Topic: Dividing Crocosmia (Lucifer)

[Garden Manager]

I have several large clumps of Crocosmia Lucifer in my garden which i need to lift and divide (not needed to do it before). Thing is I get conflicting messages from books and other sources as to when the best time is to do it. Some say spring others say 'after flowering'.  Which is right? I am thinking 'after flowering' is better because you have foliage to work with not just corms, but how soon after flowering should they be left before lifting them. Can it be done now?

When it comes to replanting, i intend to split it down to individual plants/corms and replant in drifts or groups. So how deep should the corms be planted?

Thanks

[Flighty]

Mine are still in flower!  They were given to me by a plot neighbour last autumn when he was digging his up and dividing them.
I found this webpage useful when planting them.

http://www.holdencloughnursery.com/crocos/cultural_tips.htm

[Palustris]

You can lift them almost any time from finishing flowering to new growth appearing. It all depends on the temperature of your soil. In a warm area then it does not matter.
Split the clump up into individual strings of corms, but do not split the strings themsleves. Each corm is capable of making a new plant yes, but it will not flower until it has formed a string, the top one uses the lower ones as a food source to give it the energy to flower.
The top of the top corm should be planted probably about 6 inches below soil level (according to the latest info I have from the National Collection holder.).

[saddad]

I don't find them at all fussy... I've put corms in smallish pots say 5" and had them in them over a year and they still flower...  :)

[Ninnyscrops.]

I'd love to find out how they made their way into my pond border across a paved path  ::) Once you have them - it's for life it seems  ;D

Linda

[saddad]

I think they self seed.... (not very well but too well....)  :-X

[Garden Manager]

You can lift them almost any time from finishing flowering to new growth appearing. It all depends on the temperature of your soil. In a warm area then it does not matter.
Split the clump up into individual strings of corms, but do not split the strings themsleves. Each corm is capable of making a new plant yes, but it will not flower until it has formed a string, the top one uses the lower ones as a food source to give it the energy to flower.
The top of the top corm should be planted probably about 6 inches below soil level (according to the latest info I have from the National Collection holder.).

Thanks Eric. That seems to have cleared things up somewhat. I had been wondering about the corms themselves, I did know about the 'strings' but wasnt sure what to do with them. I heard somewhere (either on GQT or GW) that you should discard all but the top corm when dividing, but what you say about it makes more sense to me.

Saddad: I think they spread via underground stems (a bit like couch grass) then develop new corms from those. At least thats what the rather invasive montbretia form does (seen it in action).

[valmarg]

In my humble opinion crocosmia lucifer and montbretia are total absolute and utter thugs.  They very readily self seed, and the corms multiply at an alarming rate.

valmarg

[Garden Manager]

In my humble opinion crocosmia lucifer and montbretia are total absolute and utter thugs.  They very readily self seed, and the corms multiply at an alarming rate.

valmarg

Depends on your soil I suppose. Lighter soils would tend to encourage spreading whereas heavier soils would discourage it. Mine tends toward the heavier side so crocosmias spread but not that quickly, including Lucifer. it has though spread enough to be too big for the borders and is overpowering other plants. Hence the radical division that I plan to do.

Montbretias on the other hand are thugs. I have had to clear great swathes of it from a client's garden during the past year, digging out what must have been hundreds of corms, and still it keeps popping up in places. I also think I may have planted it in my own garden in error, as i have one patch of crocosmia that seems to be spreading more vigorously than the rest.

Conversely I have a very small clump of the yellow form 'Citronella' that has hardly done a thing and seems to grow and flower quite poorly.