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New England Gardening

Time to divide perennial ?

14 years ago

I am in Soutehrn MA it's a 6A/B by (02764) the USDA zone maps.. I say 5 to keep myself from killing stuff.

I have a bunch of stuff I'd like to divide. Can I do it now...I know I'd plant NEW shrubs now...but can if I risked divorce and brought new perennials now and/or divided them now would they live?

i have ech,shasta daisy,fancy bleeding hearts,hosta and a few other perennials i need to divide..

And are you doing a swap I see them posted for otehr regions..I would love to go!

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Comments (7)

diene
14 years ago
I am digging and splitting lots of stuff now so I would say, go for it. It will enable the plant to get comfortable in it's new home before winter sets in. I am in Maine and plan on attending Annie's swap in NH as that is the closest to me.
Hello neighbor.
diene
ontheteam
Original Author
14 years ago
Ohh NH. It's not close but it's not out of the question lol...
I'll have to look. Thanks for answering!
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Perennial Candytuft- How long will it sulk after dividing?
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It may sulk for quite awhile :-) Not all perennials need or should be divided. Iberis sempervirens is considered a subshrub, in that it is both evergreen and develops a permanent woody framework. Typically, perennial subshrubs do not get divided or do not respond well to division, in the manner of most other woody, shrubby species. That's not to say it can't be done, only that it is not recommended and the plant may be at risk if you do so. "Lavender cotton (Santolina chamaecyparissus) and several other perennials are actually small woody shrubs and should not be divided. These include perennial candytuft (Iberis sempervirens), lavender, rosemary, southernwood (Artemesia abrotanum), and several other artemesias. These plants often have rooted layers (branches that have developed roots while touching the soil). The layers can be cut off the parent plant, dug up and replanted as though they were divisions." I'd also add heaths and heathers to this list as well.
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How late to divide perennials?
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It depends on the plant :-) I've divided some in the middle of winter (eg: hostas, daylilies, Siberian iris) with no ill-effect. OTOH, both agastache and penstemons tend to prefer really good drainage and sometimes have issues with our winter weather. Agastache in particular I would tend to leave be until spring and drier conditions. FWIW, the rule of thumb in the timing of dividing perennials is to divide early blooming perennials in fall and later season perennials in spring. But that's pretty general and there are always exceptions.
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I have a number of candidates in mind. My inground gardening area is so restrictive and some of the plants have grown so well (and so big) that division is a must or I am faced with the potential smothering of smaller, more demure species by these bigger thugs. On the top of my list is the massive Baptisia I discussed earlier. Also a very happy (and huge) clump of apricot colored Kniphofia, a clump of lavender daylilies and Aster divaricatus (now Eurybia divaricata), which has grown far better and larger than I imagined in a pretty intensely full sun position. Never was quite that prolific in its more preferred part shade location in my old woodland garden!
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Jenn, You are getting snow? We are getting another sprinkle. This year has been ridiculous. So based on the comments here, I guess the plan is to do as much as possible with raking leaves and cleaning dead things out and working on the compost piles. Our ground is soft so maybe we should dig the new bed awhile. That way I can still get some things accomplished without disturbing plants. Laceyvail - Wow! We stopped trying to grow soft fruit trees like apricots for that very reason. The blueberries are grown in pots so I can move them to a sheltered location if strange weather threatens, though moving 32 huge pots presents its own challenges. The strawberries so far have not affected by late spring freezes but again, I have trees on that one side so it does create a microclimate. I wish the weather would make up its mind!
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sedum37
14 years ago
Generally the rule is to divide in fall plants that bloom in spring and divde in spring plants that bloom in fall. I don't know how tried and true this method is but it give you some idea of the thinking of gardening gurus.
diggingthedirt
14 years ago
Lisa is having a swap in Plymouth on Sunday Sept 27. She's right off Rt 3, easy to find.
ontheteam
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks!
arbo_retum
14 years ago
fall is a great time to divide all you have (and most things) because it's cool .your bleeding heasrt will die back after dividing but they are tough as nails and will return next spring. hosta can be divided ANY time. they are toughest of all perennials i think. after you divide flowering plants that have finished flowering, cut them back hard so enrgy goes into roots and not flowers/foliage.

But Tracy Di Sabato's book The Well Tended Perennial Garden for charts of plants and timing for their pruning, dividing, etc. Best investment you can make.

best,
mindy
ontheteam
Original Author
14 years ago
Mindy! Thanks! I'll where i can find it.

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