It is quite simple: as you wrap up garden tasks for fall, divide your garden abundance.

• Bring plants to share and/or take home other peoples plants.

• Wash plastic pots in anti bac soap and use them pot up your plant. You can reuse those little plastic pots that plants come in or get creative with other recycled material. Ideally pots will have drainage holes in case they need to be watered before the recipient has a chance to get it in the ground.

• Try to get plenty of  roots and soil to share with your neighbor gardeners.

• Label everything - plant names, variety and even  photos if you got them. If you have tips or tricks for that specific plant, share them.

Examples of perennial plants that like to be planted or divided in fall: coneflowers, comfrey, joe pye weed, russian sage, shasta daisy, alliums, asters, hosta, phlox, bleeding heart, lamb’s ears, mint, hens & chicks, black eyed susan, daylily, iris, tulip, and other spring-flowering bulbs, corms, and tubers

Aside from the main plant swap, feel free to bring seeds or tools you want to share. We’re mostly thinking about outdoor garden plants, but if you have indoor plant cuttings or rooted indoor plants to share, that works, too.

Questions? Contact Katy at katydement@gmail.com.

Register here:

Quick facts from the University of Minnesota Extension:

• Perennials are plants that grow back each year.

• Dividing or splitting a single perennial into multiple plants helps the plant perform better.

• When perennials are divided, there is more space for roots to grow and absorb nutrients and water.

• Dividing perennials can help manage the size of the plant.

• You will have more plants of the same kind to add to your garden when you divide a perennial.