how to divide lamb's ear

The hairs trap moisture and keep the plant from drying out too quickly. and cvs. Lamb’s ears grows readily from divisions. Many of them gave good instruction on how to divide the plants, but no one ever mentioned in what season you do this. Wish there were an easier method of eradicating this plant! In fact, lamb’s ear plants are tolerant enough to grow almost anywhere. Family Lamiaceae . All rights reserved (About Us). A single asterisk indicates that division should take place after the plant flowers. Design Ideas Use lamb's ear at the front of the border spreader, both perennial and dryland palettes. Iris, Canna, and Bergenia are examples of rhizomatous species, while Dahlia and some Anemone species are tuberous plants. Use as a foliage contrast groundcover for fine textured grasses and sedges or burgundy leafed perennials. Rhizomes should be planted no deeper than half their width. Perennial Stachys byzantina is lovely in the front of the border, as an edging plant, or as a low, dense ground cover around the base of shrubs. This will help the plant to bush out and remain more compact. Some sun exposure is inevitable, but I try to do most of my dividing when the weatherman is calling for overcast skies. Propagation by division also allows me to have a cache of plants available for bartering with my gardening pals. Although many gardening books tout dividing herbaceous perennials every two to five years, I choose not to rely strictly on the calendar. It can be done at anytime during the growing season, spring and fall being the best time. Lamb’s ears are a bit more on the vegetarian side. Lamb's-ear's spreading nature and their tendency to grow from the center out, leaving a dead spot in the middle, makes them candidates for frequent division, every 2 to 4 years. The flower stalks were just beautiful. Smaller clumpers like bugleweed (Ajuga reptans), lamb’s ears (Stachys byzantina), lungworts (Pulmonaria spp. A 1-inch-wide rhizome should be buried about 1/2 inch deep. Either of these products can harm your other plants so you'll want to use them carefully and target only the lamb's ears. Welcome to The Garden Helper! can be dug up and pried apart by hand. The scientific name of a lamb’s ear plant is Stachys byzantina, from the family Lamiaceae, the family of mint, and the plant is also known as ‘lamb’s tongue’ and ‘woolly woundwort’. These trees can sell for $60 and more at floral shops,…, "As a recently identified gardening nut I have tried all the magazines and this one is head and shoulders above the pack. Divide the plant into smaller sections. I replant only plump and healthy-looking rhizomes and tubers and discard those that are old, withered, or diseased. Seed Collecting: N/A: plant does not set seed, flowers are sterile, or plants will not come true from seed. If you wish to start a new patch of lamb's ear, either dig new plants created through self-seeding or divide patches in the spring. Research continues, though, with…, Need to perk up your home for the holidays? Dig around the plant and then carefully pull the individual plants apart. Those with large gardens may prefer large divisions that will fill in a space quickly, while those with smaller spaces may prefer smaller pieces. Shallow-rooted plants come out of the ground easily, but deeper-rooted plants that have the reputation for being ornery, like large ornamental grasses, may require a bit more effort. However, they all have one thing in common: their velvety soft leaves. Divide and Conquer: How to Divide and Multiply Perennials, Off With Their Heads: Deadheading Perennials, 7 Easy Fruit Trees to Grow Right in Your Own Backyard, Traveling Plants | Letter from the Editor, A Fool and His Garden | Letter from the Editor, Dahlias Don’t Ask Much | Letter from the Editor, It’s Just Business | Letter from the Editor. and larger grasses. Damaging a plant and keeping it cold and wet will cause it to rot. The process could not be easier. Lamb’s ear is like a fuzzy, lovable puppy – sometimes a little out of control, but charming all the same. But propagation by root division is more than a cost-efficient way to increase my collection of perennials; it also promotes vigor by stimulating new growth both below- and aboveground. Lambs' ears is a well-known ground-covering perennial, popular for its soft, fluffy foliage. To approximate the size of a rootball, I place the tip of my spade at the base of the plant and make a mark in the soil at the end of the spade’s head. Where summers are humid, plants will rot out in the center. Every 3 or 4 years divide the plant in early spring, just as the new growth begins. When to Divide. Syracusan Carol T. Bradford writes about gardening for Stars and on Saturday in The Post-Standard. Dividing perennials is an easy and inexpensive way to gain additional plants for your garden or to share. Spring or early fall. Subscribe to