From my perspective, rooted firmly in the soil, I feel the urge to expand. My central crown, the heart from which all my stems and flowers emerge, becomes congested over time. After two or three growing seasons, I sense my inner resources becoming strained; the nutrients in the immediate soil are depleted, and my roots are tangled. I feel this most acutely in the early spring, as the soil warms. This is the perfect signal for you to intervene. The cool temperatures and moist soil of spring give me the entire growing season to recover from the separation and establish my new selves before the energy-draining task of flowering or the dormancy of winter.
Please be gentle. Use a sharp, clean spade to dig in a wide circle around my base, careful not to sever too many of my exploratory roots. Lift my entire root ball from the earth. I may feel a moment of shock, of exposure, but it is a necessary step. Gently wash away the soil from my root mass with a soft spray of water. This allows you to see the intricate network of my being—the thick, storage roots and the fine, absorptive ones. You will see natural divisions, points where my growth has created distinct offshoots, each with its own stems and roots. These are the individuals waiting to be liberated.
This is the moment of propagation. With your hands, or a sharp, sterilized knife, gently tease or cut me apart. Each new division must have a healthy section of roots—my lifeline for water and nutrients—and several shoots or stems, the promise of future foliage and flowers. I am a resilient plant; even small, vigorous sections with good roots can thrive. Discard any woody, old, or diseased central parts of the crown. This process is not a loss but a multiplication, rejuvenating the original plant and creating strong new clones that are genetically identical to me.
Now, each of my new selves requires a welcoming new home. Prepare a planting hole that is twice as wide as the root system you are placing into it. The depth should be the same as the one we originally grew in. Place us in the hole, spread our roots out gently, and backfill with soil, firming it gently around our bases to eliminate large air pockets. Water us deeply and thoroughly immediately after planting. This settling drink is crucial; it helps the soil particles make intimate contact with our roots, allowing us to begin drawing up moisture and anchoring ourselves securely in our new territory.
Our immediate needs are simple but vital: consistent moisture and protection from extreme stress. Keep our soil consistently moist, but not waterlogged, for the first few weeks as we expend energy generating new roots to explore our fresh domain. A layer of organic mulch around our base will help conserve that precious moisture and regulate soil temperature. Please shield us from the intense, midday sun for the first week or two if possible. With this care, we will quickly settle in, our foliage will remain perky, and we will begin our new journey of growth, ready to reward your efforts with a vibrant display of blooms when our season arrives.
