Forum home› Plants
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Splitting, dividing and moving plants?

D0rdogne_DamselD0rdogne_Damsel Posts: 4,184
in Plants
With lockdown I now have time to spend time in the garden, if only they had done it a month ago   :lol: However, the weather is pretty good at the moment so I am hoping it will still be possible. This is the list of plants I would like to move and/or split, please can anyone advise me if they have a chance of success or should I wait until spring. As ever thank you for any advice.

1) Geums (Mrs Bradburn/Totally Tangerine)
2) Phlox - I don't know which ones but they are giant, taller than me, white and the clump is at least a metre across.
3) Asters, large autumn flowering
4) Hostas
5) Hellebores
6) Ornamental grass (tall striped/variegated, not zebra grass, the stripes are vertical)
7) Hardy Fushia (still in flower)
8) Kniphofia
9) Sedum (Hylotelephium) Tall pink/red variety still in flower but very much wrong place)
10) Cordyline

  • “Coffee. Garden. Coffee. Does a good morning need anything else?” —Betsy Cañas Garmon

Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I'd leave the grass until spring - they're inclined to sulk a bit.
    Hostas can be done any time really, although some people leave them till spring.
    Hardy fuchsias wouldn't be divided- that would be cuttings for those.  
    Sedums - any time, and you can pull bits off those to make new plants too, although it might be a bit slow just now. [maybe not where you are though :) ]
    Kniphofia - can be done now. Geums and Asters too, assuming they have good conditions to go into. 
    Hellebores - I've moved them in autumn but not split them, but I don't see why not, although you'd affect the flowering. I'm assuming it's the usual ones and not niger. 
    I don't grow Phlox, but I expect that would be ok, and I don't grow Cordylines. I wouldn't have thought you could divide those though.

    All the perennials are best done when they've died back though. Easier when they're dormant.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • D0rdogne_DamselD0rdogne_Damsel Posts: 4,184
    Thank you @Fairygirl. Somethings I can be getting on with anyway. 😁 
    • “Coffee. Garden. Coffee. Does a good morning need anything else?” —Betsy Cañas Garmon
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I often move plants in summer, because it's relatively easy to do that here, weather wise, as there's consistent rainfall to make it easier, and ground doesn't dry out. With your conditions, I'd guess this time of year or spring is usually better.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    I would divide and move the phlox now. I find they're pretty tough.
    Cordyline l wold be inclined to wait until the Spring. :)
  • D0rdogne_DamselD0rdogne_Damsel Posts: 4,184
    Thank you @AnniD. Where I want the Cordyline is in dappled shade, it's to hide an ugly drain. Have you any idea if it'll tolerate that? I could cut the tree back a bit that causes the shade but I'd rather not. 
    • “Coffee. Garden. Coffee. Does a good morning need anything else?” —Betsy Cañas Garmon
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    Normally l'd say they prefer sun, but a quick look at the RHS website tells me that they can tolerate "light shade". If you feel you can willingly sacrifice it, if things don't work out then at least you tried. I would think that cutting the tree back would help though. Have you got anything more suitable that you could move instead? 
  • D0rdogne_DamselD0rdogne_Damsel Posts: 4,184
    Thank you @AnniD. I'd been thinking about putting a couple of rose bushes around the drain but I liked the idea of some architectural height from the Cordyline, it's quite a big one. I'm currently 'downsizing' the number of flowerbeds so all the plants I am moving have to go because their beds are being given over to lawn to make life easier. I don't want to lose any plants so am desperately trying to find homes for them. I suppose it has two chances.  :wink:
    • “Coffee. Garden. Coffee. Does a good morning need anything else?” —Betsy Cañas Garmon
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    I moved two red cordylines from pots to a bed underneath a silk tree this summer @D0rdogne_Damsel after the previous planting scheme failed.  It's now a bed for things that can cope with dry soil, tho I did work in extra manure this time.  They needed plenty of watering in along with the other stuff that joined them but are now looking very bonny.   

    They'll get loads of light thru winter as the albizia sheds its leaves and then appreciate dappled shade in the height of summer.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
Sign In or Register to comment.