Finally, the temperature is cooling off. The sun’s scorch is only a breath away and gives us gardeners’ reason to weed, deadhead, water and plant to our hearts desire. It’s also time to get the wheel barrel out and with a garden fork or spade, prepare to divide those overgrown bulbs and perennials (if need be). After a day’s work in the garden, you’ll have to find more space for your new transplants or begin the spirit of giving early. Give some of them to friends, family and even neighbors.

In this particular article, part one of two, (related subject at hand), will be an informative, brief summary on why division is important. So many gardeners I’ve come across seem to forget this very important gardening task. Division of bulbs is as important as is division of any plant. Not every bulb needs division but there are some that will scream and get our attention when its time and thus, the purpose of this article.

Why divide:

As stated before, there is a necessity to divide or separate bulbs. Gardening with bulbs is so much fun until once you’ve had all that fun in growing them, it’s hard to resist the urge to grow more and more and even more. Division is the fastest and easiest way to propagate almost all bulbs (corms, tubers, tuberous roots, and rhizomes). In order to maintain a healthy life span, it behooves the avid gardener not to utilize this particular method. A garden is actually a part of an investment. It takes invested time on your part and a chunk of your wallet, therefore, it’s imperative to discuss the advantages in division.

Characteristic of various bulb divisions:

As you know, in the bulb world, there our varied names that simply add up to “bulb”. For instance, a canna is a rhizome but a rhizome is in essence a bulb. A dahlia comes from a tuber, which is also a bulb. Therefore, dividing bulbs with its various names, have differed ways in which to divide. Let me give an example for a more in depth explanation. Bulbs like tulips and daffodils form what is called bulblets near their base; whereas, gladioli and other corms (bulbs), produce similar off-sets “cormels”. Now what does all of this have to do with division? Simply this: in dividing such bulbs, it is the bulblet and cormelets that are separate from the bulbs by gently pulling them away from the mother bulb/corm instead of the entire bulb being divided. With good care, both bulbets and cormels will grow to its full potential.

Bulblets come from bulbs duplicating themselves. Bulbs make these tiny bulblets every season. Once the flowering show has diminished and the “ugly stage” moves in (foliage turning yellow), this is when bulbs can be dug up and the bulblets are separated from the parent bulb, just as a child leaves the nest one day from his parents. Note: they may not bloom the first year but by the second, be on the lookout for more beautiful bloom-power.

With tubers and tuberous roots, such as dahlias and tuberous begonias, even rhizomes, the best time to divide such bulbs are in spring or (right out of winter storage). As far as dividing rhizomes, (canna, iris), they too, can be divided in spring. This brings me to the next part of this article.

When to divide:

How one can tell when bulbs need to be separated, is when flower production decreases. Once the flower blooms lose vigor or become small in size, this is an inclination, it’s time to divide.

Daffodils, tulips, crocus, oh my. These spring bulbs amongst others will need to be divided in September or October. In case you miss that timeline, you have another option. Soon after the foliage has died back in late spring, lift them up with a spade or a garden fork and replant then, or store until autumn has crept in. Sometimes, bulbs are hard to locate either from shifting or your favorite critter, the squirrel. This is why knowing the specificity of selected bulb location is important. When you plant, use what I recommend, a popsicle stick marked with a permanent marker and placed nearby the spot allocated for each group of bulbs. This way, the designated spot is identifiable.

Another way is to keep a draft of your landscape on paper (I draw out my own), it doesn’t have to be perfect, just enough of an illustration so that you label each planting group of bulbs, perennials, annuals, etc… A method used by many, is to dig up a large area at one time, of the bulb in question and place the large piece of soil on a mat and dig for bulbs, like children at an Easter egg hunt.

Should you have planted bulbs as understory plants beneath a tree or shrub, due to the massive root system of both trees and shrubs, plan to leave be, for at least 3-5 years (depending on lacking vigor) and replace instead of divide. To try and dig up may damage established roots of the trees or shrubs nearby.

Canna, hosta, and dahlias oh my, are wonders of the summer bulb world. They will need to be divided as early as either April or late as September (early fall). Now you can join the wonderful world of propagating bulbs. Although it can be tedious, such is the art of gardening. Gardening is work that doesn’t feel like work because we enjoy it so much.

Be sure to check for next week's article for the second part of this multi-part subject of interest. "How to divide/separate bulbs".