How To Lift And Divide Herbaceous Perennials
Steve Redman from Holland Park in London shows you how to lift and divide herbaceous perennials, which will create several individual plants from a single original one.
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Step 1:
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You will need
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Step 2:
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Lift
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Gently lift plants out of the soil with a spade, working away from the crown centre to limit root damage.
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Step 3:
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Divide
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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.
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Step 4:
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Prune
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Trim larger, older leaves with secateurs and remove any dead foliage.
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Step 5:
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Re-plant
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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.