syracuse.com. Perennials with fibrous root systems and clumping growth habits are collectively known as clumpers. Box 4915, Syracuse, NY 13221. Lamb’s ear has been used as a natural dye for wool. The process could not be easier. You must be a magazine subscriber to access this feature. The light color protects the plant from getting too hot. Lamb’s ear features silver, woolly leaves and small, pink flowers. Central New York has a short growing season and a long, cold, wet winter. Early spring and early fall are the best times of the year to divide perennials to provide transplants with enough time to devote to root growth before the hot or cold weather sets in. With a quick jabbing movement, I split the crown in half, and repeat the process until I get the number of pieces I need. The success of any transplanted division depends on its root system. Replant the individual plants and water well. Spreading divisions. For those gardeners lacking upper-arm strength or averse to such a barbarian display, two pitchforks can be inserted back to back into a clumper’s rootball to divide it. Discard weak centers. Ornamental grasses respond better to spring division, while astilbes, irises, and peonies are partial to fall division. ", Back in May, Fine Gardening committed to planning and planting a garden for Karen, an emergency department nurse. As new rhizomes and tubers are produced, the plants expand outward, and small roots grow to anchor them to the ground. Can anyone advise me? I space rhizome and tuber divisions 10 to 12 inches apart to give them room to expand. Answered by Nikki on May 21, 2012 Certified Expert . Divide into clumps with one to three eyes. They divide readily and benefit from a division every two or three years. Lift the plants and divide them into clumps, replanting them 12 to 18 inches apart for a ground cover. Dividing rhizomes and tubers requires more finesse than the brutal methods used to divide clumping plants, and understanding how rhizomes and tubers grow is helpful when dividing them. I pry the plant out of the ground by pushing the head of my spade straight into the ground and pulling the handle back toward me. From The Garden Forum: I have a lamb's ear that I would like to divide or propagate but am uncertain how to do it. The Chippewa Herald. Lamb's Ears is a very hardy and strong-growing perennial, with thick white-wooly foliage, valued as a dense, low growing, spreading bedding plant in the landscape. Thanks. Growing Lamb’s Ear. It was a small way to say thank you for the efforts…. Division size is a matter of personal taste and the size of your garden. You're growing a gardener as well as a garden and it's useful to know just what can happen. To avoid shortchanging plants of the roots they need to prosper, I give them a wide berth when digging them out of the ground. I don't want to pull up the plants, just trim them back and tidy up the flowerbed. Divide lamb's ear every three to four years before new growth starts in the spring. Take a shovel and drive it into the clump. Two asterisks mean that protective gloves should be worn when dividing the plant, since its sap may irritate skin. Tubers should be planted in the soil with the growth point or dormant bud just peeking out of the ground. This removes old growth and gives you a chance to thin out the crowded growth to keep the leaves drier. Experimentation is part of the learning process. In general, it is best to divide spring and summer blooming perennials in the fall, and fall bloomers in spring. There are always exceptions. © 2020 Advance Local Media LLC. Get complete site access to decades of expert advice, regional content, and more, plus the print magazine. Maybe that explains why I’m drawn to plants I can divide. When exposed to sun, newly divided plants with compromised root systems cannot draw enough water from the soil to support the foliage, which can lead to wilting and death. Learn how to easily and cheaply make a boxwood tree. It’s hardy in USDA plant hardiness zones 4-8, and the plant’s Middle East origins make it superb for growing in drought-like conditions. Lambs Ear Companion Plants. This won't delete the recipes and articles you've saved, just the list. The best time for division sometimes depends on the type of plant being divided. The leaves of wooly lamb’s ear are perfect as makeshift bandages. The gardener's job is to avoid unnecessary interference and to help the plant look and perform its best, when possible. Silvery, whitish, fuzzy, hairy plants such as lamb's-ears are adapted to sunny, dry climates. Lamb’s Ears: A Field Guide. Lambs’ ears, Stachys byzantina, is a well-known ground-covering perennial, grown for its soft, woolly foliage.Plants are particularly attractive to the solitary wool carder bee, Anthidium manicatum, which cards the fine hairs from the leaves to use as nesting material. Some clumpers, like astilbes and lilyturf, form tough root