Spring is a great time to divide many of our favorite herbaceous garden perennials. The plants are little and easy to handle. They also have the whole growing season to get back to normal in your garden. But how do you know how often to divide perennials? Are there some perennials you just shouldn’t divide?.
“Perennial” means to last or exist for a long time, to be enduring, or to keep happening over and over again. A perennial plant re-grows year after year from the same root. Some perennial plants, like oak trees, live a very long time, while others, like some of the newer types of coneflowers, don’t last as long.
Plants that are not winter-hardy are considered annuals in Minnesota, but are perennial in their native growing environment. One example is Tithonia rotundifolia, which grows as an annual flower in the United States but as a perennial shrub in its home country of Mexico and Central America.
Dividing perennials or “division” is a form of propagation: you are creating multiple plants from a single plant. Some plants like Heuchera, coral bells, are very easy to divide. The crowns of the plants are right on top of the soil, and small plants, called offsets, grow from the main plant. Some plants, like Hosta and ornamental grasses, have thick roots that are hard to cut apart without a sharp knife, garden fork, or even an axe.
Coral bells, also known by their botanical name Heuchera, are herbaceous perennials prized for their attractive foliage Their ruffled leaves come in a wide range of colors like lime green, burgundy, caramel and variegated patterns. Mounding clusters of foliage are topped with delicate flower spikes.
One of the easiest ways to propagate more coral bells for your garden is by division through splitting established plants. With proper timing and care, splitting coral bells can yield multiple new plants.
When to Split Coral Bells
Timing is important when dividing perennials like coral bells. The best times are:
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Spring – After new growth emerges in spring, the plants have all season to recover before winter
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Fall – Well-established plants can also be divided in early fall allowing time to root before frost
Avoid splitting coral bells in summer when heat and drought stress may impact their recovery. Dividing in summer is possible but will require more attentive care.
Tools Needed for Splitting Coral Bells
Gather these supplies before dividing coral bells:
- Sharp spade or garden knife
- Hand pruners
- Garden fork
- Container of water
- Potting soil
- Pots or trays
Sanitize tools with rubbing alcohol to prevent spreading disease. Prepare the planting area by loosening soil and mixing in compost.
How to Split Coral Bells Step-By-Step
Follow these simple steps for successfully splitting coral bells:
1. Water the Plant Well in Advance
Adequate soil moisture will help retain the root ball during lifting. Water thoroughly 1-2 days before dividing.
2.Prepare New Planting Areas
Space new plantings 12-18 inches apart in prepared garden beds amended with compost. Or fill pots with moist, well-draining potting mix.
3. Lift the Entire Plant
Use a spade or garden fork to dig deep under the plant’s roots to lift the entire mass intact. The wider the root ball, the better.
4. Gently Shake Off Excess Soil
Carefully loosen excess soil around roots, but keep rootball mostly intact. Trim any dead roots with pruners.
5. Divide the Root Ball
Using your hands or a sharp knife, gently pull or slice the root mass into smaller sections. Each division should have 3-5 healthy shoots and established roots.
6. Optional – Cut Back Foliage
Optionally trim foliage by 1/3 to reduce transpiration stress after transplanting. Don’t remove more than 30% of leaves.
7. Replant the New Divisions
Plant each division at the same depth it was originally growing. Firm soil around roots and water well.
8. Provide Post-Transplant Care
Keep new plantings consistently moist but not saturated until established. Add organic mulch to help retain soil moisture. Avoid hot mid-day sun immediately after transplanting.
With proper aftercare, divided coral bells should recover quickly with vigorous growth. Divisions may bloom lightly the first year as they establish but will rebound with more flowers in subsequent seasons.
Tips for Successfully Splitting Coral Bells
Here are some useful tips to help ensure success when dividing coral bells:
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Larger, mature plants with 3-5 shoots divide more easily than younger plants. But don’t wait too long between divisions.
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Water thoroughly before lifting plants to divide. Use a garden fork, not a spade, for leverage in prying up rootballs.
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Shake off excess soil but keep roots intact. Rough handling or broken roots can slow establishment.
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Divisions should have both shoots and healthy roots to recover quickly. Discard any diseased parts.
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Transplant divisions at original soil depth and keep consistently watered until established.
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Apply organic mulch like shredded leaves to help retain soil moisture while new roots establish.
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Avoid fertilizing newly split plants until signs of new growth emerge next season.
When to Divide Other Perennials
Most flowering perennials can be divided every 3-5 years or when overcrowded. Follow these spring and fall division guidelines:
Spring: Astilbe, Bee Balm, Coral Bells, Garden Phlox, Gooseneck Loosestrife, Hosta, Iris
Fall: Aster, Chrysanthemum, Coneflower, Daylily, Lamb’s Ear, Lavender, Mint, Mums, Russian Sage
Check plants regularly and divide when centers die out or growth becomes congested. Dividing perennials keeps them vigorous and flowering.
