When should I divide my perennals ? Here are some suggestions.

image from petiligradencenter.com 

When should I divide my perennals?  Here are some suggestions. 

What a lovely morning.  Clear, blue sky with little wind.  For us working in the greenhouse it will be an awesome day, and the plants will love it.  High of 53F(11C) which is our normal season temperature.  ENJOY, stay safe.
 
Australia family and friends for their Friday April 10 will have a high of 67F(19C) but there is alerts in effect sheep glazier warning (which means lots of rain so watch your livestock) and severe weather.    Wind gusts up to 14 mph.  Stay warm, stay safe. 

I am sharing with you the publication from Iowa State Extension about dividing perennials. Some good information on when to divide perennials.  I know they are starting to come up.  Good luck if you want to do these with the perennials. 

When to Divide Perennials Herbaceous perennials are commonly divided for three reasons: to control size, to rejuvenate plants, and to propagate a prized perennial. Vigorous perennials may grow so rapidly that they crowd out neighboring plants in the flower bed. Other perennials decline in vigor if not divided at the appropriate time. One of the easiest ways to propagate a prized perennial is to divide the plant into two or more smaller plants.
• Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)—A taproot makes
division difficult. However, butterfly weed is easily propagated by seeds.    (Personal note.  I tried to do this transplanting and there is a long taproot.  It didn’t work.)  I should have left it.
• Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum × morifolium)—Divide
mums every 2 or 3 years in spring.
• Columbine (Aquilegia species)—Many species and
varieties are short-lived. Division is difficult, carefully
divide in late summer.
• Coral Bells (Heuchera species)—Divide in spring or late
summer/early fall.
• Coreopsis (Coreopsis species)—Divide in spring or late
summer/early fall.
The best time to divide perennials varies with the different
plant species. The appropriate times to divide widely
grown perennials are listed below.
• Aster (Aster species)—Divide every 2 or 3 years 
in spring.
• Astilbe (Astilbe species)—Divide every 3 or 4 years 
in spring.
• Baby’s Breath (Gypsophila paniculata)—Division 
is difficult, carefully divide in spring or late 
summer/early fall.
• Basket-of-Gold (Aurinia saxatilis)— Divide in late
summer/early fall. Basket-of-gold also can be propagated
by stem cuttings in spring or late summer.
• Bee Balm (Monarda didyma)—Divide every 2 or 3 years
in spring.
• Blanket Flower (Gaillardia × grandiflora)—Divide 
in spring.
• Blazing Star (Liatris species)—Divide in spring.
• Bleeding Heart (Dicentra species)—Best done in spring.
Also can be divided in late summer/early fall.
• Cornflower (Centaurea species)—Requires division every
2 or 3 years. Divide in spring.
• Daylily (Hemerocallis species)—Divide in spring or late
summer/early fall.
• Delphinium (Delphinium species)—Usually short-lived,
division is seldom necessary.
• False Indigo (Baptisia australis)—Division is difficult
because of its long taproot. Plants can be started 
from seeds.
• Gooseneck Loosestrife (Lysimachia clethroides)—Plants
spread aggressively. Divide every 2 or 3 years in spring.
• Hardy Geranium (Geranium species)—Divide in spring
or late summer/early fall.
• Hardy Zinnia (Heliopsis helianthoides)—Divide every
other year in spring or late summer/early fall.
• Hosta (Hosta species)—Plants can be left undisturbed for
years. If additional plants are desired, divide clumps in
spring or late summer/early fall.
• Iris, Bearded (Iris hybrids)—Divide every 3 to 5 years in
July or August.
• Iris, Siberian (Iris sibirica)—Divide after blooming in
early summer.
 • Lily-of-the-Valley (Convallaria majalis)—A rapidly
spreading groundcover, divide in spring.
• Lungwort (Pulmonaria species)—Divide in spring after
plants have flowered. 
• Obedient Plant (Physostegia virginiana)—Plants spread
rapidly. Divide plants every 2 or 3 years in spring.
• Oriental Poppy (Papaver orientale)—Divide when plants
die back in mid- to late summer.
• Orange Coneflower (Rudbeckia fulgida)—Divide every 
3 or 4 years in spring.
• Ornamental Grasses—Spring is the best time to divide
ornamental grasses. Also can be divided in late summer/
early fall.
• Peony (Paeonia hybrids)—Peonies are long-lived and can
be left undisturbed for many years. If additional plants
are desired, divide clumps in September.
• Perennial Salvia (Salvia hybrids)—Divide plants 
in spring.
• Phlox, Garden (Phlox paniculata)—Divide every 3 or 4
years in spring or late summer/early fall.
• Phlox, Moss (Phlox subulata)—Divide plants in spring
immediately after blooming.
• Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)—Divide every
3 or 4 years in spring.
• Shasta Daisy (Leucanthemum × superbum)—Tends to be
short-lived. Divide plants in spring.
• Speedwell (Veronica species)—Divide in spring or late
summer/early fall.
• Spiderwort (Tradescantia virginiana)— Spiderworts 
are rapidly speading plants. Divide every 2 or 3 years 
in spring.
• Stonecrop (Sedum species)—Divide in spring.
• Yarrow (Achillea species)—Many of the yarrows spread
rapidly. Divide every 2 or 3 years in spring.
In spring, divide plants just as new growth emerges. Most
perennials divided in late summer/early fall (mid-August
through September) should be mulched in November. A
4- to 6-inch layer of straw placed over the plants should
reduce the possibility of winter injury. Remove the mulch
in early April.
Takenfrom https://shop.iastate.edu/extension/home-garden/lawn-and-garden/gardening/rg319.html
Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa [email protected]  641-794-3337  cell 641-903-9365  Beckysgreenhouse.com  Facebook Becky Kerndt Litterer or Becky’s Greenhouse