How to Dig Up and Divide Bulbs
Clump of Hyacinths that require dividing
Do I need to divide my bulbs?
In short, yes. Bulbs on the most part are set-and-forget in the garden, but after a few years many will benefit from being lifted and divided. In this article we will show you why and how to divide bulbs to keep your flowers blooming at their best.
Why do you divide bulbs?
Most bulbs traditionally multiply every year, creating offshoot bulbs or clusters around the original bulb, after a few years this can lead to overcrowding and competition which may affect growing performance and flowering. By dividing your bulbs, you give them more room to grow, and as a bonus, you end up with free bulbs to expand your garden!
When to divide bulbs
There are a few signs that your bulbs may benefit from lifting and dividing such as reduced flower production, unusual/uneven growth, or clumping behaviour. This is most likely to happen every three to five years depending on the variety. You can, however, pre-empt this by dividing your bulbs before they show any of these signs.
The best time to lift your bulbs is after the foliage has fully died back. Bulbs rely on the foliage to feed energy into the bulb for next year, so wait until this has occurred before disturbing your bulbs.
For Spring Flowering Bulbs such as Daffodils, Tulips, Jonquils, Hyacinth, Anemone, Crocus, Dutch Iris, Freesias, and Ranunculi you would lift in early Summer around December/January.
For Summer Flowering Bulbs such as Bearded Iris, Calla Lily, Canna Lily, Dahlias, Gladioli, Hippeastrum, Lilium, Oriental Lillies, and Peony Roses you would lift in early Winter around June.
How To Dig Up and Divide Spring Bulbs
- Once the plant's foliage has died off, grab your garden trowel and dig around the bulb about 7cm out from the bulb to avoid damaging it. Once the soil around it is loose, you can dig underneath
- Using your hands, gently lift the bulb out of the ground
- Gently separate the ‘child’ bulbs from the ‘parent’.
- Check for any damaged or diseased bulbs and discard any that are soft or rotten.
- Replant your parent bulbs in their current position and plant out the child bulbs leaving the recommended spacing between bulbs. Note that the smaller ‘child’ bulbs won’t be as productive as their parent counterparts until they are more mature, so may take a season on two to establish themselves and start flowering.
Yellow dotted lines show where to divide bulbs
Storing bulbs
If you plan on storing your bulbs until next planting season, dust off as much soil as possible, let them air dry for a few days, then store in a breathable bag with something dry and sterile such as sawdust or coir, then place in a cool, dry, dark place. We suggest checking them occasionally to ensure none are rotting.
Do I need to store my bulbs once divided?
Your climate and soil conditions will dictate whether you can leave your bulbs in the soil all year round or not. In the southern states of Australia, in most areas you would be safe to leave bulbs in the ground all year round, with the exception of the conditions listed below. For more tropical or extreme climates, we recommend lifting your bulbs.
Wet soil can cause bulbs to rot so if your garden beds are prone to holding too much water it may be safer to dig up your bulbs and store them between seasons. Cool climate bulbs such as Tulips do not cope well with hot conditions and may die if left in exposed positions during Summer, so it is best to lift and store tulip bulbs if you live in an area prone to hot Summers.
What types of bulbs can you divide?
All Spring and Summer flowering bulbs can be divided, for example: Spring Flowering Bulbs such as Daffodils, Tulips, Jonquils, Hyacinth, Anemone, Crocus, Dutch Iris, Freesias, and Ranunculi. And Summer Flowering Bulbs such as Bearded Iris, Calla Lily, Canna Lily, Dahlias, Gladioli, Hippeastrum, Lilium, Oriental Lillies and Peony Roses.
Many produce bulbs can also be divided with some pieces then replanted for next year’s crop such as Garlic, Echalion, Shallots and Potatoes.
Mr Fothergill's is a leading supplier of Flower and Produce Bulbs in Australia. Our bulbs are seasonally available at leading garden retailers nationwide, with a large variety also available online when in season. You can view the full bulb range here.
