| When you're learning about something new, it's easy | | | | growth each season through the production of a |
| to feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of | | | | new corm, and sometimes also small cormels growing |
| relevant information available. This informative article | | | | on top of the original corm. To divide corms, the |
| should help you focus on the central points. | | | | gardener should simply separate the healthy new |
| One of the features of bulbs that make them so | | | | corms, as well as any cormels, from the original |
| attractive is the ability for the gardener to divide | | | | corms. |
| their bulb plants to produce new growth, share with | | | | Tubers |
| friends, or just plant in different areas of the | | | | As tubers mature, they increase both their size and |
| landscape. | | | | the number of growing points. However, most tubers |
| In addition, many bulb flowers become overgrown, | | | | do not form distinct increases. Therefore, to divide |
| and reducing the growth through dividing bulbs is the | | | | tubers, a large tuber should be cut into two or more |
| best way to get things back under control. It is | | | | sections, being sure that each section contains at |
| generally easy to tell when a planting of bulbs needs | | | | least one growing point. |
| to be divided. One sure sign is when a previously well | | | | Rhizomes |
| blooming planting of bulbs has begun to provide only | | | | The new growth on rhizomes is produced from |
| sparse blooms. Most times the culprit is | | | | growth points located at their sides. Rhizomes are |
| overcrowding, and the solution is to divide those | | | | divided by breaking the sections apart at the natural |
| bulbs. Properly dividing the bulbs will reduce the | | | | divisions between them, being sure that each of the |
| overcrowding and allow the remaining bulbs to bloom | | | | new divisions has at least one growth point on it. |
| for vibrantly. | | | | Tuberous roots |
| The techniques used to divide bulbs depend on the | | | | A tuberous root will contain several growing points. |
| exact type of bulb to be divided. There are actually | | | | Some, like daylilies, form separate and distinct plants, |
| five different types of bulb flowers - true bulbs, | | | | which can simply be pulled apart. This type of |
| corms, tubers, rhizomes and tuberous roots. The | | | | sectioning is generally done in fall or summer while the |
| techniques for dividing each type of bulb vary, so it is | | | | plant is still in its growth stage. |
| important to know which type you are working with. | | | | Other tuberous root plants, such as dahlias, are more |
| Any good gardening guide will tell you which type of | | | | difficult to separate. In order to separate more |
| bulb you have, and that information is usually | | | | difficult plants like dahlias, you will need to cut the |
| provided when you buy the bulbs as well. | | | | clumps apart so that each root has a growth bud |
| True bulbs | | | | from which to start. With these types of plants, it is |
| To divide a true bulb, you should begin by carefully | | | | best to separate them in early spring, before planting. |
| separating the original bulb from the smaller bulb | | | | Truthfully, the only difference between you and |
| growing at its base. When dividing lily bulbs, you | | | | experts is time. If you'll invest a little more time in |
| should be careful to first remove the outer scales | | | | reading, you'll be that much nearer to expert status |
| from the basal plate. After the outer scales are | | | | when it comes to dividing your bulbs properly. |
| removed, the ends of the bulb should be dipped in a | | | | The day will come when you can use something you |
| rooting hormone, and the bulb should be planted | | | | read about here to have a beneficial impact. Then |
| immediately. | | | | you'll be glad you took the time to learn more about |
| Corms | | | | dividing your bulbs properly. |
| Corms are not true bulbs, and they renew their | | | | |