Dividing Hydrangea

NO NO NO NO do not divide an hydranga. If you have one that shoots up a baby about 5 inches or more from the mother base then you can gingerly dig close to the mother base and separate the baby along with the roots of the baby to plant that. But this is not a plant that can be divided, never ever, no , no , major no.

 

I can't see how a Hydrangea can be divided the only way possible is as Kristen has mentioned where the plant has stems that have come into contact with the soil and rooted (layering).

 

dont you just love these questions and we get a good debate going . about the do's and dont's

Spruce

 

I've been googling like a mad woman but can't find any actual pictures of the process ...I've been reading it can be done so I'm assuming you have to literally slice down the main stem sounds dodgey to me

 

so easy from cuttings , rather than risk loosing the main plant

 

I just thought they had multiple cuttings in , which to most looked like just the one plant but we know better

 

we need to be careful with the answer as my eldest brother watched a program about Rhododendrons ponticum and what they had done to the country side in the UK and freaked out and cut down all his named varieties !!! in front and back garden !!!!
and then speaking to my me and my other gardening brother what a stupid thing he had done

Spruce

 

Interesting conversation here. It boils down to the fact the only way to find out whether they will divide is to try it. I can't volunteer, I haven't got any, sorry!

 

Glad I asked this question.

As I said I have already split smaller plant because it was in poor condition. If left as was, it would have died soon. I planted them in new location sunny and have given lots of watering since the beginning of August, but no sign of life until now.

When I was cutting the smaller one, I could not tell whether it was one piece or layers or clumps just by looking at it. But when I tried to cut the root, it was like a rock, solid and hard like a brick. I could not cut it with spade, fork or knife, or axe, so I had to use a saw. Not sure if it has died, or will still come back to life soon or in the spring. It sounds more like they might have died, but I will watch for any sign of life for another month or two.

But for the large Hydrangea, I will just move it to better location with lots of room around it, and give some fertiliser and water after pruning.

 

Never had this much disagreement amongst learned members (as distinct from a new arrival who wants to try to make a point!!). Very interesting.

I still can't imagine digging up a mature "Large clump of Hydrangea macrophylla" to divide it but it is interesting to know that that is done.