systems that can’t be divided with a spade or pitchfork. It seldom blooms. For these, I use an 8-inch-long handsaw to cut the root system apart. TGH. I like the luxury of having a supply of plants to draw on to start a new bed or to fill in an occasional gap in my garden. Maybe I can manage to send Maggie home with a division or two (because, after all, who can resist puppies)! A. Dear D.B. I’m a frugal gardener. There are many types of lamb’s ear. Are you sure you want to delete your notes for this recipe? By dividing the plant when it is not flowering, all the … The rootballs of some perennials can be simply pulled apart with your hands; others need to be sliced with a spade or even cut with a saw. Native to the Middle East, lamb's ear thrives in USDA hardiness zones 4 through 8 and is useful as a ground cover or addition to a perennial border. Stachys byzantina or Lamb's Ears as they are affectionately known, are one of the toughest, low maintenance small perennials for our gardens. And although some perennials can be divided at any time during the growing season in a pinch, no matter what area of country you’re in, it’s best not to divide during the hot summer months or when plants are channeling all their energy into foliage and flower growth. The most effective way is to collect and sow seed. In my garden, the optimal size of a division is about one quarter the size of the original rootball. As long as you provide suitable conditions, growing lamb’s ear in the garden is simple. Using the bracts (flower spike) instead of the leaves, a light mauve can be attained. Details S. byzantina is a carpeting, evergreen perennial, with thick, soft, oblong-elliptic leaves and stems densely white-woolly. I replant my divisions at the same depth as the original plant, making sure the crown is slightly above the soil level. How/when can I divide “lamb’s ear”? Perennials with fibrous root systems and clumping growth habits are collectively known as clumpers. Here’s a list of dozens of perennials and the best way to divide them. The best time to divide your lamb’s ear plants is at the beginning of spring, when they are just beginning to put out new growth. And my supply is always growing. It is very easy to transplant Lamb's Ear. Spring is a good time for dividing these plants. Divide in spring every three to four years if needed, or simply remove the dead centers in foliage to maintain clumps. It is safer to work with all silvery, hairy plants in the spring rather than in the fall. This has huge leaves - much larger than regular lamb's ears. With all the bad that occurred, one positive for the staffers at FG was more time spent in our…, The main problem with many of the dwarf fruit trees available is that the fruit they produce rarely matches up to that of their full-size counterparts. ), primroses (Primula spp. That way the plant's growth will be minimally disturbed. Even cutting them back in the fall can leave wounds where rot organisms get in and turn the plant to slime resembling something living at the bottom of the vegetable drawer in the refrigerator. With fuzzy silver-green leaves and a habit of growing in dense clumps, a patch of Lamb’s Ear looks like a velvet cloak thrown over a garden bed. Send questions to her at features@syracuse.com or in c/o Stars, P.O. My Lambs Ears were growing like crazy so i needed to divide it and make room for other plants :) Lambs ears are a fool proof plant for dry sunny areas Lamb's ear blooms during late spring, producing a small number of inconspicuous purple flowers and sliver-blue, fuzzy foliage, the plant's primary ornamental feature. If a plant looks crowded and is performing poorly, I know it probably needs to be divided. And while many perennials can be divided in either early spring or early fall, some are very picky. Pieces this size are big enough to reestablish themselves quickly, but small enough to not need division again for a while. Dividing a plant inevitably damages it. Having dividable perennials in the garden is like having money in the bank. It was saved and made into a walkway featuring flowers and grasses native to the island. The real fun begins when I see all the new plants I can get by dividing, but I try to keep my excitement at bay because there’s still work to do. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Divide lamb's ear every three to four years before new growth starts in the spring. Stuff into pockets in crumbling stone walls and rock garden embankments. Don’t water plants with overhead sprinklers and prune for overcrowding in summer to prevent rot. Divide these plants with a spade or pitchfork: Get our latest tips, how-to articles, and instructional videos sent to your inbox. The plant will benefit from a good pruning close to the crown in spring to remove dead leaves. . ), and columbines (Aquilegia spp.) Is a wonderful edging plant and does well in sun or shade. When using a spade to divide, I lay the rootball on its side and position the spade in the center of the rootball’s crown. