Jo and I both share a love for growing vegetables and flowers. Both of us have had success and failures even when we share the same seeds. Last season, we bought coneflowers to plant in our backyard. Not only beautiful flowers, they are also make delicious tea. Unfortunately, mine did not winter well, so I was thankful that Jo’s did amazing. So amazing that two of her plants were able to be split.

Neither Jo nor I had split a plant before. We figured splitting mid-September would be perfect timing as it allowed time for the roots to redevelop and the flowers had finished blooming.

It was not an easy task to get the root to split. I welcome any advice for future plant splittings, but these were our steps. We dug up both the purple and white coneflowers, took a shovel to the main roots to slip the plant in half, while trying not to damage the roots. Then we replanted Jo’s half into her flowerbed and took the other half to mine and planted them.

A couple weeks later, a neighbor informed Jo that coneflowers should be cut back to only a couple inches above the ground during the winter. Then to cover with mulch. This is our plan in the next coming weeks after the first frost.

With calmness and grace,

Hannah