Divide Your Shasta Daisies in September to Revive Plants and Get New Ones for Free
Fall is the ideal time to divide these blooms
Shasta daisies have become a staple in cottage gardens, with their bright white petals and bushy habit. If you want to fill even more of your flower beds with this cheerful clump-forming perennial, now is a great time to divide them.
You can divide Shasta daisies in either spring or fall, when conditions are mild. In fall, it's best to do this before the ground freezes and becomes unworkable. With a garden knife (like this Amazon hori hori knife), you can divide these plants to create multiple clumps to replant for double the blooms next summer. Dividing is also key to do every 2-3 years to prevent overcrowding and maintain vigorous blooming.
But, you do have to approach this propagation technique with caution. Getting the timing wrong and accidentally damaging the roots could result in you losing your original plant altogether. Here, with the help of a garden pro, I explain how to divide Shasta daisies correctly.
1. Get the Timing Right
'Shasta daisies can get really sparse and crowded pretty quickly, and that causes the center to die as the clump ages because it's just overcrowded. Dividing gives that outer growth that's healthier a little bit more room, more access to water and nutrients in the soil, and it will also improve flowering, help control the plant size, and give you additional plants for your garden,' explains Lindsey Chastain, homesteader and founder at The Waddle and Cluck.
'You want to divide Shasta daisies in the early spring when the new growth is just appearing, or in early fall after it's done flowering,' she continues.
In early fall, after blooming, you should cut back your Shasta daisies to around six inches before dividing. Always use clean and sharp pruning tools for this, like the Felco F2 pruners from Lowe's.
'If you live in a colder climate, you want to divide them at least 4-6 weeks before the ground is going to freeze. Otherwise, the roots won't have enough time to establish themselves,' Lindsey says.
Lindsey Chastain, a dedicated homesteader and skilled writer, is the driving force behind The Waddle and Cluck, a platform that celebrates sustainable living, gardening, and responsible farming
2. Carefully Lift Your Shasta Daisy
The first step to divide your Shasta daisy is to lift the plant out of the ground.
'You want to water the plant the day before you're going to do the division if the soil is dry,' recommends Lindsey.
'To pull out the daisy, dig around the outside of the clump with a garden fork (like this from Lowe's) or a spade, staying far enough away from the crown so that you're not digging into the roots. Then, lift the entire clump out of the ground,' she continues.
You might find having a transplanting trowel (like this from Amazon) in your fall gardening toolkit is useful if you have lots of plants to divide over the coming weeks.
3. Separate the Clump
With your Shasta daisies safely removed from the ground, you can now focus on dividing them. First, gently brush away any soil on the roots so you can see the different crowns of the plant.
'You can pull the smaller clumps apart by hand. If you're having trouble getting them to separate, you can use a clean, sharp spade or a garden knife (like this from Amazon) to help separate them, but use that as a last resort,' Lindsey advises.
Each section should have a few healthy shoots and its own robust root system. 'Get rid of anything that is weak, woody, or diseased,' Lindsey notes.
If you do use tools to cut the clumps apart, take care to make clean cuts between them that don't damage too many roots.
4. Replant the Shasta Daisies
Once your Shastas have been divided, it's time to plant them back in the ground.
'You can replant each section that you have, preferably at the same depth that it was growing before, and then cover,' says Lindsey.
'Make sure that your soil is firmly patted down and completely covering the roots in the crown,' she adds.
You want to ensure the daisies are at least 1-2 feet apart to allow them to grow to their full potential next summer. Use this Burpee trowel with a depth marker to ensure each hole is at the same depth as the root ball, typically 5-8 inches.
'Water thoroughly and then add a light layer of mulch without covering the crown,' Lindsey adds.
This will help lock in moisture and provide insulation for any frosts, particularly in fall where young roots are susceptible to frost damage. Luckily, there are plenty of free fall mulching materials you can gather from your yard to use.
5. Avoid Overwatering
It's key to help your Shasta daisies settle and establish in their new position before the coldest temps arrive. In doing so, take care not to overwater them, especially in wetter conditions of spring and fall.
'You want to keep the divisions as evenly watered as you can while they become established, but they do not like being waterlogged, so always stick your finger into the soil to see how wet it really is before watering,' says Lindsey.
Keep an eye on the weather in the following weeks, only topping up water during dry spells. Using this Amazon soil moisture meter, you can identify when the top 1-2 inches of soil dry out before watering.
What to Shop
As well as dividing your Shasta daisies for new, free plants, why not consider adding more Shasta daisy varieties to your collection? 'Banana Cream II' Shasta daisy from Trees.com (formerly Fast Growing Trees) is a beautiful pale yellow hue, for example.
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