From our point of view as a mature Columbine plant, the entire process begins not with your spade, but with our internal readiness. We grow from a central, multi-branched structure called a rhizome, which is essentially a modified stem that lives underground. This rhizome is our heart and our memory; it stores the energy we have gathered from the sun throughout the seasons. Over the years, a single plant develops a substantial clump as the rhizome expands and sends up multiple growing points, or "crowns." When the clump becomes large and dense, the crowns in the center begin to compete for resources. Our growth may slow, and our flowering might diminish. This internal crowding is our signal that we are ready to be divided. It is a natural form of self-propagation, and by dividing us, you are assisting in a process we are already attempting, albeit slowly.
The timing of your intervention is critical to our survival and success. The absolute best time is in the early spring, just as you see our new, fresh leaves beginning to emerge from the soil. At this moment, we are surging with energy, our sap is rising, and our growth hormones are at their peak. We are primed for rapid root regeneration and new growth. This gives us an entire growing season to recover from the shock of division and establish ourselves in our new locations before the heat of summer or the dormancy of winter. An alternative, though slightly more stressful time for us, is in the early autumn after our foliage has begun to die back. The soil is still warm, which encourages root growth, but the air is cooler, reducing the demand for water from our wounded leaves. Dividing us in the heat of summer is a tremendous shock, as we are actively trying to sustain our foliage, and dividing us when we are in full bloom is a direct conflict with our reproductive goals.
When you approach us with a garden fork, please be gentle. Instead of driving the fork directly through our center, insert it in a circle around our outer drip line—the area directly below the spread of our leaves. Gently rock the fork back and forth to loosen the soil and lift our entire root ball from the ground. The next step is crucial. Lay our clump on its side and, using your hands or two garden forks placed back-to-back in the center of the clump, gently tease us apart. You are looking for natural points of separation along the rhizome. Each new division must have a healthy section of the rhizome with several pale, firm roots attached, and at least two or three of the growing points, or "eyes." If the rhizome is very tough, you may need to use a sharp, sterilized knife to make clean cuts. Ripping us apart crushes our vascular tissues, the very channels we use to transport water and nutrients.
Once divided, our journey is not over. We are now vulnerable, our root systems reduced and our tissues exposed. It is essential to replant us promptly. Prepare our new homes by digging holes wide enough to accommodate our roots without bending or crowding them. The hole should be no deeper than we were growing before; planting too deep can cause our crown to rot. Place us in the hole, spread our roots out, and backfill with soil, firming it gently around us to eliminate air pockets. Then, give us a deep, thorough watering. This initial drink is vital for settling the soil around our roots and rehydrating our stressed tissues. Apply a layer of mulch around our base to help conserve moisture and regulate soil temperature, but keep it away from our crown to prevent rot. With consistent moisture and your care, we will direct our energy downward to re-establish our root systems before putting on significant top growth.
