How To Lift And Divide Herbaceous Perennials

Step 1: You will need

Step 2: Lift

Gently lift plants out of the soil with a spade, working away from the crown centre to limit root damage.

Step 3: Divide

Small plants can be pulled apart with your hands. Larger perennials will need to be divided by inserting two garden forks into the crown of the plant back-to-back. Lever the forks away from each other to loosen the root mass. If the plant has a fleshy root it may need to be cut apart with a spade or knife.
The original plant should be divided into clumps containing 3-5 shoots.

Step 4: Prune

Trim larger, older leaves with secateurs and remove any dead foliage.

Step 5: Re-plant

The divided plants should be re-planted as soon as possible. Turn the soil over with a garden fork and create holes for the plants in the loosened soil. Steve doesn't recommend adding fertilizer as herbaceous perennials are fast growing, but if you are re-planting into the same site you may want to add a handful of slow-release fertilizer as the soil may be low in nutrients. Position the plants about 30 centimetres apart so they have space to grow. Water thoroughly after planting.