Perennials need to be divided for their health

Perennial flowers are popular in area landscapes. They come back year after year, which cuts down on maintenance, but they are not maintenance free. To keep perennials in peak performance, you occasionally have to divide them.

There are three reasons to divide perennials: to control the size of the plants, to help rejuvenate them and to increase their numbers. Dividing and replanting keep rapidly spreading perennials under control. Old plants benefit from dividing by remaining vigorous and blooming freely. This is an inexpensive way to gain additional plants for your garden or to share with others.

Though division is a necessary chore in maintaining most perennials, a few plants never like to be disturbed. Examples of these are Aconitum (monkshood), Baptisia (blue indigo), Helleborus (Christmas rose) and Papaver (poppy).

The general rule is to divide the plant in the nonbloom season. Midsummer bloomers should be divided in spring. In April to early May, divide when plant growth is 2 to 3 inches in height.

Do fall divisions from September through early November; plants should be semidormant and temperatures cooling.

Use a spade to dig the clump and cut off divisions. If you don't want to divide an entire clump, divisions can be cut from the edge of a clump using a spade and trowel. Some plants, such as Hosta, Hemeracallis (day lilies), and Astilbe, have tough, thick root systems that are a challenge to divide.

The good thing about perennials is that they will let you know when they should be divided. Look for the following signs: reduced flowering with the flowers getting smaller; the growth in the center of the plant dying out, leaving a hole with all the growth around the edges; lost vigor; or the plant outgrowing its bounds.

Thoroughly water plants to be divided a day or two before you divide them. Prepare the area for planting your new divisions before you lift the parent plant. It helps to add some compost or other organic material to the new bed. Prune the stems and foliage to six inches or so from the ground to ease division and to cut down on moisture loss.

Discard the old, dead center and trim off any damaged roots. After replanting, water well and protect divisions from drying out.

Leaping lizards

I am asked quite frequently what a homeowner can do to get rid of lizards around the yard and inside the house. There is really nothing you can do.

You would have to get rid of practically all plant material within 100 yards of your house, and I know you wouldn't want to do that.

You would also have to eliminate their food supply, which is insects, and you obviously can't do that either.

So think of them as one of the good guys in the landscape. For many, that is easier said then done.

There is no danger from lizards to you or anyone in your family. Lizards usually don't bite, are nonvenomous and don't carry disease.

If you happen to find one inside your home (many times they hitchhike onto a plant you bring inside for the winter), just try to catch it and put it back outside. If you have trouble catching it, try throwing a towel over him.

Sid Mullis is director for the University of Georgia extension service office for Richmond County. Call him at 821-2349, or send e-mail to smullis@uga.edu.