Gardeners love rules. Spring is for planting. Fall is for dividing. And June? June is for… watering things and panicking about weeds, apparently.
But here’s the thing. Some plants don’t care about your schedule. In fact, a handful of tough, oddly specific perennials actually prefer being divided in early summer—especially in June, when the soil is warm but the season still has enough weeks left to let roots settle in comfortably.
This isn’t some top-secret technique passed down by monks in linen aprons. It’s just one of those oddly useful things people forget to mention. Until your plants start sulking. Or flopping. Or blooming like they’ve lost the will to live.
If you’ve got clumps that used to thrive but now look like they need a nap, this list is for you.
1. Bearded Iris
If your irises bloomed in April or May and are now just sitting there looking leafy and confused, June is the moment to act. This is the sweet spot for dividing them—right after their spring show, but before the summer heat digs in.
🔧 How to Divide Bearded Iris
- Step 1: Wait until the flowers have faded and the leaves are still green—usually by early to mid-June in most areas.
- Step 2: Choose a cloudy morning. Use a garden fork (not a shovel) to gently lift the whole clump.
- Step 3: Snap off and discard any soft or shriveled rhizomes. Keep firm pieces with a fan of leaves attached.
- Step 4: Trim the leaves down to about 6 inches. It looks drastic, but helps the plant focus on roots, not foliage.
- Step 5: Replant just barely below the surface—rhizomes should be half-exposed. Water once, then let them settle in.
Bonus tip: Irises hate being smothered. Don’t mulch over the rhizomes and give them full sun if you want blooms next year. Do it right, and your June dividing job will reward you tenfold come spring.
2. Daylilies (Hemerocallis)
If your daylilies are blooming less, flopping over, or forming big crowded clumps, they’re quietly begging to be divided. June is the perfect time, especially right after their first flush of blooms. These plants are tough as nails and bounce back quickly — they honestly don’t mind the interruption.
🔧 How to Divide Daylilies
- Step 1: Choose a day right after they’ve bloomed. Water the area the night before to soften the soil.
- Step 2: Use a spade or fork to lift the entire clump. Try to keep the roots intact as much as possible.
- Step 3: Shake off excess soil and gently pull apart the clump into sections. Each division should have at least 2 or 3 fans of leaves and a healthy root system.
- Step 4: Trim leaves back by half. This helps the plant put energy into roots instead of regrowing top growth.
- Step 5: Replant the divisions at the same depth they were growing before. Water well and keep moist for the first week.
Bonus tip: You don’t have to divide daylilies every year. But if your clumps are more leaf than flower, or you can barely see soil between them, it’s time. Your back might grumble for a day, but the plants will thank you all summer long.
3. Shasta Daisy (Leucanthemum × superbum)
They look cheerful, but Shasta daisies are secretly high-maintenance. When clumps get too dense, blooming slows down, centers die out, and everything starts leaning like a tired scarecrow. June is the ideal time to divide them — not too hot, not too early. Just right.
🔧 How to Divide Shasta Daisies
- Step 1: Wait until the first round of blooms finishes. Water deeply the night before you plan to divide.
- Step 2: Gently dig around the clump and lift it out, working from all sides. Roots can be shallow but wide.
- Step 3: Pull or cut the clump into smaller sections. Aim for pieces with healthy roots and green growth around the edges.
- Step 4: Trim any dead or floppy stems. Replant divisions about 12 to 18 inches apart in full sun.
- Step 5: Water them in well and mulch lightly to keep moisture steady while they settle in.
Bonus tip: Skip the sad, woody centers. Focus on the fresh outer edges when dividing. And don’t worry — Shasta daisies are forgiving. Even if you’re not gentle, they’ll likely bounce right back with fuller, bushier growth.
4. Lamb’s Ear (Stachys byzantina)
Soft, silvery, and wonderfully weird, lamb’s ear is one of those plants that looks great in spring and then slowly turns into a matted mess by early summer. That’s your cue. June is a great time to clean it up and divide it — before the center gets too bare or mushy.
