How to Divide Crocosmia

With their sword-like leaves and exotic-looking blooms that grow atop tall, graceful stems, crocosmia is the queen of the summertime flower bed. A sturdy, drought-tolerant plant that demands almost no attention once it’s planted, crocosmia will bloom from mid-summer to early autumn. To keep crocosmia blooming at its vigorous best, divide the bulb-like corms every two or three years.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

things you’ll need:

• Shovel
• Garden fork
• Compost
• Bulb fertilizer

1. Prepare a spot for the new crocosmia plant before you begin. Crocosmia will do best in full sun or partial shade and well-drained soil. Remove weeds from the area, and use a shovel or garden fork to cultivate the soil to a depth of at least 8 inches. Work an inch of compost into the bottom of the soil.
2. Dig straight down with a garden fork, and jiggle the fork as you gently lift the crocosmia clump out of the ground. If the clump is large, work your way in a circle around the plant until it can be easily lifted from the soil. Don’t dig too close to the plant because you may accidentally cut into the corms with the garden fork.
3. Divide the corms with your hands. Discard the old, woody corms, and re-plant the young corms, or move them to a new location.
4. Dig a hole for each corm, and add a handful of bulb fertilizer to the bottom of the hole. Plant the corms 2 to 3 inches deep, with the pointed end up. For best effect, plant the corms in groupings of 10 to 12, with 6 to 8 inches between each corm.
5. Water the crocosmia deeply immediately after planting. Once the plants are established, rainfall will be all the moisture needed.