Re: Division

In a message dated 7/14/1999 10:22:17 PM Central Daylight Time, 
dsdavis@intop.net writes:

<< 
 Tell me about the ASTILBE when you dig and divide them at this time of
 the year do you pot them up instead of transplanting in the ground.
 I have 3 that I would like to divide and am I correct they are
 suppose to be in the shade   that's where I have them now.
 another thing I have a bleeding heart and the folage is still pretty and
 green.  I would like to divide it,   can this be done at this time of
 the year also>>
 
 Donna the ASTILBE will grow well in open shade or almost full sun-But they 
do not like to be in dry soils. If the soil dries out even for two days it is 
enough to do harm to your plants.( the chinesa forms are more tolerant of dry 
soils than the others).  That is why most people grow the ASTILBE in shade, 
because the soils dry out less often than in more sun.
I grow most of my ASTILBE in one gallon pots or 5.1/4" pots. Those that I 
grow in the ground can also be divided at this time but one should keep the 
soils on the moist side for a few weeks white new roots grow.  ASTILBE after 
they bloom put there energy into root production so it is ideal to transplant 
and divide at this time of the year. One should plant the plants 1/2 to 1 
inch deeper than they were And it helps to cut off the old flowers so energy 
is not put into seed production.
 
The bleeding heart I am assuming is the old fashioned type Dicentra 
spectabilis.
Yes, now is a good time to divid it or you can wait until you are ready to 
cut down the foliage-If the plant is a large one and it's a number of years 
old-the plants should more or less" fall apart" when removed from the ground, 
cut the stems about 4-5" above the ground and replant the sections were you 
want them to come up next spring.
This plant I more of less cut off all the stems at ground level this time of 
the year because they take up so much room and start turning yellow in our 
90-95 degree weather when it is dry out.
The form I have planted around the yard grows 4 feet tall and 5-7 feet 
wide-to much space need by Hosta and other "more" important plants-but you 
have to just love them in the spring.

Paul

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