Garden Tip 44:

NOW IS THE TIME TO DIVIDE AND CONQUER PERENNIALS!

Perennials are now showing new growth in the garden. Plants such as hosta, daylilies and even ornamental grasses can appear as rings of new growth with an empty center. This is a sure sign that it is time to divide these plants.

Overtime the center of the plant crowds out and dies and new growth is concentrated to the outside creating a ring like appearance. It is no easy job to split some of these plants but the upside is that one ends up with three or four new plants.

Divisions can be used to fill in voids or can be replanted in a drift like pattern creating a nice visual effect in the garden. Plants respond well to dividing now only when new growth is small. Many of these same plants can be divided in the fall as well.