When to Divide these Perennial’s

 

Quick facts

• Perennials are plants that grow back each year.
• Dividing or splitting a single perennial into multiple plants helps the plant perform better.
• When perennials are divided, there is more space for roots to grow and absorb nutrients and water.
• Dividing perennials can help manage the size of the plant.
• You will have more plants of the same kind to add to your garden when you divide a perennial.

 

Perennials such as asters, hostas, and yarrow can be divided easily with no hassle. You can also divide perennial herbs to expand your harvest. All you need to get the job done is a shovel and work gloves. 

 

Leave These Be

While most perennials benefit from being divided every few years, there are a few that thrive better if they’re kept intact. Avoid dividing these varieties:

• Baptisia
• Bleeding heart (Dicentra)
• Butterfly weed (Asclepias)
• Christmas rose (Helleborus)
• Gas plant (Dictamnus)
• Lavender (Lavandula)
• Oriental poppy (Papaver orientale)

Divide Every 3 to 4 Years

Rule of thumb: Most perennials do best when divided every three to four years. When in doubt, this is the route you should take. These varieties include:

• Astilbe
• Bee balm (Monarda)
• Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia)
• Daylily (Hemerocallis)
• Hosta
• Peony (Paeonia)
• Phlox
• Purple coneflower (Echinacea)
• Siberian iris (Iris sibirica)

Divide Every 2 to 3 Years

Some perennials need a little more attention. Divide these every other or every third year to keep them performing at their best.

• Aster
• Blanket flower (Gaillardia)
• Clustered bellflowers (Campanula glomerata)
• Coreopsis
• Lamb’s ears (Stachys)
• Yarrow (Achillea)