Everyone thinks of the fall as being the time to plant spring bulbs, which of course it is. However, it is also a great time to plant perennials and shrubs. Most of them have gone dormant, so planting won't come as much of a shock. Also, this is the time of year when garden centers have fantastic sales, wanting to rid themselves of nursery stock they'd rather not winter over.
This is also the time of year to divide perennials. I was forced to divide an aster in mid-bloom last week. It was planted next to a porch that was being torn down and replaced. I knew the builders would trample the poor plant to death, so promptly dug it up.
I hadn't meant to divide it, but when I dug the aster I accidentally left about a third in the ground. The stray bit now brightens a dark and empty section of another garden. It looks rather bedraggled, but next year will have spread and filled out.
Dividing perennials is just about the easiest garden chore there is. Dig around the entire plant at slightly farther than the "drip line", making sure to dig deeply so as to get all the roots. The drip line is an area the size of the top growth of the plant. It roughly equates to the extent of the root system. Lift the plant as a unit keeping the native soil around the roots. This helps prevent damage to the root system. Then using a sharp spade cut right down through the entire root ball. Depending on the size of the clump, cut the plant into either half or thirds. Immediately replant the pieces. Water them in well.
