- The roots of the lily of the valley, called pips, are long and skinny, similar to a carrot, but growing horizontally. The roots intertwine and can make a thick clump. If the roots become too crowded, the plant will decrease blossom production because the thick roots deplete the soil of nutrients. This is the time to divide the roots.
- You can divide lilies of the valley anytime, but you'll be most successful in the fall. Either you can transplant them by dividing a clump into pips or planting the entire clump; both methods are successful. Although it takes a bit of work to separate the clump into individual pips, you will increase your lily of the valley patch a hundredfold. Even if you plant a few here and there, as long as the conditions are right, in short order they will not only grow but will also spread rapidly.
When transplanting the pips, be sure to choose a location that offers shade and well-drained soil. If you will be planting individual pips, prepare the ground by digging it down 3 to 4 inches and placing the pips into the ground, 5 inches apart, which gives them plenty of room to grow.
If you will be transplanting clumps, dig a hole as large as the clump you plan to dig up. One way of doing this easily is to take a spade and dig a 12-inch-deep and 12-inch-round hole, then dig the clump of lily of the valley at the same size. You can easily remove the clump and reset it in the new hole, lightly tamping down the soil afterward.
Either way, give the new plantings a good drink of water; letting them dry out is the quickest way to kill them. You should give them another drink in a few days if rain hasn't fallen. - All parts of the lily of the valley plant are poisonous if ingested, to both humans and pets, so use caution with your plantings.
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