How to Start a Perennial Medicinal Herb Bed From Seed Division and Cuttings

As part of your spring gardening tasks, it is wise to evaluate the perennial medicinal herb beds. Take note of which plants fared the best and which need dividing or pruning back.

Herbs can often be propagated easily from cuttings, or pieces of stem, leaf or root which can be used to establish new plants. Warm temperatures and high humidity are ideal conditions for root formation in these species of plant.

Layering

Fall is an ideal time for herb division, when plants are at their most vigorous and have already established strong root systems. This method works particularly well when propagating perennial species that require deep roots for support such as lavender, thyme and rosemary.

Dividing is generally an effortless process; all it requires is digging up and carefully inspecting each crown or stem for healthy, well-attached roots that will ensure a strong start for any new plant. This will help ensure its success.

Gardeners who prefer a more surgical approach to plant division may use an alternate strategy: leaving an herb planted in the ground and using a sharp spade to cut through its center with precision. This provides greater control over how much rooting material is cut off, making this approach recommended for herbs such as mint and yarrow that tend to spread; additionally it works great when dealing with aggressive plants like comfrey and mugwort which have quickly taken over entire garden beds.

Root Division

Always divide perennials during spring or fall when temperatures are warm and moist to allow them to produce abundant natural growth hormones that encourage strong roots that will support survival through winter.

Many herbs, including thyme, mint and catnip, form spreading masses with long fibrous roots that are easily divided by using a sharp spade or garden knife at their bases or crowns. Other easy-to-divide medicinal plants include ginseng, aloe vera and snake plant.

An herb division requires using tools such as a shovel or spade, garden knife/shears, trowel and 5-gallon bucket/nursery pot as carriers of plants. A tarp for working is also helpful if working in existing beds; mulching helps decrease weed competition while improving soil conditions, increasing nutrients and providing air circulation – while regular weeding helps ensure an herb bed remains free from unwanted competitors.

Stem Cuttings

Stem cuttings from woody perennials (deciduous plants with broad leaves or evergreens with narrow leaves) and shrubs should be harvested during their dormancy period, usually mid/late autumn to late winter. Hardwood cuttings take longer to root and may be susceptible to fungal diseases than their softer counterparts; however, they tend to be easier to divide.

Cuttings should be submerged in hormone rooting compound before being placed in a suitable propagation medium such as half peat/coir, one third fine bark and one quarter sand) or rockwool for propagation. At least one cut should be taken just below a node where meristematic cells congregate to regenerate tissue.

Some herbs (eg, lemon balm, sage, catnip and mint) can be easily propagated using water as their roots form quickly. When roots have developed they can then be transplanted into your garden.

Transplanting

Many herb plants can be propagated through division from mature herbs and shrubs. This method yields multiple new plants with well-developed root systems more quickly than seed planting; it works especially well during fall when perennial roots have fully developed to withstand winter’s chill. You will require a sharp spade, knife and tarp for this task.

Herbs that grow in dense mounds are relatively simple to divide by lifting the entire plant from the soil and cutting it down the center with a sharp spade. When digging up divisions of lemon balm, yarrow, or mugwort roots for division, take great care to observe their root system first and keep these aggressive varieties contained by planting in pots instead. Once divided, plant them in containers filled with loose compost in sunny windowsills near windows for best results; water them during waxing moon phases for increased growth and magical power!