As the last few days of September roll by and the days grow shorter still, it becomes apparent to Garden Boy that it is time to start propagation.
As we cut away at spent blooms and remove weak and diseased plant stems, we can once again see how our perennial plants have performed over the year. For those that have done well and put on good mass, cuttings can be made and root balls can be divided, before the cold sets in. For plants like Hostas and Agapanthus that have dense fleshy root balls, splitting with a sharp knife is a good idea. For Asters and Leucanthemums Garden Boy would usually split them with a spade or two forks back to back. Each of these parts of the original root mass has the potential to produce a new plant. Remove the older woody bit that was the original centre, as this tends to be less vigorous.
Plant these potential additions into pots with new compost and grit for drainage or back into the garden beds where they are required with a good dose of fresh compost, bone meal and micorrhizal fungi powder, all available from garden centres. This will give them a good start before they burst back into life next spring
Do the same with your herbs like thyme, oregano, chives, salad burnett and mint.
