Hot take: Dividing perennials is way overrated for most home gardeners

Last spring I spent a whole Saturday dividing my hostas and daylilies like every gardening guide tells you to do. Three years ago I did the same thing and honestly the plants that I just left alone are actually doing better. The divided ones look puny and took forever to bounce back. Am I the only one who thinks dividing is more trouble than it's worth for a regular backyard?

2 comments

2 Comments

miller.eva3d agoMost Upvoted

Oh you're totally wrong here, sorry but I gotta push back. I divided my grandmother's old fashioned daylilies three years ago and now I've got six clumps blooming like crazy instead of one sad little patch that was getting choked out. The secret is you have to divide them at the right time and actually water them in well for a couple weeks after. My friend never divides her iris and they just bloom less and less each year while mine are packed with flowers because I split them every 3-4 years. If you do it right they bounce back in one season easy.

fiona_fox562d ago

Honestly, I hear you on the watering part but I've seen too many people divide perennials and they just pout for a whole season or die on you. I'd rather have a slightly crowded clump that's still putting on a show than risk losing the whole thing for a few extra plants.