Most gardeners still have trouble learning to divide their plants properly. If handled at just the right time with just the right tools, then you can take away a section of your garden to start anew elsewhere.
Friends and family will often love to receive these plants as gifts and you might even be able make a fair trade or two in the process. However, you want to take away the healthiest plants possible that look great and live long. There are a lot of simple improvements you can make during this time that will have a visible difference on this divided plant life. These tips will be discussed below.
One of the biggest questions that new gardeners face is “when should I divide my plants”? There is no right answer, although you definitely want to perform the operation before the plants become too large, too old, or begin to overcrowd the garden.
Most gardeners will agree that the best time to perform division is when the plant is looking the best. If you divide beautiful plants, then you will have beautiful plants to take elsewhere: it’s that simple. Wait until the end of the best year and find your scalpel.
If you provide adequate aftercare, then you can technically divide a plant during any time of the year. Though you may be able to divide during any month of the year and get away with it, the best results with the quickest turnarounds come from divisions that are performed during Spring.
With the spring weather, your soil is actually much warmer than the air above it during most of the day. Your plants will keep low to the ground while their roots still manage to grow strong and healthy.
Caring for your plants while they are out of the ground is a difficult process, but moist soil in a cool environment will keep them healthy until they are back in the dirt. The humidity should remain around fifty percent and the temperature should work around fifty-degrees Celsius.
A great place to store the plants is often a high-shelf in your garage. Place your divided plants in their appropriate containers and cover them in newspaper. Sprinkle a small amount of water on the newspaper every so often and replace them in the soil as quickly as possible.
If you take from the garden, then you want to replace it with something beneficial like compost immediately. A bucket full of divided plants should be replaced with a bucketful of compost to keep the garden healthy until the new plants take their place. The new plants will be at a disadvantage and if their soil is working against them as well, they will have an even harder time surviving. Protect the empty lots from insects and other pests and your plants will thank you.
You can work with your garden, your soil, and your plants to create the perfect combination of nature and hard work. Eventually, your plants will become old or begin to overcrowd the garden that you have worked so hard on. Division on a regular cycle removes these excess plants and keeps your garden looking young, sleek, and professional.
