The beginning of September is a great time to take a good long look at your garden and yard, especially the perennials (plants that return year after year). Here are some things to think about as you walk around and visit your plants:
Take some photos! Document the good, the bad, the unknown. It’s easy to take for granted that you won’t forget where those stunning purple flowers were blooming–or even what the rest of the plant looks like when the flowers are gone. Photos may also be used to cheer you up mid-winter with a color infusion.
What’s working well/done well and what could be better? Do you have rock star hostas near your front door that you wish were also somewhere else too? Consider not only where you’d like a plant to be, but also what the plant might like–does the potential new location match a plant’s need for light, type of soil, and exposure to weather elements?
Four to six weeks before the ground freezes is the best time to divide plants that bloom in spring and summer.
There are fewer garden chores to complete in the fall (vs. spring) so right now you can really concentrate on where you would like things to be.
The Basics of Division
Mim Brien grows all manner of plants in the Northern Lakes area. Mim fits the profile of so many stellar gardeners: knowledgeable, in love with plants, and generous in giving advice and time. She is a member of the Pine River Garden Club (see More Resources below). Her yard features a wealth of perennials. Here are some photos and tips from Mim for plants that are good candidates to divide now: Asiatic lilies, goat’s beard, and cone flowers.
When dividing you want the plants to experience as little stress as possible. For these Asiatic lilies (below), Mim recommends waiting until “all the top green is dead, so later in the fall.”
For goat's beard (Aruncus Dioices), which Mim says is relatively easy to divide, “cut back the top growth, just leaving a foot or so above ground when dividing in the fall.”
With 35 years of gardening experience, Mim has divided a lot of flowers and plants! “I found the most important thing to do when transplanting is to keep them watered and out of direct sun! I will often cover new transplants with ag fabric or burlap until they get established.”
Mim says cone flowers (aka echinacea) are easy to divide in the fall. “Just dig the root out of the ground, cut the top growth off, and plant and water.” You don’t have to worry so much about sun, says Mim. “If you’ve cut the top grown off, you just want to be concerned about getting roots established.
Perennials Best to NOT Transplant in the Fall
Mim points out that some plants, like primrose, are more touchy about transplanting. “I would only do primrose in the spring. They need a good root base to survive the winter. Some plants, like lupine and balloon flowers, have very deep tap roots. They can be tricky to transplant, so best to do when they are very young!”
For more tips on what to do with perennials (and the rest of your yard) for fall, check out this post on Pollinator Friendly Yard care.
Basic Dividing Tips
If you won’t be replanting/relocating immediately, use root stimulating fertilizer and water in a bucket or wheel barrow to set the divided plants into. Some, like ligularia, will wilt quickly when stressed.
Dig up the portion you want to divide, getting as much of the roots as possible.
Gently brush and shake soil off the roots, detangling them gently if necessary
Cut the roots into as many divisions as you’d like.
Gently pull them apart and set in the water/fertilizer mix
Use water/fertilizer mix to water the newly relocated plants. Water new plants often for the first few weeks (or until frost).
Watch for Ideal Conditions
Dividing spring and summer blooming perennials in September is optimal, assuming it’s a plant that has finished blooming for the season, as mentioned earlier. If still flowering, much of a plant’s energy will be tied up in blooming, making less available for establishing after a transplant. In preparation, water the plants to be divided well the day before. It’s also less stressful for the plants if you can work on a cloudy day.
“It would be ideal if you divided your plants when there are a couple days of rain in the forecast to soak them well, but since there was a 99% chance of rain one evening last week and it didn’t rain, you probably shouldn’t count on that,” says Jennifer Knutson, University of Minnesota Extension Master Gardener.
Jennifer offers a list of perennials to divide now: Peonies, Oriental poppy, Siberian iris, ajuga, allium, astilbe, brunnera, columbine, coreopsis, creeping phlox, heuchera, hosta, lady’s mantle, lilies, pulmonaria, salvia (divide when center of plant dies), tiarella, veronica
This University of Minnesota Extension webpage has more details and resources. If you are unsure of what you’ve got (and whether it is a perennial), try the Seek app by iNaturalist for your smartphone. Public libraries are great sources of gardening books, including perennial guides suited to your area. Another online strategy is to simply Google the plant by name or look for master gardeners in your area. See this link for a directory of master gardeners in the U.S. and Canada.
Use What You Have (or Can Get for Free)
Dividing and sharing plants is squarely in the territory of sustainability. It’s like the advice out there to “shop your closet” to get new wardrobe ideas. Gardeners tend to be wonderfully generous and proud to share their stuff with others. If you see someone working in a yard you admire, strike up a conversation–you never know what you might learn (or be offered!).
Social media can also be great for finding (or sharing) plants. In the Driftless area, there is the Perennial Plant Exchange Facebook group that is for the Winona, MN and Fountain City, WI areas. This group is based on trading, not selling. And they accept “in search of” requests if you are looking for a certain plant. Be sure to read all the details in the “About” section.
In the Northern Lakes area, the Buy Nothing Facebook group, based in Pequot Lakes, has postings about plants and garden items. In Park Rapids, the local library often has swaps, and one coming up September 7 will be focused on plants–see graphic.
More Resources
In Pine River, the Pine River Garden Club meets from March through October with monthly education topics. For more information, contact club president Sherry Fitch at 218-821-4855.
In Crow Wing County, you may get your garden questions answered by calling the Master Gardener Help Line at 218-824-1068 and leaving a message. A Master Gardener will return your call.
For assistance from a master gardener in Wisconsin, use this link: https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/ask-a-gardening-question/
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