensure increased growth, it is also advisable to shorten the roots a little.
Step 5:
Now it should be quick, because the divided roots must not dry out. Therefore, quickly put some compost, horn shavings or organic fertilizer in the new planting hole. You can then plant the divided perennial directly. Now press the soil firmly and water the plant well.
Tip:
Note that the plant should not be lower in the new location than in the old one. The planting hole should only be slightly larger than the roots.
How to properly care for perennials after division
▷ pour:
The last step is all about the correct care of the divided perennials. In the weeks after the division, for example, it is very important that you water the "new" perennials regularly - as long as the weather is sunny and dry. This is how the perennials grow quickly.
Support▷:
If you have divided tall perennials, then it makes sense to provide them with poles or wire frames early on to support the perennials. This will prevent the flower stalks from falling apart and bare from the inside.
▷ hibernate:
Also: If you divide perennials in autumn, they need good winter protection. Garden fleece, straw, bark mulch and leaves can help here.
Here's another interesting oneVideo on the topic:
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