Week 25:

TIME TO DIG & DIVIDE!

Recently I mentioned that fall is a great time to dig, divide and move perennials. We are all guilty at some point of not giving plants enough room to grow. Those shrubs and perennials that we planted years ago may now be competing for space and sunlight!

Check your gardens this fall for perennials such as astilbe, hosta, daylilies and peonies that may be overgrown by adjacent shrubs. Deciduous shrubs like forsythia and viburnum can sometimes be cut back to accommodate these perennials. Evergreens such as arborvitae and holly are better left alone and the perennials should be moved.

Check these same areas again in the spring for buried clumps of tulips, daffodils, and crocus. These bulbs can be lifted and replanted when their foliage yellows in late spring.