Dividing and Moving Hardy Bulbs

Yes, bulbs periodically need dividing, indicated by smaller and fewer flowers as years go by. Daffodils should be divided every 3 years. Tulips may be divided when performance starts to decline, however you may choose to discard them and start with large new bulbs (see the FAQ Tulip Display Diminishing). Prolific minor bulbs like grape hyacinth and scilla should be divided when the bed starts to get crowded.

No matter what type of bulb you intend to divide, it is a good rule of thumb to perform the division right after the bulb goes dormant. When dead or dying bulb foliage is still present it is easier to find the bulb when digging without damaging it.


For spring flowering bulbs like daffodils and tulips, the best division time would be about six weeks after they flower in spring. At this time they (and most other Dutch bulbs) can be carefully dug and then divided and replanted immediately or stored until fall. If you choose to store them, be sure to dry the bulbs in a warm dark place until soil and dead roots can be brushed off by hand. Discard any small bulbs in the clumps, and save only the largest ones. Bulbs can be placed in mesh sacks or paper bags that are left open, and hung in a cool dark, dry place until September, when they can be replanted. Check stored bulbs periodically for disease. Mark your calendar for replanting, lest you forget you have them tucked away. This gives you time to get a soil test and prepare a new planting bed.

See Spring Flowering Bulbs for more information on the proper planting of hardy Dutch bulbs: http://www.extension.umn.edu/projects/yardandgarden/ygbriefs/h120bulbs-spring.html

The very best time to dig up your lily bulbs would be in the early autumn, after the foliage has turned yellow. Be sure to protect fall dug lilies from drying out or freezing if you can't get them replanted immediately; roots will still be fleshy. Lily bulbs do not go fully dormant and must be protected from drying out at all times.

If fall division is not practical, the earlier in the spring you dig them, the better, although you risk damaging the bulb since you may not be able to tell where it is. If you wait until summer when plants are approaching mature size, you risk stressing the plant. When digging a mature lily, ideally you should try to dig and replant it immediately, keeping soil in tact around the bulb and roots. If you can't replant immediately, keep lily plants in a cool shady place, and don't let them dry out before replanting.

Plant oriental and trumpet lilies 4-6" deep and 12" apart, and Asiatics 3-4" deep and 8" apart. Divide garden lilies every 2-3 years, based on their performance. Discard any bulbs that are damaged or rotting (place in the trash, not the compost). Separate the bulblets (small bulbs) from the stem, and plant them in a nursery garden for a year or two until they are mature size, to multiply your collection. Bulblets should be planted at a depth equal to three times their height. As lily bulbs grow in size they pull themselves deeper into the earth. When it is time to move your offspring, you will have to be careful to dig deeper than you planted them to avoid damage. See Selecting Lilies for Your Garden for more information on planting garden lilies: http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/DG1112.html