Fall is an excellent time to dig and divide spring flowering perennials. Peonies, irises, daylilies and others can benefit from periodic dividing to maintain plant vigor and flowering. Plants that have the centers dying out, reduced flowering and crowded plant crowns are candidates for dividing. Dividing will stimulate new growth and renewed flower production. Surplus divided plants can be gifted, traded or sold.

With iris and daylilies, after digging, the tops should be cut back by half. Then the mass of rhizomes (iris) and roots (daylilies) should be washed to remove dirt. Damaged portions of the roots should be trimmed off. The clumps can be gently pulled apart with a small effort. Irises should have one or two growing points on them. Daylilies should have at least 2 or three “fans” or leaf masses per transplant. If the varieties of the plants are known, a permanent marker can be used to write the variety of the leaves. This is handy when trading or selling surplus plants as the new owner will know the variety.

After the new holes are dug for planting, put a small amount of bone meal or Super Phosphate fertilizer in the bottom and mix into the dirt. This will help the transplants to root in faster and will encourage more flowering next year and beyond. Plant at the same depth as the original plants were planted. Be careful to not plant iris rhizomes completely underground. The tops of the rhizomes should be exposed and the bottom half and roots in the ground. After planting, water to settle the dirt around the roots and help the plants to root down.

Peonies are also handled in much the same way. The plants should be dug and roots washed off. A knife can be used to divide the plant. Each divided section should have at least 3 buds or “eyes” on it. Place bone meal or a phosphorous fertilizer in the hole at planting and be careful to plant the division at the same depth as the mother plant was planted. Planting too deep can prevent flowering.

Keeping the Bugs Out

A sure sign of fall are the box elder bugs, picture wing flies and crickets coming into our homes and garages. This is very annoying and can be a pain to clean up.

To prevent them from coming in, spraying the insecticide “Tempo” around the foundation, on door sills and around drier vents and windows will stop them. The insecticide does not have to be sprayed on the insect. Once Tempo is dry on the surface, an insect needs only to walk on this surface. They will absorb the insecticide through their feet and die. Tempo has a residual time of 2 to 3 weeks, so it does not require a lot of spraying.

If a few do get in the house, your vacuum cleaner is probably the best control.