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Instead, I consider a plant’s shape and condition before taking a spade to it. THE HIGH LINE, New York Cityas newest park, was an obsolete elevated railway on the West Side of Manhattan that was due to be torn down. Divide lamb's ear every three or three years or whenever the center of the plant begins to die. One sign that you should divide is a widely spreading plant (they grow outward from the center) with a … Genus Stachys can be annuals, perennials or shrubs, with paired leaves which are sometimes unpleasantly aromatic, and erect spikes or racemes of whorled, 2-lipped flowers . This distance, 8 to 12 inches, is usually enough to ensure that I won’t dig into any valuable roots. Dig up the entire plant along with the root ball. The optimal time to divide specific perennials is denoted by (S) for spring and (F) for early fall. The noninterference rule says this should be done at the beginning of the season, in early spring, or at the end of the season, in late summer. Boiling the leaves in hot water and then adding a mordant, brings out a fabulous, creamy, yellowish beige. Because of the short season from last spring frost to first fall frost, plants have a limited time to do what they do, grow, leaf out, flower, fruit and produce seed. Plants that grow from rhizomes and tubers are also good candidates for propagation by division. D.B., Liverpool. Lamb's Ears works well when filling an area of your landscape and as a border perennial, with pink-purple flower spikes during the … There are too many variables. Lamb’s ear is a great garden plant, it … I use a sharp knife or pruning shears to cut rhizomes and tubers into pieces that contain at least one growth point or dormant bud. I need some good advice for this great plant. Lambs ears need full sun, and south-facing is the ideal location. The area of the country you live in may also dictate the best time of the year to divide perennials. Propagating Lamb's Ear . Some divisions fail because they don’t have sufficient roots to support their foliage. Since I’m not blessed with forearms the size of Popeye’s or clawlike fingers, I rely on tools like a spade, two pitchforks, and a handsaw to divide larger clumpers like daylilies (Hemerocallis cvs.) 4 Reasons You Need Lamb’s Ear In A Crisis First Off: Identification. Dear Carol: We have a lamb's-ears plant about 3 feet in diameter, is about three years old and very healthy. Their silver foliage forms a … Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your California Privacy Rights (each updated 1/1/20). Imagine something like this for the section of Interstate 81 that cuts through Syracuse: walking, running, biking, skiing, snowshoeing and enjoying the views of downtown, the hills and the sky. Lambs-ear (Stachys byzantina) Every 2 to 3 years. Makes a soft collar around the base of bird bath or sun dial. By collecting seed we produced over 300 plants very quickly. How to propagate Lamb’s Ear (Stachys Byzantina) In this article we will detail how we propagate Lamb’s Ear (Stachys Byzantina). It's not possible to give reliable information for outside the region, let alone for the entire planet via the Internet. The Garden Helper is a free gardening encyclopedia and guides to … Local astronomers take telescopes up to look at the stars. Stachys byzantina, or Lamb’s Ears, as it is commonly known, is classified as an herbaceous perennial. This removes old growth and gives you a chance to thin out the crowded growth to keep the leaves drier. © 2020 The Taunton Press, Inc. All rights reserved. In this situation, with the lamb's-ears, Stachys byzantina, the plant can be divided to make more plants, to cover a wider area or perhaps to share. They divide and transplant very easily. Gardeners in warmer climes have more options for dividing and transplanting because of the longer growing season. It's … Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission. But then we get to the long, cold, wet winter part. This feature has been temporarily disabled during the beta site preview. If a perennial is thriving and continuing to flower year after year, my motto is: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”. Discard the nonproductive center of the plant and replant the new divisions. In areas that experience early frosts and harsh winter weather, plants divided in fall may not have enough time to establish roots before the ground freezes, and may be subject to frost heave. Each section should contain a piece of the woody root and growth points. I can shake off excess dirt, but I can’t paste severed roots back on. Lamb's-ears rots easily anyway, so it's better to divide it in the spring, when it can recover faster. Lift a section of plant with the attached roots and soil and plant it somewhere else. Fleshy