Needs Of Flower Garden

Shop for plants in your own garden, but how? Divide what you have. Dividing rejuvenates older plants that have begun to die out in the center. New clumps will be sturdy enough to become healthy, mature plants in the first year. Dividing also prevents a plant from taking over. If the remaining space is larger than you expected, consider filling in with annuals until the perennials re-establish themselves. In the mild weather of fall and early spring, plants are using energy to establish roots rather than top growth. A benefit of spring division is that growth is still very low to the ground, so you don't have to worry about breaking stems. It's generally best to divide spring-blooming flowers in fall and summer, and fall bloomers in spring.

Fibrous plants or those with a loose crown and root system are easy to pull apart. Use a flat spade, pitchfork or knife to break clumps into halves or quarters, while trying to leave the crown sections intact. It may be easier to remove the entire plant before dividing. Maintaining fairly large clumps reduces stress and aids in establishment. If you'll be moving a lot of plants or sizable ones, consider using a wheelbarrow half-filled with compost to fill any holes left behind. The compost will provide renewed, fertile soil for both the old and new plants. Place plants at their original depth in a hole at least as wide and deep as the root spread so that the roots aren't tipped up or curled back against each other.

After planting, mulch with a 1- to 2-inch layer of grass clippings or straw and water generously. When new growth appears, water less frequently to encourage roots grow deeply. Perennials easy to divide, transplant: Aster, bee balm, black-eyed Susan, boltonia, coneflower, day lilies, goldenrod, hosta, sedum, spiderwort, feather reed grass, dropseed, sedge and switch grass. Perennials difficult to divide, transplant: Anemones, balloon flower, candytuft, columbine, euphorbia, foxglove, gas plant, geranium (cranesbill), milkweed, Oriental poppy, baptisia, butterfly bush, lavender, little bluestem and miscanthus. Perennials to propagate by branch-rooting: Separate a side shoot or branch and cover the stem with soil to create a new plant while still attached. Cut once established. Examples: artemisia, leadplant and Russian sage.