Do You Need to Divide Your Bulbs? (2024)

Spring flowering bulbs are so popular, in part, because they require very little maintenance. Once you've dug the holes and planted them in the fall, you can almost forget about them until they pop up and flower the following spring. As the planting matures, the bulbs will divide and spread on their own. Eventually, the planting area may become crowded and produce fewer flowers instead of more. Should you divide and replant these bulbs or just replace them?

Crowded bulbs will start to flower less prolifically and the original bulbs will eventually give out, but that doesn't mean you need to start all over again with new bulbs. Spring flowering bulbs can be dug up and divided, just like most other flowering plants. The real question becomes: Do you need to divide spring-flowering bulbs and, if so, how often?

That depends on the type of bulb and how well it is growing. Daffodils will live for generations without any help from us. Others, like tulips, tend to fade out after a few years. A good rule of thumb is to watch how well the bulbs are blooming. If an established patch of bulbs starts to bloom less and less or begins blooming sparsely, the bulbs have probably become overcrowded. That's the signal to dig and divide.

When to Divide Flowering Bulbs

You can divide your bulbsbefore they start to decline. Every three to five years should be sufficient to give you enough new bulbs to keep your patch in bloom. Just keep in mind that it will take a couple of years before the tiny offset bulbs have built up enough energy to begin blooming.

If you don't want to renovate an entire planting and miss a season of bloom, you can always plant the small bulbs in a separate area or holding bed for the first couple of years and then transplant them to the border when they are large enough to bloom.

What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

Garden trowel or cultivator hand rake

Materials

Mesh bags or dry peat moss (optional)

Instructions

Choose the Right Time
The best time to move bulbs is when the foliage is just about gone, the plant is no longer actively growing, the bulb is recharged, and you can still see where they are.
Tip
Take care when digging that you don't damage the bulbs themselves. Remember that bulbs tend to pull themselves deeper than they were originally planted and spread out. So start digging a few inches away from the plants and wait until the bulbs are loosened, and don't pull on the leaves.
Dig up the Bulbs
The first step is lifting the bulbs from the ground. Always dig the bulbs; don't try to pull them up by the foliage. A garden trowel or a cultivator hand rake is best for this task. Dig gently a few inches away from each plant and go deep enough to get underneath it, carefully rocking the gardening tool until the bulb comes free from the soil.
Divide the Bulbs
To divide bulbs, carefully pull the small bulbs from the base of the plant. The larger the small offset bulbs are, the sooner they will flower.
Inspect the Original Bulb
Check the original bulb for firmness. If it appears in good health, go ahead and replant it; you may still get several years of flowering. If it appears shriveled or damaged, toss it.
Plant the Small Bulbs
You can plant all the small offsets. They may appear small now, but giving them adequate spacing at this time will save you the effort of re-digging and re-planting in a year or two. Or, as mentioned above, you can plant them in a holding bed and move them to a permanent spot once they've had a couple of years to mature.
Store the Bulbs (If Necessary)
You could also store your bulbs until it's time to plant in the fall. If you choose to store the bulbs, be sure to remove all the soil and allow them to air dry for several days. Remove any injured or diseased bulbs and any that feel soft. Then store in a mesh bag or some dry peat moss. Keep them in a ventilated but cool, dark spot and check periodically during the summer to make sure they are not rotting or drying out. Plant them the following fall.