Ask GreenScapes: Pruning and Dividing Perennials

Many gardening enthusiasts ask us about the best ways to prune and divide their perennials. Here are some key tips to help you maintain a healthy, beautiful garden:

Why Prune and Divide?

While perennials will often survive if left alone, they won’t look their best. Proper pruning and dividing helps keep your plants vibrant and encourage new growth.

When to Divide Your Perennials

• Timing:
  As a general rule, plants that bloom in the fall should be divided in the spring, and those that bloom in the spring should be divided in the fall. However, if you missed dividing them last fall, it’s not too late. Early flowering plants can still be divided just after blooming in April or May.
• Signs Your Plants Need Dividing:
  If you notice that the outer edges of your plant are thriving, but the center looks sparse or even dead, it’s time to divide. Additionally, if the flowers are smaller than usual, it’s a sign the plant is stressed and could benefit from division. Dividing the plant restores its vigor.

Low-Maintenance Perennials

Plants like Iris, Hostas, and various ferns are low-maintenance and require care only once or twice a year. For example, Moonbeam Coreopsis is a low-growing perennial with bright yellow flowers that bloom from late spring until the first frost. These plants thrive with minimal maintenance and can be easily divided to keep them healthy and thriving.

How to Divide Your Perennials

To divide your perennials, simply dig up the plant with a shovel and carefully split the roots into four to eight pieces, depending on the size of the plant. This process prevents overcrowding and allows you to replant the divisions in other areas of your garden.

Proper Pruning for Healthy Growth

If you didn’t prune your perennials last fall, now is the time to do it in the spring. Pruning helps encourage healthy, beautiful plants.

• Evergreen Plants:
  Some plants are almost evergreen and grow throughout the year. For these, simply remove any stray branches or leaves and trim off dead flower stems or those damaged by winter burn.
• Leggy Plants:
  Plants that become leggy can benefit from pruning to keep them under control. This promotes a fuller, neater appearance.
• Deadheading & Pinching Back:
  Regular deadheading and pinching back are great ways to encourage more blooms and extend the flowering period.