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Perennial Plants
The only thing better than having a perennial
plant in your garden is having 2, 4, or fifty plants. The more the
better, as that means less work for you each spring. However, this
is not to say that having a perennial plant means you can sit on
your duffs congratulating yourself on such a wise buying decision.
The reality is that every 3 or 4 years, you must divide your plant
or lose it to an unruly cluster of multiple colors, leaves and
stems.
Strangely enough, as your perennial plant produces more of itself,
this progeny can actually slow the plant’s chances of survival by
reducing the level of carbon dioxide available for breathing (it’s a
wonder these plants have survived on their own for so many
millennia). You must divide your plant.
Some types of the perennial plant family are easy to manipulate
without doing any damage to the plant. A good example of this is the
geranium. Their roots are loose enough that they can be safely
separated without breakage, often without even lifting the plant in
its entirety.
The first step is to lightly water the plant, thus making the soil
easier to manipulate. With a trowel, being careful not to cut the
roots, or by hand, begin removing the soil until the roots are fully
exposed. Then slowly raise the portion of the plant that you wish to
give away or plant somewhere else. Note that very large plants will
generally be separated into numerous parts, not just 2 parts. As
well, divide the parts into small enough allotments that you won’t
be dividing again next year.
Though cutting the roots is generally discouraged by perennial plant
experts, with some types of plant this becomes necessary. That is to
say, when roots are so small and enmeshed together that there is
little possibility of separating them otherwise (particularly with
roots that are ultra stiff), then cutting must take place. If done,
it’s best if the roots are treated thereafter with a protective
salve, particularly the larger roots. There are numerous
anti-bacterial pastes that can be applied to the areas that are cut.
When cutting, do try to cut as deeply as possible to the bottom of
the root network before cutting towards the center. After cutting is
completed, simply remove the plant that is to be moved to another
location. Be sure to allow the soil that is within the ball of roots
to remain with the roots as this will reduce the possibility of the
plant being shocked by the transplant. If it is difficult to remove
this section of the plant, try utilizing your trowel or even a large
shovel.
Upon placing the new transplant into the ground, be sure to fill in
extra soil, tamp down the soil accordingly, and water the plant well
so the roots can expand into their new environment.
Your perennial plant, no matter how sturdy, is still a delicate
organism. Yet by following the proper guidelines for separating, the
new shoots will prosper as well as the original.
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