Dividing Perennials
What does it mean to 'divide' perennials?
To break it into smaller pieces and we can take those smaller pieces and place them in a larger section in the garden or place them in a different section in the garden.
How do I know a perennial needs dividing?
Usually, there's a reduction in the vigor of the plant. Sometimes there will be a lot of what we consider congestion. A lot of branches criss crossing and it looks kind of like a traffic jam, if you will. And too, if a hole develops in the center of the plant. Those are usually indications that division is needed.
When should I divide perennials?
There's sometimes a rule that used to be said that we divide spring-flowering plants in the autumn and autumn-flowering plants in the spring. So that's a general rule, but I do a lot of divisions in the spring because we do not have a reliable snow cover, and we have a lot of fluctuating temperatures over the winter. We have some problems with autumn divisions if they're done too close to cold temperature, so we'll do a lot of plants in the spring when they're anywhere from three to four inches in height.
How do you divide perennials?
We can divide a perennial that has a very fibrous root system by using a double-fork technique even, where we take one garden fork, put it into the clump, bring the other fork, interlock the tines, pull the handles together and then separate and create a really easy break. Mind you, I forgot to mention that, of course, the plant should be out of the ground when you're doing that, but that's a fast method for division.