PROPAGATION BY DIVISION

Presented by Sheryl Williams

Spring 2002

What is Division?

Separation of the crown of a plant into smaller pieces for propagation or to rejuvenate a plant

Each piece must have at least one bud (or eye) for new growth and

Some roots

Benefits of Division

Rejuvenate mature plants Acquire several small portions complete with

– Roots– Shoots

Can immediately be planted as new plants

What Cannot be divided?

Species that do not form a crown or have underground stems.

Candytuft, Iberis, grows entirely from a single stem, like a little tree.

Lavender and rosemary are the same.

When to Divide

Rule is:– If it blooms in Spring, divide in Fall– If it blooms in Fall, divide in Spring

When the plants are not in active growth If flower in spring, wait until they have bloomed Avoid extreme heat or cold

How do we know if a plant needs to be divided?

Has the plant outgrown it’s allotted space? Has the number of flowers decreased over the

last few years? Does the plant flop open? Does the plant have an open center?

Divide when a plant has outgrown it’s spot

Divide when a plant flops open in the middle

Clara Curtis Chrysanthe-mum

Why does this happen?

Perennials are non woody plants Majority make their new growth from the base,

or crown Majority roots or rhizomes spread Plants form clumps

How plants grow – exampleAlfalfa crown

The crown is the over wintering stem tissue The crown and root tissue store carbohydrates

(food) produced through photosynthesis Crown buds produce the vegetative regrowth

following harvest or Produce branch rhizomes.

Alfalfa crown 2

Branch rhizome is the structure from which new growth will initiate in the spring

The Branch rhizomes grow outward and upward increasing the circumference of the plant

The crown increases in size each year.

Alfalfa plant diagram

Lab 1 – Examine the samples

What kind of structure do you have?– Spreading– Clumping– Fleshy– Rhizome

How a plant dies

out in the

middle

Prepare to Divide

Prepare beds for the new plants ahead of time, adding organic matter and fertilizer

If you can’t replant immediately, heel in your divisions while you are preparing the beds

Replant as soon as possible

Dig up the Plant

Carefully pry up the plant, inserting the fork at an angle several inches outside

Work all around the plant, lifting gently until the clump comes free from the soil.

Set the plant down and slice through the crown

Use a spade if the plant is woody.

Divide the clump into as many smaller pieces as desired

Be sure each piece has vigorous shoots

How to Divide

Cut away the woody or hard, unproductive center of the old plant, using shoots only from the outer part of the clump

Shake or wash them free of soil– You can see the natural lines of division– Avoid damaging the roots, buds or shoots

Prune Back

Any dead or damaged foliage Trim some of the top if the top is too lush for

the roots Plant divisions at the same depth as the

original plant

Don’t let the roots dry out

Heel the cuttings in Either moist soil mix or peat Plastic storage crates are great

How to Divide small plants

Small plants can be pulled apart

Back to Back Garden Forks

Great for large fibrous-rooted perennials.

Place garden forks back to back and lever the forks back and forth to loosen the roots.

Rhizomes can be cut apart with a knife

Autumn Joy Sedum

Cut in half

Techniques for Dividing Perennials

List courtesy of Fine Gardening Magazine– http://Taunton.com/finegardening/pages/g00022.asp

Chart of which tool to use to divide which perennial

Also includes some perennials to leave alone

How to Plant your new divisions

Cover plants with sun protection– Burlap– Boxes– Paper pots

Apply mulch

Where to get more information

American Horticultural Society, Plant Propagation, Alan Toogood Editor in Chief

The Well Tended Perennial Garden; Planting and Pruning Techniques by Tracy DiSabato-Aust

Helpful websites

http://ag.arizona.edu/pubs/garden/mg/botany/plantparts.html plant botany for lay people

http://www.savvygardener.com/Features/when_to_didvide_perennials.html (yes it is spelled incorrectly) chart of when to divide plants

http://behnke.com/Library/perenniallibrary.htmlDifferent methods of propagating plants