The temperature has started to drop, the air is a little dryer and summer vacations are over. It’s time to show your yard a little love. It’s time to divide and conquer some of the perennials in your flower beds!
Hostas love shade and gardeners love hostas because they’re easy to grow. They can be divided in either the early fall or early spring. Divide plants when they have overcrowded the space or when you need to add to your garden design.
- Dig up the clump to be divided.
- Shake the excess soil off to make separation easier.
- Take a sharp knife (an old kitchen bread knife will do) or shovel to cut apart.
- Replant at about the same depth the hostas were growing and water well.
Irises need to be divided every three to five years to continue to flourish. Dividing your plants in the cooler weather will encourage better blooming in the spring. Irises grow from rhizomes which are found close to the top of the soil.
- Carefully dig up a clump of iris with a spade.
- Divide the rhizomes into pieces that are 3-4 inches long (don’t remove the roots).
- Trim the iris leaf fans back and replant in a sunny spot.
- Spread the roots out around the rhizome.
- Keep the rhizome close to the surface, cover with soil and water well.
A little fall maintenance will make your plants flourish. If you don’t have hostas in your garden already, now is a great time to plant.
Choosing the right hosta is easy with help from the garden experts at Calgo Gardens!
