Horticulture
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Forcing Branches to Bloom!
by: Purdue University ES
Dividing Perennials
September is a great time to divide many early blooming perennials, such as epimedium and pulmonaria. Increase your number of plants and reset those blooming plants that have slowed their show. Late blooming plants, like sedum and aster are best be divided in the spring -- most plants however are forgiving if divided at the wrong time. Iris, phlox and other clump forming perennials indicate it's time for division by growing away from the center.
To divide a plant, the root mass is cut into with a clean sharp soil knife or straight spade - Dig the plant completely out of the ground and split the root mass into separate pieces making sure that a sufficient number of small and large roots are attached to each new clump. If you are trying to obtain just one small division, this might be possible without removing the entire plant from the ground by slicing off a piece of the plant at it's outer edge.
Use a sharp cutting tool to divide your plants: knives, spades, and saws all work for the job. Water the division well after replanting and pass along any leftover sections to a fellow gardener!
Helping your Plants Survive Storm Damage
Let the snow melt away from the shrubs and allow the branches to resume their original shape slowly. Broken branches/limbs may require pruning or might possibly benefit by being screwed back together. Local arborists will be helpful in determining the best remedy for your plants. Beware of garden work using heavy equipment on saturated soil since the equipment's weight can break down soil's natural water channeling abilities.