Fall- the perfect time to divide perennials in the South.

Gorgeous- pink- crinums- in -Galveston- Texas- in- front- of- a -beautiful -front -porch - — Pink Crinums blooming in Galveston Texas

Fall is a great time of the year to thin out perennials that grew over the summer season.

In the lives of perennials, there comes a time when division is needed. The plant has gotten too dense for the area in which it lives and it is time to make more plants. These are often referred to as “pass-along plants” because they are easy to pass a division on to a friend.

Dividing Perennials

To divide a perennial it is best to dig the plant out of the ground. This way you can make more cuts producing more plants with far less damage.

Once the plant is out of the ground, clean as much dirt off as possible and cut the vegetation back by at least half. Take your knife and cut down through the crown (the point at which the root system and the vegetation meet) and then separate the roots and continue cutting.

You can make as many cuts as you like, but cuts with a good thick part of the crown, plenty of roots, and vegetation will recover quicker.

To divide a cluster of bulbs or rhizomes, you simply dig up the bulbs or rhizomes and pull them apart. The dug bulbs and rhizomes can be transplanted to another bed or spread around the existing area.

Materials Needed:

Sharpshooter Shovel or Other Shovel
Knife
Pruning Shears
Water
Pots (if plant is to be potted)

Now you have more plants to expand your gardens or to share. To share with a friend, simply bag them up and send them along. If your friend lives far away, wrap the bulbs and/or rhizomes in damp newspaper to keep the plant material from drying out. Just drop them in the mail and your friend will be happy to check the mailbox.

If you are new to gardening, you might like learning about herbs and about choosing plants for the shade. Often times, designing gardens for shady areas can be a challenge. New gardeners are often interested in knowing how to make trouble spots work. Choosing the right plants for shade is a lot easier when you have some basic information to start with in the beginning. Herbs are also a subject that a lot of new gardeners ask about, they are such fascinating plants.