Fall is Time to Divide and Conquer Perennials

For perennials (plants whose life span extends more than three growing seasons), now is the time to divide and conquer. My garden, which was a vacant expanse less than five years ago, has begun to fill in and become crowded. Perennials have reproduced by creating new plants and I intend to take full advantage.

By digging up perennials that have become dense and have created thick clumps, have spread too far, or died out in the center, the frugal gardener can experience “economic euphoria”. From a single division, new plants can be created, expanding your garden at the mere cost of sweat and muscle pain, a small payment for those suffering “nursery nervosa”. Dividing “clumping perennials” and creating new plants is called “propagation through root division”.

A generous neighbor gave me divisions of ‘Stella d’Oro’ daylilies. The plants now fill a border garden. When divided, they will fill another. Yarrows, globe thistle, Shasta daisy, catmint, Rudbeckia (black-eyed Susan and coneflower), and the pretty Campanula (bellflower) benefit from frequent division. If your plant has sent out runners, simply cut it from the mother plant and transplant it to a desirable location. If the perennial is a “clumping” variety, dig it up and carefully pull it apart. Roots that are too intertwined to separate can be pried apart using two garden forks. The double-fork method of prying the roots apart works especially well for Shasta daisies, hosta, daylilies, and agapanthus.

Dividing perennials from your garden is like putting money in the bank. You can fill in spaces or pot them up and draw upon your cache when you start a new flower bed or need to fill in an occasional gap. Offer your newly created plants to friends. Share the wealth.