End-of-season Sarracenia divison?

[seedjar]

So when I first got started with CPs I could swear that most of the literature said that Sarracenia and other species with a cold dormancy could be divided just before or just after dormancy. Now, everything I can find only mentions doing divisions in the spring. Am I way off base, or can I get away with splitting up my Sarrs in early fall? Some of my pots are really overflowing and I'd like to divide them soon. The climate here is pretty mild, and this summer has been particularly temperate, so I don't think that there will be much environmental stress, but I also wonder if the cold and damp might invite rot into the broken pieces of rhizome.
Thoughts?
~Joe

 

[Capensis]

I was having the same thought. Not trying to hi-jack your thread or anything, but why can't they be divided during dormancy instead of before and after?

 

[Est]

I've divided Sarracenia at all points in the growing season. In my experience, they all work well-enough, but plants tend to be set back for the growing season if I do it too late in Spring.

If your plants are starting to slow down, I see no reason not to divide them. Though if the division has no roots, it may not be good that growth is slowing down? Dunno about the last part.

But generally speaking, I wouldn't hesitate to divide 'em if you think they need it.

 

[RL7836]

Now, everything I can find only mentions doing divisions in the spring.

I believe the thinking is that the risks are greatly increased when creating an open wound just prior to having the plant sit in cool, damp (& potentially darkened) conditions. For many temperate species, dormancy is the riskiest time of year normally - with an open wound, this expands the risk.

Although you can definitely do it now, you can also give yourself a reminder 3-4 weeks before they normally break dormancy. Really not a lot of difference - except lower risk to the plants .... I've divided plants in the fall but now I try to wait until late winter (however, I received several divisions from friends last fall & they grew fine in the spring ...).

 

[jimscott]

I think that the reference to spring could also be translated as late winter, meaning just before it breaks dormancy and starts the new season of growth. Does division necessarily mean creating a division and open wound? Maybe I'm wrong, but I think the plants can separate themselves naturally and it's a matter of untangling the entwined roots.

 

[Alexis]

Most people, including me, actually divide in winter.

You've more chance of selling divisions in spring though, so it's common to hold onto the divisions until then.

Division is going to be somewhat stressful, so it's not ideal to perfom it in the middle of the growing season. But there's no harm in doing it in the fall.

The only thing to watch though is red flavas. They will tend to lose their colour if they're disturbed outside dormancy.

 

[obregon562]

I divide mine in the last weekend in December-the first week in January. So late winter/early spring i guess. you have to find the perfect time (imo) when the plants are still in dormancy, but on the way to breaking dormancy so theres a little growth to heal the wound.

 

[Capensis]

So would it be ok to divide sometime in late October/early November?

 

[obregon562]

i would say in most situations no, Oct. and Nov. are not optimum, but are exceptable. sarracenia is a resiliant genus, you can divide them when you please. i think it is just better/safer/easier/etc...to do it later.

 

[seedjar]

I think you're right, Ron. I pot in live sphagnum though, so I'm not too worried about rot. I probably will try in a month or two... I know several pots have individuals that are already separated that I can remove without really disturbing, and this summer has been pretty mild so I'm not worried too much about exhausting them. Thinking back, I've done divisions in the fall before and everything came out fine. Thanks everybody.
~Joe

 

[Capensis]

I know that this thread hasn't been active in a while, but I wonder if I can go ahead and divide right now.

 

[Alexis]

Yes you can.

What are you dividing though? Some redder plants tends to take a 12-18 months to regain their redness if the roots are disturbed outside dormancy.

 

[Capensis]

Just leucophylla. Plus, I'm repotting all my other sarrs into bigger pots.

 

[seedjar]

I'm moving into bigger pots this season too. (I've got five gallon nursery pots for all my adult Sarrs - I can't wait to see how big they'll get with room to stretch.) I'm not going to have any table space for my tropical plants by the time I'm ready to move them out next spring... Come to think of it, I'll hardly have any space for them to come back inside for winter!
Thanks for the tip on reds, Alexis - those include several of my favorites in my collection. I'll make sure to leave them until last.
~Joe