Reasons to Divide Coral Bells and Other Perennials
There are several benefits to dividing mature perennials like coral bells:
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Control overcrowding and encourage new growth.
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Propagate more plants for expanding beds and gardens.
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Rejuvenate old plants that have declined.
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Share divisions with gardening friends and family.
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Create new combinations and arrangements of foliage colors.
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Maintain a succession of plants at their peak for endless color.
Troubleshooting Poor Divisions
Sometimes divisions fail to thrive after transplanting. Here are some common issues and solutions:
Poor root growth – Ensure adequate and consistent soil moisture. Avoid disturbing new roots. Apply organic mulch to retain water near roots until established.
Few or no blooms – This is normal the first year after dividing. Growth energy goes to root and foliage establishment. Flowering resumes in subsequent seasons.
Leaf scorch – Protect new divisions from intense sun. Provide shade or plant where protected from hot afternoon sun while establishing.
Leggy growth – Can indicate inadequate sunlight. Ensure new location has appropriate light levels for variety.
Pest damage – Check for slugs, snails, vine weevils, aphids. Hand pick pests and use organic remedies if needed. Support plant health.
Enjoying the Benefits of New Coral Bells
Dividing overgrown coral bells provides an easy way to expand your garden palette. The process requires minimal effort and yields immediate results.
Incorporate the new divisions throughout garden beds, borders, containers, and pathways to enjoy continuous color. Pair different hues and leaf shapes for appealing combinations.
With proper timing and aftercare, dividing coral bells will keep your gardens looking great for years to come!
Why divide? Plants like hosta become crowded, increasing potential hideaways for pests like slugs.
Division also promotes plant health and can rejuvenate a plant. When a perennial plant’s oldest part dies off in the middle, makes smaller flowers or leaves, and blooms less, it should be split into two.
If your perennials are getting too crowded, dividing them is also a good idea because it lets more air and light reach the plants, which can make them bloom more and keep diseases and bugs away. You can divide plants like Athyrium niponicum (Japanese painted fern), Agastache (hyssop), and Nepeta (catmint) every year if you need to.
Baptisia, or false indigo, doesn’t do well when it is divided because it has long, deep roots that are hard to dig out without breaking them off. In fact, Baptisia shouldnt be divided or moved if possible!.
Similarly, peonies have deep, fleshy roots that break easily. It can be hard to dig them up, and they need to be replanted at the right depth (1 1/2 inches). It may take a few years for the new plants to grow well enough to bloom.
So how to remember all this? Our page How and when to divide perennials provides guidelines. For example, it has a list of about 125 of our favorite herbaceous perennials with information on when and how often to divide them. It also has notes with useful information on some of the pickier plants we love.
Author: Julie Weisenhorn, Extension educator, horticulture
Two Ways to Divide and Propagate Coral Bells. AKA Heuchera micrantha.
FAQ
When should coral bells be divided?
How do you multiply coral bells?
How to split a Heuchera plant?
Do coral bells transplant well?
When is the right time to split a Coral Bell?
Two Ways to Divide and Propagate Coral Bells. AKA Heuchera micrantha. Splitting your coral plant at the right time increases its survival chances. So, what’s the right time for this process? Spring is the right time to split and transplant your coral bell or any other plant (source). Spring is the season when growth emerges in plants.
How to divide coral bells?
To divide coral bells, first dig up the plant and separate the clumps using clean and sharp tools. This task is essential for maintaining the plant’s vigor and propagating it. The best time to divide coral bells is either in spring or fall.
How do you split a Coral Bell plant?
It’s finally time to split your coral bell plant using a sharp knife or garden shears. Here is the splitting procedure: Make a vertical cut down the center of the root ball. Make two or three more cuts horizontally across the root ball. These cuts will create sections of the plant that you can divide into smaller plants.
How to split a Coral Bell (Heuchera) plant?
You need to access your coral bell (Heuchera) plant’s root system for a safe splitting. Therefore, you must start by digging up the plant. The best way to dig up the plant is by thrusting a garden fork into the soil about 6 inches (15.24 cm) away from the base of the plant. You should then rock the fork back and forth to loosen the roots.
Do coral bells grow well?
Coral bells thrive when planted in soil with the right amount of moisture and pH. In the right planting conditions, this plant will bloom in summer and spring, making your backyard aesthetically appealing. Splitting your coral bell plant is an excellent way to propagate new plants.
Can coral bells be used as pepper plants?
Anywho, coral bells are one of those perfect plants that can be used as pepper plants in your garden. Why? 1. They are easy to propagate (multiply) and divide easily. 2. Their foliage stays in tidy little clusters low to the ground, then they send up teeny tiny little flower spikes that top out at around 2′ or so. 3.