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Perennials die each fall, come back new each spring

Perennials are herbaceous plants that die back to the ground each fall and put out new growth in the spring. Perennials are available in all sizes, colours shapes and for all locations in the yard. They also have different life spans. There are long living perennials that will come back for many years while others will die out after a few years.
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Perennials are herbaceous plants that die back to the ground each fall and put out new growth in the spring.

Perennials are available in all sizes, colours shapes and for all locations in the yard. They also have different life spans.

There are long living perennials that will come back for many years while others will die out after a few years.

Plants that are short lived need not be lost.

Often they will drop an abundance of seed. If the conditions are right, the seeds will germinate and a number of new plants will start to grow.

Always keep an eye out for new plants when weeding a perennial bed.

Early in the spring or late in the fall these plants can be dug and moved to a different location. Try to take as much of the root ball as possible when moving perennials.

Perennials such as Monkshood and Troilus form a clump.

As the plant ages the older part, center of the clump, dies leaving a circle of younger plants.

At this point the complete plant should be dug up, the dead area removed and the outer ring divided onto a number of new plants. One of the new plants can be planted where the old one was.

One need not wait until a perennial dies to split divide it into a number of new plants.

They can be split to produce new plants for the garden or to share with others.

Plants are usually split in early spring or late fall to minimize the plants’ stress.

Roots are damaged when a plant is split. In the spring the top growth is just emerging and the plant will quickly adjust the top growth to the roots available. In the fall, the top growth is old and dying reducing the plants stress.

Before splitting a perennial it is important look at the plants root structure.

To divide a clump forming perennials dig up the entire root and pull the root apart.

Make sure each part have an eye or growing shoot. If the roots cannot be pulled apart split them with a sharp blade.

Low growing, spreading groundcover can be split without removing the original plant. Look carefully at the plant to find where it is rooted and scoop up the plant and roots.

At times rooted pieces are not available. In that case, remove a few stems and plant it in a new location. Keep the portion moist until the plant has rooted.

Beware of plants that spread quickly by underground roots or rhizomes. These plants can be useful; in the shade, on slopes or in poor soil. When they are planted in an ideal location they can be invasive unless excess roots are removed once or twice a year. Propagation of these plants are easy; just remove some of the roots and plant them elsewhere.

Bearded Irises have fleshy rhizomes that sit at soil level. To divide these plants, dig them up remove all soft roots. Roots that are left can be divided into more sections as long as each section has an eye. Replant at the same depth as they were growing previously.

Plants that grow from bulbs such as lilies are easy to divide. Carefully dig up the bulbs making sure not to cut them with the spade. Remove excess soil and pull the bulbs apart. Most clumps contain bulbs of varying sizes. Each healthy bulb will produce a plant but the larger bulbs will produce more flowers. Traditionally, bulbs are transplanted and divided in fall but with care, it can be accomplished during spring.

What to do with extra plants is always a dilemma. Often they can be used in another section of the garden. When this is not the case give them to friends or neighbors. Many communities have plant exchanges that are open to the public. Here plants can be brought in traded, exchanged or purchased. As the plants have been grown locally, they should be hardy in the area.

Linda Tomlinson is a horticulturalist that lives near Rocky Mountain House. She can be reached at www.igardencanada.com or your_garden@hotmail.com.