Transplanting and Splitting Perennials

You know what sucks?  Transplanting and splitting perennials.

It's back-breaking work - digging, lifting, moving, watering.  And yet somehow, every spring, I cannot WAIT to do it!  Back in my first-ever blog post, I mentioned how growing anything in Canada has this wonderful "grow, learn, try again" cycle.  Same thing applies to perennial gardens - all summer you get to watch them grow and wish they were planted somewhere else - and then in spring you get the chance to actually make those changes (if you remember where everything is planted and what is what, which is a pretty big if...).

A perennial is a plant that comes back every year in the same(ish) place (think Hosta or Phlox) whereas an annual has to be re-purchased and re-planted each year (think Impatiens or Petunias).  If you have trouble remembering that, it's probably because both words basically mean "yearly" except that one means it comes back yearly and the other means it gets planted yearly...which is frankly a terrible system if you ask me!

Anyways...perennial gardens are the freaking best because they just come back every single year without you having to do much.  Many people have them, and 'tis the season to put a little effort into them, so here are some tips.

Splitting and Transplanting 101

At this time of year, most perennials are starting to peek above the surface of the soil.  You might see Peonies, Hostas, Day Lillies, Irises and others poking their green bits through last year's dead stems and foliage. This happens as the soil thaws, and indicates that it's the perfect time for moving and maintenance.   Here's how I do it.

Have the right tools ready.  You'll need garden gloves, a spade, a hose or watering can, and a few large, empty old plastic pots.  If you have it, a wheelbarrow and some compost would be great.

Cut back the old growth.  This is usually pretty straightforward, but not always.  In most cases, just chop back the old stems and leaves.  Often, you can just pull them and they'll fall out because they're so rotted by this time of year - but if they don't come off easily, don't yank them.  Cut them back with pruners or scissors, about an inch above the surface.  Be careful not to chop any new (green) growth.  The less-straightforward cases are things like Hydrangeas, which you sometimes have to prune like a shrub...I'm still trying to figure these ones out.  Basically, if the plant has established, woody stems with buds forming, the cutting back instructions above probably don't apply.

Start digging.  Hold the phone.  How do you even know what you're looking at when a plant is just emerging from the ground?  Time and practice, I'm afraid.  You'll have to know your garden and what's in it pretty well before you can ID a plant at this stage.  Enlist in a friend who knows things, send them a picture, see if they can figure it out.  Or, if all else fails, there's an app for that.  Alternatively, if you know ahead of time that you're going to do some transplanting in the spring, stick a label or marker of some kind (use permanent ink) at the base of the plant for easy identification after the snow melts.

Ok, now you can start digging.  If you're moving an entire plant to a new home, you'll want to dig in all the way around the plant, digging straight to avoid disrupting the the roots too much.  Once you've stuck your shovel in all the way around the plant, lean on the shovel handle to pop the whole thing up and on to your shovel.  This is easiest to do and most effective when the soil is moist.  Carefully pick the whole thing up and place it in a large pot (or just on the ground).  Set it aside, and keep going until you've dug up all the plants you're planning on moving.  The ones you've dug up will be fine in the pots for a remarkably long time - I'd say a week or so as long as you water them daily. 

If you're splitting... Ok rewind.  Why would we split a plant in half?  There are a few reasons.  Reason #1: Over time, perennials lose their vigor. They basically die year by year from the inside out. Splitting them allows you to capitalize on the newer, outer growth by, essentially, creating a new "center" of the plant.  Reason #2: You get new plants FOR FREE that you can plant somewhere else or share with friends.  So then HOW do you split?  Well, pretty much the same as the digging instructions above, except you chop right into the plant.  It's going to seem like you're killing it, but you're probably not.  Some plants can withstand more splitting than others, so be sure to look up specific details for the plant variety you're trying to move.  I have yet to successfully split or move my beloved Japanese Anemone that's tucked away at the back of the property.

Ok, so now you have a bunch of pots full of dirt and root balls.  This is the fun part...

Place the pots in the actual garden beds on the spots where you want to transplant them.  Step back.  Rearrange them.  Step back again.  Rearrange them again.  Leave them there until you're ready to plant each one.  I find it really helps to visualize where they are going to go, and this method allows you to do it without losing track of what you want where.

Now start digging...again.   In the spots where you've placed a pot, dig a hole, and make it bigger than you think you'll need.  If it's an established bed with mulch on it already, move the wood chips aside so you can place them back over the soil when you're done.  Now soak the hole with water...enough to leave a mucky puddle at the bottom.  If you have some, now is the time to throw in some compost as well.

Placing your perennial is pretty easy.  Try not to plant it down any deeper (or shallower) than it was before you moved it.  Fill the hole with soil, and water it in well.  DONE!  

...and now, if you're me, do it 1000 more times each spring because there's always a slightly better spot for that plant.

Thank goodness for winter, or I'd never have the energy for this nonsense.