Tuesday, May 14, 2024

Create New Perennial Plants for Free


¨Do it yourself¨ are the magic words for a lush blooming garden through dividing. Experienced gardeners will barely ever purchase new flowers.  For them, it is sheer pleasure to make two or four plants out of one by dividing a mature plant.


After two or three years for some perennials, it is time to lift and divide flowers - not only to gain new plants but also to let the original one stay healthy and beautiful.  Sedums, Hostas, or Yarrows for example start to grow outwards instead of upright and build a bare spot in the middle of the plant. 


Not only to Save Money and Time

Not only do you get plants for nothing, but you also get new plants that you know will thrive in your soil. It also makes a great impression to have groups of the same flowers with the same color as just a single lone plant.  You even save time as you don´t have to browse through nurseries and garden centers.





Eco-friendly Gardening

Another benefit of plant-dividing is eco-friendly gardening: It helps to avoid new plant-growing issues such as saving energy, avoiding plastic pots and stickers, trucking the plants hundreds of miles, etc. 


Steps on How to Divide

The best time for dividing is in early spring before the leaves grow two inches high. Start with a plan where the new ones go and dig out planting holes.  Fill them with water and add a dash of fertilizer or even better: a handful of compost.  Prepare either a tarp or use a wheelbarrow to avoid excess soil on your garden path, lawn, or flower beds.

Dig out the mother plant and divide it with a sharp spade (or two forks, placing them back to back) into two or more pieces.  Plant the flowers, fertilize them, water them again, and add mulch around the new planting.  


Soon you will enjoy more healthy, blooming flowers and a lush garden. 


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