The hottest part of summer can make the garden look like it has officially checked out for the season, but late summer brings a useful opportunity: dividing crowded perennials. As temperatures begin to moderate, several established plants can handle division with less stress than they would during a sweltering midsummer afternoon.
Division does more than create free plants, although that little bonus never hurts. It can rejuvenate crowded clumps, give roots more room, improve the appearance of an overgrown bed, and provide new plants for another spot in the landscape. The trick involves choosing the right perennials and giving freshly divided plants enough water and time to settle before winter.
