<\/p>\n
Looking to keep your perennials healthy while also expanding your plant collection? Dividing perennials is the answer! Here’s how to do it, along with a few other great perennial care tips.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Dividing your perennials offers your garden tons of incredible benefits, including:<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Before you even bring out a spade, it’s important to plan out how you’re going to divide your perennials. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help make the process as smooth and painless as possible!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Autumn is an ideal time to divide your perennials because the temperatures are cooler and most plants are done flowering, except for <\/span>fall bloomers<\/span><\/a><\/span>. Plus, doing it now means you’ll have one less thing to do in the spring.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Pro Tip:<\/b> When dividing your plants, do it about 4-6 weeks before the ground freezes so their roots have time to establish themselves.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Here are a few other tips and tricks to help you divide your perennials with confidence this <\/span>fall<\/span><\/a>:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Species like milkweed, false indigo, balloon flower, and sea holly have long taproots that extend deep into the ground and are almost impossible to divide, so it’s best to leave these plants alone; however, you can try slicing a portion of the root and foliage into separate divisions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n In general, perennials with tough woody roots should not be divided. However, species that multiply with runner branches dipping into the soil\u2014like lavender, candytuft, and Russian sage\u2014can absolutely be divided for propagation!<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Some perennials, including certain large, ornamental grass species, have deep, strong, tightly woven root structures that are difficult to dig up, so unless you want to dig a massive hole, it’s usually easier to chunk off a section of these roots without uprooting the whole mother.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Here are a few common pitfalls to avoid when dividing your perennials this fall:<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Whether you’re tending to newly-divided perennials or caring for established plants, they all benefit from extra attention in the fall. In particular, watering your perennials in the fall is essential for preparing them for the dry months of winter. It’s also key to trim away any <\/span>diseased<\/span><\/a><\/span> foliage to give them a clean start next spring. Finally, some\u2014but not all\u2014perennials benefit from extra mulch to keep them warm, notably those that are tender and newly planted.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Autumn can be a busy time, but it’s also a final opportunity to enjoy your garden and prepare your plants for the winter. If you need any more <\/span>guidance on perennial plants<\/span><\/span><\/a>, come visit our garden centers in Bloomingdale and Carpentersville! <\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column] Whether you’re tending to newly-divided perennials or caring for established plants, they all benefit from extra attention in the fall. Looking to keep your perennials healthy while also expanding your plant collection? Dividing perennials is the answer! Here’s how to do it, along with a few other great perennial care tips.\u00a0 Why Should […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":348,"featured_media":54246,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"Why Should I Divide Perennials?<\/h3>\n
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![\"dividing](\"https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/dividing-perennial-plants-Platt-Hill-Nursery-Chicago.jpg\")
<\/h3>\nGuidelines for Dividing Perennials in Chicago<\/h3>\n
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When to Divide Perennials in Chicago<\/h3>\n
![\"Taproot](\"https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Taproot-and-fibrous-root-systems-Platt-Hill-Nursery-Chicago.jpg\")
<\/h3>\nMore Guidelines for Perennial Division<\/h3>\n
Can I Divide Taproots?\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
What Should I Do with Woody Roots?<\/h3>\n
![\"dividing](\"https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/dividing-hosta-plants-Platt-Hill-Nursery-Chicago.jpg\")
<\/h3>\nHow Should I Deal With Roots that Are Hard to Dig?<\/h3>\n
Common Mistakes to Avoid<\/em><\/h4>\n
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Preparing Your Perennials for Winter<\/h3>\n
Platt Hill Nursery is Chicago\u2019s premier garden center and nursery.<\/span><\/i><\/h4>\n
![\"division](\"https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/division-of-perennial-newsletter-subscribe-button-Platt-Hill-Nursery-Chicago.jpg\")
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\n\t\t[\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Whether you're tending to newly-divided perennials or caring for established plants, they all benefit from extra attention in the fall.<\/span><\/em><\/h4>\r\n \r\n\r\nLooking to keep your perennials healthy while also expanding your plant collection? Dividing perennials is the answer! Here's how to do it, along with a few other great perennial care tips.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n
