When a hosta, daylily, ornamental grass, or any perennial
for that matter, gets old it just means the crown (where the leaves attach to
the roots) is getting bigger in diameter. This would be fine if “this” didn’t
happen; the center of the plant “root bounds” itself and dies, causing the
plant to “doughnut”.
The
plant is very alive all around the outside, only the center is dead. The
original root mass got so thick that it choked itself to death.
This too
would be OK, but what typically happens is the ring grows out unevenly, one
side is usually thinker than another, and it can look bad. Granted, eventually
this center root mass will decay and turn into humus soil capable of sustaining an invasion
inward of the plant’s outer ring roots again. But it will take a long time.
Solution:
(Pre-doughnut problem): In the fall or spring pierce a spade through the crown
of a plant, that is a foot in diameter, and pop it out. This can be planted
somewhere else on the property, or given to someone. Fill in the hole left with
soil.
(Post- doughnut
problem): Dig out the ring in sections, saving the healthiest one to plant
where the ring was. Dig out the center dead root mass and pitch. The other ring
sections can be planted elsewhere or given away.
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