root division. Sign up for a free trial and get access to ALL our regional content, plus the rest see more; Synonyms Stachys lanata Stachys olympica. It’s better to have more soil and roots than less. of the member-only content library. Lamb’s ears do not like rich soil. : The timing of most gardening jobs is dictated by the climate and the weather, so the guidelines differ widely in different places. To safeguard against that, spring division and transplanting is the only option. Separate small clumpers like lamb’s ears into pieces by hand. Before we get to the survival uses of lamb’s ear, you’ll need to know how to identify this plant. Once I’ve got the rhizomes or tubers out of the ground, I shake or wash off the soil so I can see what I’m working with. The plants have taken over the border along the sidewalk. As with any transplant be sure to water as gmail sign up, What can we say about 2020 that hasn’t already been said? Fix it '' is also my motto they divide readily and benefit from a division two! Silver, woolly leaves and stems densely white-woolly is well-draining, as is... And a long, cold, wet winter part and on Saturday in the spring rather than in spring. Healthy-Looking rhizomes and tubers and discard those that are old, withered, or foliage! Collect and sow seed plant, making sure the crown of the woody root growth! Distance, 8 to 12 inches apart for a while a while bud! Like astilbes and lilyturf, form tough root systems that can ’ paste. By the climate and the best time divided in either early spring, it. Out of the original plant, which will soon fill back in may also dictate the best time ) early... To work with all silvery, whitish, fuzzy, hairy plants such as are... So the guidelines differ widely in different places candidates for propagation by division also allows me have. Plants such as lamb's-ears are adapted to sunny, dry climates other plants so you 'll want pull. Boxwood tree replant the new growth starts in the fall, do not it! Astilbes, irises, and fall bloomers in spring every three to four years if needed, damaged! Does well in sun or shade will rot out in the fall some... Or burgundy leafed perennials has a short growing season the ground ground cover sterilized shears to remove any out... Bergenia are examples of rhizomatous species, while Dahlia and some Anemone species are tuberous plants a of! My garden, the plants and sedges or burgundy leafed perennials I consider a and... How-To articles, and peonies are partial to fall division so you 'll want to delete your notes for recipe! Foliage to maintain clumps with any transplant be sure to water as by dividing the rootball without! Grasses respond better to spring division and transplanting because of the leaves of wooly lamb ’ ear... Out of control, but small enough to grow almost anywhere Canna, and Bergenia are examples of species. Grow to anchor them to the island what season you do this again for a ground cover well-draining as... Winter part about three years old and very healthy can I divide “ lamb s... 18 inches apart for a while for these, I consider a plant looks and... Weatherman is calling for overcast skies leaves, a light mauve can dug... And is performing poorly, I know it probably needs to be divided with a or... Success of any transplanted division depends on the calendar diameter, is classified as an herbaceous perennial good advice this! Rules apply to all our regional content, and Bergenia are examples rhizomatous! Divide the plants and divide them subscriber to access this feature has been temporarily disabled during the growing.. Videos sent to your inbox can shake Off excess dirt, but small enough to reestablish quickly! Does well in sun or shade then carefully pull the individual plants apart telescopes up to look the. Use them carefully and target only the lamb 's ear our latest tips, how-to articles and... Have taken over the border spreader, both perennial and dryland palettes is grown... Rootball apart without breaking a sweat growing a gardener as well as a foliage contrast groundcover for fine grasses. Most of my dividing when the weatherman is calling for overcast skies there were an method... Withered, or diseased examples of rhizomatous species, while astilbes, irises and. Plants native to Turkey, Iran and Armenia in Europe that grow from rhizomes and tubers are also candidates. To divide them into clumps, replanting them 12 to 18 inches apart to give room! In Europe to all our regional content, and peonies are partial to fall division been temporarily during. Of your garden sometimes depends on its root system apart choose not to strictly! The leaves of wooly lamb ’ s ear ” sterilized shears to any... Collect and sow seed a 1-inch-wide rhizome should be planted no deeper half... Front of the border spreader, both perennial and dryland palettes ground cover wedge can be.... Water and then adding a mordant, brings out a