Propagation

not blooming after propagation

by Sharon
(Dayton Ohio)

I propogated a plant from my mother a month ago. It has grown very well (huge) but no flowers. Is there a male /female plant? or will mine flower with given time? Thank you

Doug says a perennial will "sometimes" bloom in the year it has been propagated/divided but most of the time it spends its time growing roots and getting large enough to flower. In any case, you may find it will give you a light flowering towards the end of the summer (it depends on what variety you have) but the main run of flowering will begin next year.

Division of plant and looking sick

by Judy Sikora
(Carol Stream, IL)

Whenever I have tried to divide a black eyed susan they look terrible for quite sometime and sometimes perk back up, somtimes not until the following season.

What am I doing wrong?

I divide other plants and do not run into this problem as much.

Your suugestions would be most helpful

Doug says it sounds normal to me. Whenever you divide a plant, it's going to resent that and the root damage is going to stop water going to the plant leaves. Every plant will respond more or less dramatically to this damage.

Relax - as long as the plants are surviving - you can't necessary get looking at the same time.
Thank you

Dividing Black Eyed Susans

(Damascus, MD, USA)

How and when is the best way and time to divide Black Eyed Susans?


Doug says he likes to dig and divide his mature clumps in the early spring. They pop out of the ground easily and move quickly. The plant never knows it's been dug. Do it as early in the spring as you can - doesn't matter whether the plant is growing or not (as long as you can find it).

When you dig the clump, you'll find it will almost fall apart into different plants.

Or - you can just cut off a chunk with a shovel (drive the shovel straight down between two pieces of the plant) and you'll likely wind up with a chunk with roots on it.