Why Should I Divide Perennials?<\/h3>\r\nDividing your perennials offers your garden tons of incredible benefits, including:<\/span>\r\n
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\r\n \t
<\/h3>\r\nGuidelines for Dividing Perennials in Chicago<\/h3>\r\nBefore you even bring out a spade, it's important to plan out how you're going to divide your perennials. Here's a step-by-step guide to help make the process as smooth and painless as possible!\u00a0<\/span>\r\n
\r\n \t
\r\n \t
\r\n \t
\r\n \t
When to Divide Perennials in Chicago<\/h3>\r\nAutumn is an ideal time to divide your perennials because the temperatures are cooler and most plants are done flowering, except for <\/span>fall bloomers<\/span><\/a><\/span>. Plus, doing it now means you'll have one less thing to do in the spring.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nPro Tip:<\/b> When dividing your plants, do it about 4-6 weeks before the ground freezes so their roots have time to establish themselves.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n
<\/h3>\r\nMore Guidelines for Perennial Division<\/h3>\r\nHere are a few other tips and tricks to help you divide your perennials with confidence this <\/span>fall<\/span><\/a>:<\/span><\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n
Can I Divide Taproots?\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\r\nSpecies like milkweed, false indigo, balloon flower, and sea holly have long taproots that extend deep into the ground and are almost impossible to divide, so it's best to leave these plants alone; however, you can try slicing a portion of the root and foliage into separate divisions.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n
What Should I Do with Woody Roots?<\/h3>\r\nIn general, perennials with tough woody roots should not be divided. However, species that multiply with runner branches dipping into the soil\u2014like lavender, candytuft, and Russian sage\u2014can absolutely be divided for propagation!<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n
<\/h3>\r\nHow Should I Deal With Roots that Are Hard to Dig?<\/h3>\r\nSome perennials, including certain large, ornamental grass species, have deep, strong, tightly woven root structures that are difficult to dig up, so unless you want to dig a massive hole, it's usually easier to chunk off a section of these roots without uprooting the whole mother.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n
Common Mistakes to Avoid<\/em><\/h4>\r\nHere are a few common pitfalls to avoid when dividing your perennials this fall:<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>\r\n
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\r\n \t
\r\n \t
\r\n \t
Preparing Your Perennials for Winter<\/h3>\r\nWhether you're tending to newly-divided perennials or caring for established plants, they all benefit from extra attention in the fall. In particular, watering your perennials in the fall is essential for preparing them for the dry months of winter. It's also key to trim away any <\/span>diseased<\/span><\/a><\/span> foliage to give them a clean start next spring. Finally, some\u2014but not all\u2014perennials benefit from extra mulch to keep them warm, notably those that are tender and newly planted.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nAutumn can be a busy time, but it's also a final opportunity to enjoy your garden and prepare your plants for the winter. If you need any more <\/span>guidance on perennial plants<\/span><\/span><\/a>, come visit our garden centers in Bloomingdale and Carpentersville! <\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n
Platt Hill Nursery is Chicago\u2019s premier garden center and nursery.<\/span><\/i><\/h4>\r\n \r\n\r\n
<\/a>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n ","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[974,971,40],"tags":[108,2472,109,2473,2475,2471,2464,2467,2469,2456,2466,2468,2474,2465,2470,1226,1386],"class_list":["post-54243","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-perennials","category-how-to","category-gardening","tag-bloomingdale-garden-center","tag-caring-for-perennials-in-autumn","tag-carpentersville-garden-center","tag-chicago-fall-garden-divide-perennial","tag-chicago-gardening-in-autumn","tag-dividing-a-garden-perennial","tag-dividing-perennial-plants","tag-division-of-perennial-plants","tag-division-of-taproot-system","tag-fall-mulching-in-the-garden","tag-how-to-divide-perennials","tag-how-to-divide-plants","tag-perennial-plant-care-in-chicago","tag-perennial-plant-guide","tag-perennial-root-systems","tag-platt-hill-nursery","tag-platt-hill-nursery-chicago"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54243","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/348"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=54243"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54243\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/54246"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=54243"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=54243"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=54243"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}