Many perennial plants grow in a pattern that becomes a constantly widening clump. Eventually you will need to decide when is the right time to divide this plant creating many new plants along the way. The plant itself offers a good gauge as to when the time has come to divide. When the clump starts to die off in the center, leaving an outer ring of growth, it is time to divide.

Dividing of plants keeps them alive and healthy and blooming more. The best time to divide plants depends on what type of plant it is and how fast it grows. While an open centered clump is a good indicator that it is time to divide, you don’t have to wait until your plant starts to resemble a doughnut. Look for clumping plants that have doubled or tripled in size in three to five years. Any clump that is outgrowing its space in the garden or has already become overgrown is also an excellent choice to be divided.

Spring is typically the best season for plant division. As plants are growing leaves, they are less established and can better tolerate having their roots shaken up a bit and still manage to feed the top of the plant without too much distress. Some plants fare better when divided at the beginning of fall. It is best to do a little research to see what your particular plant species prefers and will tolerate better.

While dividing perennials is good for the plants down the road, the process is still a shock to their system. Immersing the roots in a good long soaking, at least 24 hours prior to dividing, helps to minimize shock and maximize your best odds for success. When you uproot any plant, the plant’s ability to feed itself and receive hydration is affected. Well hydrated roots help reduce the risk for trauma.

When dividing a plant that is heavy with top growth, cut back about one-third of the leaves in order to diminish the workload on, the plant roots’ and maintain the foliage growth. When you are ready to divide your plant, be sure you have already dug the new hole for the new divided plant. This spares the plant any extra root stress by allowing it to get back into the ground quickly.

It is easiest to divide a plant by digging up the entire clump, then breaking it apart once it is fully out of the ground. Do your best to keep the root ball intact with dirt amassed around it. If you soaked the plant first to protect the roots, it is likely the dirt will adhere to the roots.

A preferred method to divide the plant is to use two pitchforks. Wedge the pitchforks into the center of the root ball with the back of the pitchforks facing toward one another. Interlink the tines of the forks and start to pull away from one another. When you are successful, it is likely you will hear a cracking sound of the roots and plant splitting apart. Divide as many times as necessary depending on how large the plant is, using the same method repeated.

In order to create a garden that draws and sustains wildlife, the garden must feature food sources first and foremost. Many times by planting native plant species, you will automatically draw wildlife who will feast upon the berries, nuts, fruits and seeds that these plants produce. Flowering plants are also beneficial as they help attract birds and other creatures that use the nectar, sap or pollen as food.

In addition to food, animals also need a water supply. The water supply might be a natural resource such as a nearby creek or lake, or it can be much smaller and manmade such as setting out a birdbath or a shallow dish in the garden for butterflies to drink from.

If you watch out your window next time it rains, don’t be surprised to find birds or butterflies splashing about in mud puddles. No matter the source, animals will make use of water in any form they can find it.

Just as we do, animals need shelter. Again, plants, shrubs and brush provide this well.

It is also nice to leave hollow logs or tree stumps available for animals to nest in or raise young in, protected from the elements and predators. Ground cover and evergreens make good year-round shelter for a variety of creatures, particularly in winter when other trees and plants are sparse. Rock walls or mounds make good homes for lizards, and beneficial snakes. Leaf or straw mulched areas are an excellent spider habitat.

If you have a very small garden, you might wish to place a roosting box in your yard to offer a home for various creatures. Fennel or parsley plants make great homes for hungry caterpillars.

In order to create an organic variety wildlife garden, it is important that pesticides or other chemicals not be introduced into the garden. Organic gardening not only benefits the wildlife, keeping them safer and healthier, but also the environment, keeping our air and water cleaner and safer too. Instead of chemical fertilizers, organic gardens rely upon compost, which is a natural means to fertilize any garden, chemically free, while recycling food wastes, all at the same time. Composting is a great way to be both earth-friendly and wildlife-friendly.

Wildlife gardens can be watered in an eco-friendly fashion via the use of conservation measures. Rain barrels are an excellent way to collect and reuse rainwater for both plants and animals. Soaker or drip hoses make great alternatives to more wasteful watering or irrigation systems. Consider relying upon one or more of these methods to be as efficient as possible when watering your wildlife garden. You can naturally reduce your water needs via the use of native plant species, as native plants inherently require less water than non-native plants.

Another way to be environmentally aware when creating a wildlife garden is by reducing lawn space to create a sustainable garden. Allowing for less lawn and more natural habitat will naturally draw more creatures to your garden and is a more green way to live, requiring less water and no harmful chemicals.