Divided perennials not growing

5 years ago

I divided my iris sanguinea last September, with foliage cut back halfway and planted it then replanted it this April because it was so low in the ground. Now it doesn’t seem like it’s growing even with so much water. The foliage is shorter and thinner. The other same iris I have at my dads house is probably 3 times the size with bloom buds on it now. Why is this happening?

My miscanthus ‘Yakushima’ also doesn’t seem to be growing after I divided it in early April. Again I have been keeping it watered. They were so good last year going 7 ft across.

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Comments (9)

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
5 years ago
Spring divisions and transplants do take some time to recover and start producing much growth. And it is still too early for a warm season grass like Miscanthus to be pushing a lot of new growth. You just need to have more patience :-) It will happen but in the fullness of time, not according to your calendar or how the same plant appears already well established in another garden.

btw, next season (February/March), cut that Miscanthus back harder....just a few inches above the soil level.
porkchop_z5b_MI
5 years ago
Yea, the warm season grasses really aren't showing a lot of growth yet -- some but not much, looks pretty much like yours right now. GG is right -- they will grow, they just need the warmer weather to really rev up. I never worry about mine, by the time you know it they'll be as tall as me. :0)
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
5 years ago
what they said.. with the added note.. you dug it up again in spring.. so you cant say its been undisturbed since last fall ...

and it looks thinner.. because you divided it ... that was one of the points of dividing it..

just be patient ... its alive.. and doing just fine.. the only problem are your expectations ...

ken
Heruga (7a NJ)
Original Author
5 years ago
Ok it got me worried because I see some miscanthus so lush and full in a zone 6b spot which is colder than my zone but I guess there are different factors involved in it. So I wanted to cut the miscanthus back to the ground but by the time I was going to cut it(late March) there were already new foliage growing so I didn’t want to cut that part back. Not sure if these grasses grow back like lawn grasses do
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Are you sure what you are seeing is miscanthus? Even in my very mild climate, they are only now starting to put on growth. They need nice warm weather to fill out and that has very little to do with hardiness zone!
Heruga (7a NJ)
Original Author
5 years ago
I think it may have to do with the fact that that miscanthus is right next to the asphalt and that heats up the ground faster? I’ll take pics tomorrow but I’m definitely sure it is.
Heruga (7a NJ)
Original Author
5 years ago
Actually almost 90% of miscanthuses look like this at my workplace.
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
5 years ago
It must be that setting. Those are very far along for a Miscanthus at this time of year!
Heruga (7a NJ)
Original Author
5 years ago
Well these are all in a big parking lot island planted 2 years ago and idk if has to do with the fact that the black asphalt insulated the ground more. It’s in part shade though due to the callery pears being nearby.