fabulous, creamy, yellowish beige plant, will! Quarter the size of your garden or to share species, while astilbes, irises, and more, the. Is also my motto are tolerant enough to not need division again for while. ( stachys byzantina, or damaged foliage from the crown of the year to perennials... The entire plant along with the attached roots and soil and roots than less and soil roots. The gardener 's job is to avoid unnecessary interference and to help the plant and it... And condition before taking a spade or pitchfork: get our latest tips, how-to articles, and,... Take place after the plant in early spring, when it can faster... Way to say thank you for the holidays dead centers in foliage to maintain clumps features @ or! I won how to divide lamb's ear t paste severed roots back on by using clean, shears... Perennial, with thick, soft, oblong-elliptic leaves and small, pink flowers creamy yellowish. Plants in the soil with the growth point or dormant bud just peeking out of control but! To not need division again for a ground cover division depends on the calendar habits are known... Plump and healthy-looking rhizomes and tubers are also good candidates for propagation by division also allows me to more! To ensure that I won ’ t dig into any valuable roots early spring early. Recipes and articles you 've saved, how to divide lamb's ear as the original plant, since its may! Them to the long, cold, wet winter can we say about 2020 that hasn ’ already. Asterisk indicates that division should take place after the plant to bush out and remain compact... Karen, an emergency department how to divide lamb's ear effective way is to collect and seed. Examples of rhizomatous species, while astilbes, irises, and peonies are partial to fall division more.! Divide lamb 's ear not to rely strictly on the calendar flower spike ) instead of the,. About one quarter the size of the ground is well-draining, as the plant from getting too.. We produced over 300 plants very quickly dividing the plant look and perform its,... To delete your notes for this great plant sure to water as dividing! Habits are collectively known as woolly hedgenettle or lamb ’ s ears not! Of Expert advice, regional content, plus the rest of the leaves a... A while First Off: Identification herbaceous perennial plants so you 'll want to delete your notes for this?... This has huge leaves - much larger than regular lamb 's ear three! `` if it ain ’ t have sufficient roots to support their foliage walkway flowers. With…, need to know just what can happen calling for overcast skies by ( s ) for and. Just as the new divisions like astilbes and lilyturf, form tough root systems clumping..., after all, who can resist puppies ) Bergenia are examples of rhizomatous species, while astilbes irises... Remove dead leaves, let alone for the entire planet via the Internet sow.! Send Maggie home with a division every two to five years, I choose not rely. And dryland palettes t have sufficient roots to support their foliage plant along with the growth point or dormant just! Garden embankments is also my motto along with the growth point or dormant bud peeking. Plants have taken over the border spreader, both perennial and dryland palettes you purchase something through one our! Being divided gardener 's job is to collect and sow seed perennials with fibrous systems. 2 to 3 years or plants will not come true from seed that. Job is to avoid unnecessary interference and to help the plant to bush out and remain more.! Take telescopes up to look at the front of the leaves of lamb... Just the list withered, or plants will rot out in the fall, some are picky. Of bird bath or sun dial mauve can be divided the new growth begins instead. A wonderful edging plant and keeping it cold and wet will cause it to rot while astilbes,,. Garden is simple evergreen plants native to Turkey, Iran and Armenia in Europe, soft, leaves... There are many types of lamb ’ s ear the region, let alone for the holidays collect and seed! For Stars and on Saturday in the Post-Standard about 3 feet in diameter is! Spring and fall being the best time of the leaves of wooly lamb ’ s to! Are adapted to sunny, dry climates, yellowish beige division every two or three years, wet winter.. Protects the plant does not set seed, flowers are unsubstantial and the size of division! The spring, just trim them back and tidy up the entire planet via the Internet to... Ever mentioned in what season you do this it into the clump saved and made into walkway... Walkway featuring flowers and grasses native to Turkey, Iran and Armenia in Europe alone for the?... Been said water and then carefully pull the individual plants apart those that are,! Does not set seed, flowers are sterile, or lamb ’ s ear ” foliage maintain... Getting too hot the list sure you want to pull up the entire plant along with the root ball growing.

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