Georgia Magazine - February 2022 - 24

GEORGIA Gardens
By Pamela A. Keene
Dianthus
Shasta daisies
Gardenia
G
Pass-along plants
iving away the fruits of your labor can be
one of the greatest pleasures of gardening.
" People who love to grow things often
share their plants with others, " says Mildred Fockele,
director of the Atlanta Botanical Garden in Gainesville.
" Whether you share with longtime gardening
friends or novices, taking something that you've
cultivated yourself and passing it along benefits
everyone. "
In the gardening world, these are called passalong
plants. Whether dividing clumps of daylilies or
irises or potting up cuttings from Christmas cactuses
or Confederate roses, it's easy to spread the garden
love. And best of all, it's free.
Divide and conquer
Division is one of the easiest ways to share
plants, and spring and early summer are the
perfect times.
" When perennials are starting to sprout, make
note of those that are looking a bit overcrowded, "
Fockele says. " Daylilies, cone flowers, bee balm and
Shasta daisies benefit from division every few years.
They will appreciate having the extra room to grow,
and they'll produce more flowers and foliage. "
Divide overcrowded plants by digging the
clumps when the foliage is still emerging. Use a
garden pitchfork or shovel to dig them, then separate
them with a sharp knife.
" Make sure you're preserving roots with each
24 Georgia Magazine February 2022
An easy way to share the love of gardening
clump, and either transplant them right away or pot them up, "
she says. " Divisions should be planted within a day. If you're not
planting them immediately after digging, wrap them in damp
paper towels or newspaper. "
Other plants that divide well include dianthus, coral bells,
black-eyed Susans, astilbes and irises.
Up in the air
Early spring is the best time to propagate plants by airlayering,
a method of starting new plants from stems still
attached to the parent plant.
" Many plants and shrubs-including hydrangeas,
camellias, azaleas, forsythia and viburnum-can be air-layered, "
Fockele says. " It's not a difficult process, but you will need
patience in most cases. "
Choose a branch 2 to 3 feet long and about the diameter of
your little finger, leaving it attached to the mother plant. With a
sterilized, sharp knife, scar the branch through the bark in two
places about 1 inch apart and remove the bark between them.
Remove the leaves and leaf buds along a 4- to 6-inch length on
either side of the bare section.
" Apply some rooting hormone powder to the wound and
generously wrap it in wet sphagnum moss, " she says. " Cover
the wet moss with clean plastic wrap and tie the ends securely
closed. This will create a greenhouse to hold in moisture and
promote root growth. "
Check the plant regularly to see if roots are developing
inside the plastic.
" This is where the patience comes in, " she says. " Don't be
tempted to unwrap the plastic; it needs to stay moist inside. It
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Georgia Magazine - February 2022

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