Hi Everyone!

I hope someone can help me out. I have lots of Sea Thrift in my yard, and it's done really well. Some of it has done almost too well, and I need to divide it. They were very small when I bought them, but now I have several that are over a foot across, and I need to divide them, if possible.

I really have no idea how to go about doing this! When I look under the plant, there are little sections without roots, kind of like Coral Bells. Can I break off a section and stick it in the ground, or do I need to divide the roots? Also, is there a time of year that it's best to do this?

Thanks, and any help would be most appreciated!

I would wait until spring. Your idea of breaking off a piece and sticking it in the ground might work if you live in a place with very high rainfall. I think you'll have better luck putting those pieces in some good potting soil for a while first. You don't need a piece of the big root with each piece. Fine hair-like roots will form.

Thanks constance. I'll wait for spring and give it a try. We can have harsh winters with a lot of snow, but no rain usually in the winter. This year, we've had almost no rain at all, and it's horribly hot. The thrift are doing fantastic despite the heat and dry conditions, and have grown like crazy this year. They must like it.

I have had good luck with large plants like that doing what I call spade pruning . take a sharp spade and just cut straight down the center and lift half the plant out . replace ''good ''soil in the hole.
Then you can take a sharp knife and divide the 1/2 you lifted out into smaller pieces. I have done this in the spring and fall, but sounds like you don't have enough rain this year to try a fall transplant.
Good luck and keep us posted

Is anyone's thrift blooming now? Mine hasn't since the weather got hot. I'm thinking that I may as well divide it now, if it's not going to bloom again this year. (??)


to ATP, Constance.

Chelle, Mine is still blooming, and it was 104 here yesterday. They have bloomed really well this year. I've got a few that took a bit of a break, but for the most part, they have bloomed non-stop as long as I keep up with the deadheading.

Cinda, thanks for the info. I know about spade pruning or dividing, but I'm hoping to get them started by breaking off a section instead. The plants are really round, and I'm not sure they would look good as half circles!

Thanks, Natalie.

Mine are in a tub right now, along with a margerite daisy and a dorotheanthus. It's entirely possible that it's not getting enough water. I do tend to go as light as possible when adding water to this one, though I thought thrifts didn't care for all that much. I have noticed that occasionally it looks a bit wilted...

I don't overwater mine, but do make sure and give them a little extra if they look wilted. I really don't know how much water it is that they prefer! I've had super good luck with them, but my neighbor down the street can't keep one alive to save her life! So, I'm doing something right, but I'm not sure what it is!

These are my first. I've admired them for years but didn't think they could take my (heavy clay) soil conditions - hence, the tub. Now, with this year's drought, they might have done better in the ground...one just never knows, sometimes.

I've got them growing in really good soil, clay, and sandy soil, and they have done equally well, no matter where I planted them.

Oh, boy... that's great to know! Now, I'll kind of cross this off of the *picky about soil* list, and add it to the *wherever there's a spot* list. Much, much easier to place it that way! (It sounds like it's one of those plants that pretty much makes its own rules. )

Chelle, that is exactly why I've got so much of it! Anywhere that there has been a little bald spot, I've stuck some thrift! I've had such good luck with it! Almost too good in some spots because it's totally outgrown the little bald spot rather quickly! Like I said though, my neighbor down the street can't keep it alive, so maybe I just got lucky with it. I really don't see anyone growing it around here, but it's one of my favorites!

I think I'm going to try it in my dry bed with sedum, lavender and lamb's ears. This bed gets some compost, but only about half as much hose time as my others do.

I hope it thrives there! I've got some really dry spots at my house and it's done really well, as long as I give it a drink when it needs it!

I wouldn't put thrift in a dry place. While it has been exceedingly dry and exceedingly hot this summer, I have 3 clumps that apparently didn't get watered one time, and they are brown. And I don't think the spade method will be the best method for thrift. What you see on top goes to a central crown and the roots fan out below from there. I'll repeat that it's best done in spring and kept moist for a while after division.

Ah, okay.

So, maybe it would like the same conditions that blue-eyed grass seems to like? I finally have a clump of those going very well, and it's planted at the base of a rose bush, on a slope. I could do that with the thrift as well.

constance, I've got some in really dry spots, and they are doing great, as long as I give them a little water weekly. I think they have done as well as the ones that get watered more often. Maybe it's the soil they are in. I just don't know why they have done so well, no matter where they are in my yard!

I don't like the idea of doing a spade division on them because they are so round. If it's the only way to do it, then I'll have to do that, but I'm sure hoping that breaking off pieces from the outside will work. And, I'll pot them up in good potting soil in the spring. They wouldn't have a chance right now with this horrible heat.

mine were doing well for a few years but now I get little dead puff ball on the outside . I still have some alive on the other end. I am worried I could loose the entire patch. I have tried bone meal ...but I don't think that was a good idea.

I would just remove those dead areas. I've had that happen occasionally, and it never caused a problem. I think I've only lost one whole plant, and I've had a LOT of them. Sometimes they just run out of steam, I think. I've had one die right in the middle of two others, and they all received the same care. I've never fertilized mine. They seemed to thrive on just some water, so I never bothered. Some of mine got huge anyway, and I was afraid to fertilize!

I did end up breaking pieces off from the outside, and they rooted just fine. Maybe you can try that if you are afraid of losing the plant. I put them in pots in mostly shade, because it was so hot. They were later planted into the garden and didn't miss a beat!