Ditch The Shovel: There's A Better, Quicker Way To Divide Plants

Dividing plants allows you to get new shrubs and blooms for your yard and helps you stay on top of their size and health. It is an important part of gardening, but that doesn't mean it is always easy. Certain plants divide nicely. When they are smaller with fibrous root systems, plants can easily be divided by digging them up and gently separating them with a shovel or your hands. However, with certain perennials, division often feels like a battle. Thankfully, you can divide them with a saw to easily create new plants.

Of course, you shouldn't just take your saw to any plant. You don't want to damage the root system unnecessarily. However, larger plants with woody crowns or dense rhizomes are quite difficult to divide by hand or with a shovel, and a saw may be your only real option. Furthermore, plants that have clumping root systems, such as hostas and daylilies, can be divided with a saw if the roots cannot be pulled apart. A handsaw with a serrated edge is a good option for division. Sharpen your handsaw before use and clean and sterilize it to prevent the spread of disease. 

When dividing perennials with a saw, you first need to make sure that you are dividing them during the correct season. Certain perennials should be divided in spring, whereas others need to be divided in fall. It depends on when they bloom, as you don't want to divide them when they are concentrating their energy on flowering. They'll need the energy for root and leaf growth after being divided. Once you know you are in the correct season, you will need to water the plant thoroughly the day before. Aim to divide plants on a cloudy day, as a sunny, warm day can cause them to dry out. 

Dig up the whole root system with a fork or spade, then gently take it out of the ground. With your saw, cut through the center of the crown or root ball. How many divisions you make depends on the type of plant you are dividing, its size, and its health. For rhizomes, make sure that you are sawing a few inches of rhizome and one fan of leaves in each section. For plants with clumping root systems, aim for several eyes in each division. Be clean and concise with your saw. You don't want to injure the roots and rhizomes with little cuts. Once you have finished dividing your perennials, you can then plant them out in their new homes.