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Flowering bulbs are a favorite of many
gardeners due to their diverse array of color and the fact that
they bloom for many seasons without replanting. One added bonus
with bulbs is that they can be divided and transplanted to other
parts of the garden. Many bulb
patches, if not tended to properly, become overcrowded and the
health of the plants starts to deteriorate. In this case you
need to prune out the patch to restore both the health and the
beauty of the landscape.
It is generally easy to tell when a
planting of bulbs needs to be divided. One sure sign is when a
previously well blooming planting of bulbs has begun to provide
only sparse blooms. Most times the culprit is overcrowding, and
the solution is to divide those bulbs. Properly dividing the
bulbs will reduce the overcrowding and allow the remaining bulbs
to bloom for vibrantly.
There are 5 types of bulbs corms, tubers,
true bulbs, rhizomes, and tuberous roots and each has a
different method of division.
True bulbs
To divide a true bulb, you should begin by
carefully separating the original bulb from the smaller bulb
growing at its base. When dividing lily bulbs, you should be
careful to first remove the outer scales from the basal plate.
After the outer scales are removed, the ends of the bulb should
be dipped in a rooting hormone, and the bulb should be planted
immediately.
Corms
Corms renew growth each year by producing
a new corm. Sometimes they will grow small corms (or cormels) at
the top of the parent corm. Wen you divide corms, just seperate
any new corms or cormels from the original plant.
Tubers
As tubers mature, they increase both their
size and the number of growing points. However, most tubers do
not form distinct increases. Therefore, to divide tubers, a
large tuber should be cut into two or more sections, being sure
that each section contains at least one growing point.
Rhizomes
Rhizomes produce new plants from growth
areas on their sides. You can divide them by breaking each
section off – be sure that each of the new divisions has at
least one growth point on it.
Tuberous roots
A tuberous root will contain several
growing points. Some, like daylilies, form separate and distinct
plants, which can simply be pulled apart. This type of
sectioning is generally done in fall or summer while the plant
is still in its growth stage. Other tuberous root plants, such
as dahlias, are more difficult to separate. In order to separate
more difficult plants like dahlias, you will need to cut the
clumps apart so that each root has a growth bud from which to
start. With these types of plants, it is best to separate them
in early spring, before planting. |
