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Dividing Perennials

Dividing perennials is generally easy and perennials attract lots of gardeners and flower lovers not only by their spectacular blooms, but also by their ability to be easily divided.

Dividing plants is a convenient way to create new growth and use the divisions or cuttings to increase your plant stock.

Perennials can provide so many cuttings that you could create enough to share them with other gardeners, relatives, friends, and neighbours. New divisions of the plant can be used for plantings in the same part of the garden or in another area if you are planning on redesigning or extending part of your garden.

Dividing perennials is also beneficial for encouraging plants to produce more flowers and to be healthier and stronger. An overgrown plant is not as capable of producing the same quantity of flowers.

Not all perennials can be easily divided. Generally speaking, it is easier to divide plants that grow in clumps, and those with a developed root system. A plant with a single root is not suitable for division. Trying to divide a taproot for example, could result in death of the whole plant. To increase the number of these types of perennials, it is recommended to opt for seeding or root cuttings instead of by division.

Spring and early summer bloomers should be divided in the fall, and plants that flower in autumn can be divided in the spring instead. It is important to perform the division at the right time of year.

A couple of days before dividing, wet the soil thoroughly to make it easier to dig up the clump.

Prepare the new plant bed in advance so that you can transplant the cuttings immediately. Remember to add organic matter or compost to the soil where you are going to plant the divisions.

The procedure is very simple:

  • Using a fork, loosen the ground around the plant.
  • Take a garden trowel and slice the clump into four pieces.
  • Break these four divisions by hand and make a section four by four inches.

It is advisable to add organic materials to the original parent plant as well. Fertilizing will provide the nutrition necessary for healthy growth and help all the plants to establish faster and thrive. Water the plants regularly.

There are lots of techniques on how to keep your garden well maintained and fresh, and dividing plants is one of them.

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