One of the easiest and most dependable ways to grow new plants is through division.
In case you’ve never heard of it, division is a method of vegetative or asexual reproduction. Many common Florida plants are great candidates for dividing.
Can you think of some? The UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County, along with many other county Extension offices, have teaching and demonstration gardens that you may visit to learn more about Florida Friendly LandscapingTM.
Examples of plants that you may see in our teaching gardens that are easy to propagate by division include daylily, African iris, rain lilies, society garlic, blackberry lily, Agapanthus, peacock ginger, walking iris, Heliconia, Aspidistra or “cast iron plant,” Bulbine, crinums, amaryllis, ferns, and rhizomatous begonias.
The common Florida shrub Plumbago may also be divided. Plumbago is a great, drought-tolerant plant. It serves as a nectar plant for native pollinators and as a larval host plant for cassius blue butterflies.
Even houseplants such as African violets are easy to propagate by division.
Many perennials — plants that live longer than one year or growing season — thrive when divided.
Before you divide your plants, decide where you’re going to place them.
Are you going to keep them in pots until they grow into more hardy plants? Are you going to plant them directly in the landscape? Will you give them away as gifts?
If you plant them in a pot, be sure the pot is a good size for the plant — that is, not too big and not too small. The pot should also have drainage holes.
Be sure to give the newly potted plants time to adjust to their environment, and keep in mind they may do best for the time being if placed in a part-sun, part-shade location for a few weeks. If you’re planting somewhere else in your garden, check that light and soil conditions are appropriate.
Propagating plants by division requires no special tools, and many of us use a sharp knife, a shovel or a trowel depending on the plant and the size of the root ball.
Here are the steps for propagating your plants by division:
- Dig up the plant and carefully separate or cut the root ball into sections with a sharp knife, trowel or shovel.
- Pull apart separate sections so that each division has a crown and root system. The crown is the part of the plant where the roots and stem meet.
- Replant the parent plant in its previous location or in a new location.
- Plant the divided plants either in the ground or in nursery pots. If relocating to another part of your garden, make sure it’s the right plant for the right place.
- Use care to make sure you plant them at the soil line and not planted too deep.
- Apply a 2-inch to 3-inch layer of mulch above the soil line. Mulch helps conserve water, reduce weed pressure, moderate soil temperatures, and adds organic material to soil over time.
- Water your newly planted divisions.
- Monitor your plants until they’re established. The first week may require daily watering. The next two weeks to three weeks may need watering every other day. After that, you can water as needed. However, with landscape plants as with turfgrass, you’ll need to adjust your watering schedule if we get plenty of rain.
- If plants are in pots, the amount they dry out will depend on the size of the pot and the material of the pot, for instance, whether it is clay, stone or plastic.
- Apply a controlled-release fertilizer. Controlled-release fertilizers can be more expensive, but they provide a steady supply of nutrients to your plants. Using controlled-release fertilizers may help reduce pollution because less nutrients run off landscapes or leach into groundwater.
Finally, enjoy your garden and your new plants!
For additional information, email , or call (813) 744-5519, ext. 54145.
The UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County office has two demonstration gardens that teach residents about Florida Friendly LandscapingTM principles. Visitors are welcome Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Docent tours also are available to groups by appointment. The office and gardens are at 5339 County Road 579 in Seffner.
Nicole Pinson is the Urban Horticulture Agent in Hillsborough County. Master Gardener Nancy Ham contributed to this column.
References:
Park Brown, S. (2016). Plant Propagation Techniques for the Florida Gardener. IFAS Publication Number CIR579. Gainesville: University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. Retrieved from http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/MG/MG10800.pdf.
Park Brown, S. (2014). Gardening with Perennials in Florida. IFAS Publication Number ENH-68. Gainesville: University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. Retrieved from http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/MG/MG03500.pdf.
Published September 6, 2017
