Dividing a root ball.... aster daisy

[Riz]

salaam...


Today i decided to divide the root ball of my aster Michaelmass daisy ( perennial variety )


Here is the specimen last season.... i bought it as a 1 foot plant from the internet ( crocus.co.uk) 3 season ago... so i want to dig it up and divide the rootball 5 times and then replant what's left over in the small space and pot the smaller plants into pots and grow them on.


http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa300/sajid_012/astor-3.jpg


Its 3 feet wide and 3 feet high, gets really bushy in mid summer and the insects and butterflies love it and they make great cut flowers :)

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa300/sajid_012/daisy.jpg

[Riz]

It dies back right down to the roots after novmber and then comes back just after spring with green shoots springing up from the base of the plant...



here is mine of today

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa300/sajid_012/DSC01058.jpg


I have my spade the pots with the compost and chicken manure all ready before i dig up the plant

[Riz]

i dug around the rootball,and lifted it out slowly,, at this point because the rootball is so big, its ok if i hear a few roots snap LOL.. but its always prudent to get the spade right under the rootball so you lift the whole ball out

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa300/sajid_012/DSC01071.jpg


http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa300/sajid_012/DSC01072.jpg




with my spade i spilt the rootball in two pieces by just firmly pushing down the spade in the centre of the ball, you might have to do this a few times, just be careful youre not chopping some big healthy roots.. the little thin roots get snapped of accidentally sometimes but be careful and do it RIGHT.


http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa300/sajid_012/DSC01074.jpg

[Riz]

i made 5 smaller plants from one half of the rootball.. carefully divide the entangled roots,....


http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa300/sajid_012/DSC01075.jpg


i have the chicken manure and the pots ready.. just sprinkle some chicken manure in the soil which is in the pot and water a little just to soak the chicken pellets...

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa300/sajid_012/DSC01066.jpg




i did 4 pots like this

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa300/sajid_012/DSC01067.jpg

[Riz]

i potted all 4 plants in multi-purpose compost in clay pots and gave them a real good watering


it rained heavily that other day so i put this old bin under the drainpipe and collected all this water in 20 mins of rainfall, so i am using this water for the plants......


http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa300/sajid_012/DSC01081.jpg



It will take a maybe 10 to 15 days for the plants to recover and start growing again, they do go limp and lifeless in the first few days of being divided and replanted separately.. but with good weather and decent watering they should IA bounce right back...:)

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa300/sajid_012/DSC01079.jpg

[Riz]

the other half of the rootball i re-planted in the same spot, firstly i dug away in the hole and removed any old shoots in the ground and put the half rootball back in and then backfilling with compost, firming it in , then giving it a nice long drink....

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa300/sajid_012/DSC01078.jpg

[Riz]

i will let you all know how i get on.. soon enough !!! :cigar2:

[Foz]

interesting...didnt realise you can do that!

can you do that with most bushy type plants?

[Riz]

hey foz

yes you can make divisions from the rootball.. but do it in spring or when the plant/bush is still growing GREEN..


the divisions i replanted in pots are really looking good, they have bounced back into action and now are growing upright...


http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa300/sajid_012/DSC01342.jpg



http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa300/sajid_012/DSC01333.jpg

[Riz]

excellent news..

all the root divisions i made are growing upright and really well... i am really pleased with the results :)

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa300/sajid_012/DSC01583.jpg

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa300/sajid_012/DSC01584.jpg

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa300/sajid_012/DSC01591.jpg

[Riz]

I am so pleased :0 every one i rooted is now growing really well

:cheerleader::cheerleader::cheerleader:


http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa300/sajid_012/DSC01771.jpg

[Foz]

mashAllah you done well!

[Riz]

some of the astors are just about to bud in pots and every single division i made rooted really rapid, with just using rain/tap water and zero nutrients or fertilizers :)


http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa300/sajid_012/DSC02429.jpg

[Riz]

all the divisions i made have grown into really healthy plants and have started to flower :) next season i will pot them all in the back of the garden,, bees love them too ....

[Riz]

all the division's that i made are now flowering :)

[Foz]

thats great! :GreenThumbs:

[Riz]

i planted the divisions i made last season into the ground in a row, and they have branched out really well and are extremely healthy plants,

[Riz]

pic of the divisions i made last season in the ground, bushing out really well


http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa300/sajid_012/Photo0350.jpg

[Foreveryoung]

all the division's that i made are now flowering :)

I am really delighted to see this thread Riz. Very informative indeed and just bookmarked this page :) Thank u very much for sharing all the tips and step by step guide with beginners like us. :GreenThumbs: :GreenThumbs:

[rubmanhayat]

Will these survive the winter?

[Riz]

yes course and will return every season for a few seasons and then i can divide them on and on :), ive had the mother plant for 3 seasons.

[Riz]

the divisions i made from the root ball are now fully grown bushy 3 foot plants that are developing bud sites,

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa300/sajid_012/Photo0505.jpg

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa300/sajid_012/Photo0506.jpg

[noora]

mashAllah you done well!

[Riz]

finally the flower buds are slowly blooming

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa300/sajid_012/Photo0758.jpg

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa300/sajid_012/Photo0759.jpg

[Riz]

the divisons i made are around 4 feet in height and 3 feet across and the flowers are slowly opening up.

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa300/sajid_012/Photo0913.jpg

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa300/sajid_012/Photo0914.jpg

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa300/sajid_012/Photo0915.jpg