🔧 How to Divide Lamb’s Ear
- Step 1: Choose a dry day. Lamb’s ear hates wet feet and soggy soil, so make sure the area isn’t soaked.
- Step 2: Use your hands or a small spade to lift sections from around the edge. Skip the middle if it looks woody or thin.
- Step 3: Gently pull apart the plant into rooted chunks. Each one should have 3 to 4 leaves and a healthy base.
- Step 4: Replant immediately in a sunny, well-drained spot. Space them about 12 inches apart to let air flow between the fuzzy leaves.
- Step 5: Water lightly once to settle the soil, then leave it alone. These plants prefer to dry out between waterings.
Bonus tip: Lamb’s ear spreads fast, so don’t be shy about thinning it out each year. It looks especially lovely at the front of borders — and the grandkids will probably want to pet it every time they visit.
5. Coreopsis (Tickseed)
Coreopsis is one of those plants that quietly performs year after year — until it doesn’t. By the third or fourth summer, you might notice fewer blooms, thinner stems, or a ragged look. That’s your sign. Dividing in June gives it a gentle reset without interrupting its blooming cycle too much.
🔧 How to Divide Coreopsis
- Step 1: Wait until the first flush of blooms is finished. Water well the day before digging.
- Step 2: Use a fork or shovel to lift the entire clump. It may have shallow roots, so try not to slice straight down.
- Step 3: Gently separate into smaller pieces by hand or with a clean knife. Each division should have several shoots and strong roots.
- Step 4: Replant right away in full sun. Add compost to give them a boost, and space them 12 to 18 inches apart.
- Step 5: Water thoroughly once, then let the soil dry slightly between future waterings. Too much water = floppy growth.
Bonus tip: Coreopsis doesn’t complain much, but it secretly loves fresh soil and elbow room. Dividing every few years keeps it looking full, blooming longer, and standing tall — without all the flopping.
6. Creeping Phlox (Phlox subulata)
This spring groundcover puts on a spectacular floral carpet — and then goes quiet for the rest of the year. By June, it’s done blooming and ready for a trim and tidy-up. That’s also the perfect moment to divide it. Don’t let the low height fool you. This plant loves a mid-year reboot.
🔧 How to Divide Creeping Phlox
- Step 1: Wait until blooming ends and the foliage looks full but slightly untidy. This is usually early to mid-June.
- Step 2: Gently lift a section of the mat using a spade or even your hands. The roots are shallow and spread sideways.
- Step 3: Cut or pull the lifted section into smaller pieces, each with roots attached. Avoid the bare or woody center.
- Step 4: Replant right away in a sunny, well-drained spot. Press the soil down firmly around the edges to prevent drying out.
- Step 5: Water gently but thoroughly, and keep the area moist for the first week. After that, phlox prefers dry feet.
Bonus tip: Creeping phlox spreads quickly, so dividing it now keeps it from smothering nearby plants. It’s also a sneaky way to get more coverage next spring — without spending a dime at the garden center.
🌱 Don’t Wait for Fall If June Is Whispering
Most people think dividing perennials is a fall job. That’s what the books say. That’s what your neighbor probably says. But your garden? Your garden has its own timing — and sometimes, June is exactly right.
These six plants don’t want to sit tight until September. By then, they’re tired, rootbound, or halfway to giving up. Give them a fresh start now, while the soil is warm and the season still has room to grow.
I’ve divided all six of these in June, usually while squinting into the sun and second-guessing myself. And every time, they bounced back happier than before — like they’d been waiting for me to figure it out.
If you’re standing in your garden this week wondering whether it’s “too late” or “too early,” take a closer look at your plants. Sometimes, they’re not asking for permission. They’re asking for a shovel.
Daniel has been a plant enthusiast for over 20 years. He owns hundreds of houseplants and prepares for the chili growing seasons yearly with great anticipation. His favorite plants are plant species in the Araceae family, such as Monstera, Philodendron, and Anthurium. He also loves gardening and is growing hot peppers, tomatoes, and many more vegetables.