Dividing Hydrangea

In the area of Hydrangea there is still the mis conception that ALL color of them can be controlled by the Ph of the soil, which is incorrect.
As with this subject area, ALL cannot be split. I have 13 varieties on my property, some are a one trunk out of the soil, and look like a mini tree, there is no way in hell I would be able to fathom splitting that type, or would even want to.
But, some of my others that spit off and widen themselves at the base with babies, yes, I do when there is room, take a baby out of the soil, and it has a nice root system, and I replant that baby successfully.
What I am saying is one has to truly know the variety. But, still I would not dig up a well established hydranga ever and hack it, and replant it. Some hyrangeas even planted from a nursery pot can take up to 2 -3 years before they will flower. So I do not mess with mine.

 

I agree, what we are really describing is "taking a pup off", rather than dividing (in the sense of splitting a clump of a Herbaceous perennial). I think the word "dividing", in this context, is misleading and going to set-back the Mother Plant unnecessarily [compared to removing a Pup]

 

Agreed Kristen, I call them babies that jut up from the soil about 5 or so inches from the mom. In that case it is all good, and have gotten several over the years to grow well in to nice bushes in other areas of my property.

 

The ones I have divided were small shrubs in really poor condition, as they were under other large plants, and crushed. They had hardly any leaves, and even the remaining leaves were brown and yellow with many holes. So I dug up and divided them before planting them in open location with good sun.

Reflecting now, I should not have divided them, but just planted them as they were. But that was a lesson.

After almost 2 month dividing and transplanting, they seem to have tiny buds coming out from the stems. I get fingers crossed they will survive, and take it it will be a 2 -3 years before they can flower, but hopefully earlier.

First two are Hydrangea and last one is I think, Camelia

 

Last picture looks very promising

 

This morning was frosty. Would it be better to put plastic bags over them, or OK without protection, as they are hardy perennial?

 

Should be fully hardy. It's the developing flowers which get nipped by frost I think, not the shrub itself.

 

I grow all of my hydrangeas from cuttings ... so so easy to propagate and I have been doing this for some 30 years or so
Have never thought of division, but I can see the logic of taking off a 'pup' and planting up

 

The divided Hydrangeas are pushing out leaves from the ground. They also have tiny buds on woody stems. I forgot to take photos this afternoon. I will try next time.

 

Took a few photos with my phone, but came out all blurred apart from this one.

 

They seem growing ok.

 

Nice new healthy shoots there Hedgefog.

 

Thank you Charlie & Sheal I really had no idea if they will live or die, but glad to see they are coming back. Hopefully we might see them flowering in next year or two.