I'd use a sharp spade or a hori hori knife if you have one. A Hyde brand pry bar is an amazingly useful gardening tool. I use mine ALL the time for weeding, digging holes, cutting weeds from cracks, and dozens of other jobs. It's made of hardened spring steel & stays sharp for a LONG time. It makes short work out of dividing clumps of 'stuff'. I've used this tool for years & years and can attest that Hyde makes the best one out there.

{{gwi:15623}}

Al

I agree with Al... in fact, I have a few shallow containers of Lilies to un-pot and get planted in the garden this year. I plan to take a sharp shovel or trowel and just cut the whole soilball into sections to be planted right in the garden. If it breaks apart when I un-pot it, all the better.

If you plan to replace the Lilies in containers, though, or you want to keep a few of the corms for potting, I might think about washing the soil off one of the chunks left after splitting, and salvaging the individual corms.

I use a nice little estate shovel for most of my work, but I do like Al's tool choice, also. Nice!

I just separated some chives using an old steak knife. O.K. I'll confess, it wasn't old when I stole it from the kitchen. lol..

I just cut through the clump while it was in the container, scooted the mix away and took out the half I wanted. Worked really well.

Bigger plants, I use a small trenching shovel. :-)

Congrats on all the little bulbs! Oriental lilies are beautiful!

JoJo

I love having Lilies in the gardens! They make a nice back of the border planting, the flowers are spectacular, and a lot of them are wonderfully scented! We have several types and colors of Lilies in the perennial beds!

I have a serrated knife with a v-shaped notch in one end. I got it at the Senior Center thrift shop for a quarter. I have no idea what the knife was supposed to do, probably it was made to sell on TV. It is about 8-10 inches long and very good for separating things. Since it only cost a quarter I just leave it in the last place I used it. It never rusts. Never gets dull. It does sometimes get lost.

I have grown Oriental lilies for years and there is no need to take anything sharp to remove the bulbets except you hands. Dump the container carefully and separate the little bulbs. Replant where you would like. I usually plant the tiny ones in in area set aside for a nursery bed and as they get larger you will have lots more to plant or give away..