PLANTS THAT NEED DIVIDING

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 129, 25 February 1938, Page 18

PLANTS THAT NEED DIVIDING

Considered apart from tbe effects of this year's weather conditions, if your delphiniums and peonies evidenced a tendency to flower early, to produce weak growth, and to bear small, shortlived flowers, division is certainly called for.

In any case, if this is the plant’s third year dr longer in the same position, division is a necessity. These two subjects are picked on specially as being the first of the perennials to be divided where neceksary. The soil is yet in a suitably warm, growing condition, and, when planted, the divisions will have every chance of becoming established quickly, before the winter sets in. When there is delay, root activity is suspended and the divisions either straggle on to a poor show next year, or rot off. To prepare the plant for its move, the day before lifting it, nick Ift. deep round each specimen with a spade, Sin. away from the outer stems. The next day when you lift you will find that if you press your spade to the bottom of the nick, push the handle backward and lever upward, the plant will come up complete, with a ball of soil inside the nick.

If there is any resistance, as there may be with delphiniums which have deep tap-roots, dig deeper with a fork to loosen the soil and the root’s grip. After lifting, dislodge the soil with a sharply-pointed wooden label or dibber. A delphinium forms a tap-root and several thick, 'fleshy branches, each arising a few inches below the central crowm As fibre roots are scarce, use care in handling. Divide with a knii> Each division should possess its fan share of root with at least one crown at its apex. Make each cut where the branch diverges from the main root. To prevent bleeding, immediately after cutting rub the parts in freshlyslaked lime or ashes. Peony roots are more than usually difficult to divide, owing to the hard mass beneath the small, finger-like crowns. If you try to break them off they will splinter. The best way is to cut through them with a tenon-saw — allowing four crowns to each division —or to chop right through with a sharp axe.

Among the big tuft.of roots there may be a few which are shrivelled and are useless. Be sure to cut these oft. In the ordinary way you would leave the top growth until it had quite died down before cutting it away. But to facilitate handling ‘cut the growth away either before or after lifting. For replanting, prepare stations 2ft. square and 2ft. deep for each division, with three-quarters of a bucketful of littery manure well mixed in right at the bottom, and so provide for another two to three years of development.