How To Get TONS Of Free Plants In Autumn (Perennial Dividing), by Garden With Ben on YouTube. 10 min 45 s.
- Video length
- 10 min 45 s
- Time to do it
- 30 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Pick a perennial that has finished flowering and looks crowded or bare in the middle. Autumn is ideal because the soil is still warm and roots can settle before winter.
Water the plant well the day before you lift it. Damp soil makes the clump easier to dig and reduces stress on the roots.
Dig a circle around the clump, about 15 cm out from the stems, and lever the whole root ball out with your spade or fork.
Shake off loose soil so you can see the roots and natural split points. Put the clump on a tarp to keep the border tidy.
Pull the clump apart with two forks back to back, or cut through tough roots with a sharp knife. Aim for sections with roots and healthy shoots.
Discard the woody or hollow centre and keep the firm outer pieces. Each piece should have at least three or four shoots.
Replant the divisions at the same depth they grew before, spacing them about 30 cm apart. Firm the soil around each one.
Water each new plant thoroughly and add a layer of compost or mulch. Keep watering if the autumn is dry until the ground freezes.
Tips and common mistakes
Divide in the cooler part of the day and replant straight away so roots do not dry out.
Only split healthy, vigorous clumps. Weak plants recover better if left whole until spring.
Do not bury the crown deeper than it was before, or the plant may rot over winter.
Label or map the new positions so you do not dig them up by mistake in spring.
Questions
Which perennials can I divide in autumn?
Most spring and summer flowering clumps work well, such as hardy geraniums, daylilies, hostas and asters. Leave late-flowering or tender plants until spring.
How often should I divide perennials?
Every three to five years is typical, or sooner if the centre dies out or flowering drops. Dividing keeps the plant young and stops it taking over.
What if I have no room for the new plants?
Pot the divisions into containers of compost and grow them on, or give them to neighbours. Pot-grown pieces can be planted out next spring.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
