Services 1 — The Curious Gardener

I grow several types of these!
These amazing plants grow mainly in south east asia, Indonesia, Sumatra, Borneo, and Australia.
Always get ‘highland’ varieties, as lowland ones need to much heat and humidity to keep easily.
Very, hery high humidity! Higher than for orchids, I grow mine in a bathroom with a shower.
semi-climber, needs support
prune only if really needed.
can flower rarely
Soil: best mix is 1/2 shall orchid mix 1/4 spagnum moss, 1/4 potting soil.
Bright, but not direct sunlight, though a little is ok.
Tend to Pitcher more in the winter.
Don’t expect too many pitchers, unless conditions are perfect
High-Care plant
There are 2 types of pitcher on some plants, and the ones at ground level can look very different to the ones on the climbing stems.

Found there in my garden, growing on rotting wood – and ideas folks?
About 2-3cm high, couldn’t see any spores, it was pale all over…
Grow your own…

Snowdrops are on of the first bulbs to show their flowers in spring, and are a rewarding sight after a cold winter. Fans of snowdrops are called galanthophiles. Most flower before the vernal equinox (20 or 21 March in the Northern Hemisphere), though some do flower at other times. Native to Europe, it is though of as a British native, but was actually though to have been brought here by the Romans. There are about 20 species, but hundreds of cultivars, and Snowdrops are some of the most highly sought after bulbs today, the highest price recorded is £360 for a single bulb! They generally are white, with 6 main petals ( actually tepals). The outer 3 are usually larger, and more open, and the smaller 3 more downpointing, and often have green or yellow markings. Growing guide: Unlike most other spring-flowering bulbs, it is generally accepted that they transplant best when planted ‘in the green’ after flowering in late spring, for flowering the next spring. There is debate as to when they should be moved – it is currently accepted this is best to do when they are in full leaf growth, but the RHS is not recommending that they are planted when the leaves start to die back. You can buy them as normal bulbs too – but they generally do not recover well, and may fail when planted.
Generally grown in a woodland or park setting, these bulbs are relatively tolerant of most types of soils, but nowhere to dry, or to saturated. They slowly spread over the years to form a carpet of white flowers. A beautiful selection of snowdrops from the The RHS London plant and design show. Image taken by Naomi – Outofmyshed.co.uk She also has a good blog about which ones to choose:
As of February 2012 the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families recognizes 19 species
Galanthus alpinus Sosn.
Galanthus angustifolius Koss
Galanthus cilicicus Baker
Galanthus elwesii Hook.f.
Galanthus fosteri Baker
Galanthus gracilis Celak.
Galanthus ikariae Baker
Galanthus koenenianus Lobin
Galanthus krasnovii Khokhr.
Galanthus lagodechianus Kem.-Nath.
Galanthus nivalis L.
Galanthus peshmenii A.P.Davis & C.D.Brickell
Galanthus platyphyllus Traub & Moldenke
Galanthus plicatus M.Bieb.
Galanthus reginae-olgae Orph.
Galanthus rizehensis Stern
Galanthus transcaucasicus Fomin
Galanthus trojanus A.P.Davis & Özhatay
Galanthus woronowii Losinsk.

Violas have put on an amazing show this year, and seem to have liked the cold temperatures we’ve had. These great winter and spring bedding plants come in a plethora of colours, sizes, trailing and bush varieties, scented and not!
Regardless of type, they are usually planted in autumn / winter, and flower sporadically until feb when they burst into full flowering glory. They go on until about June if it doesn’t get to hot and dry.
If used as annual bedding plants, put them in sun, but if you want to keep them going for another year transplant them in may / June to a cool, shady corner, trim them right back to 2 leaf nodes, and they will bush up and flower again late summer, and possibly until the following year. They really don’t like to much heat though, and if they get to leggy get rid if them, they’ll never really look good again. They can self seed, and pop up in the most unlikely places, but are never invasive.
They like decent soil, but are amazingly tolerant, but must be kept moist at all times.
The scented types are rather lovely, and will scent a garden, when not much else is in bloom!

These stunning plants produce the most amazing flowers, and have beautiful foliage and are worth a go! Generally in the UK it’s advisable to bring them into a greenhouse or covered patio during the winter, but this does depend where you live. There are hundreds of types, so make sure you get detailed growing instructions when you buy.
Requires loamy soil, well drained, course sandy feel.
Wind tolerant, not so tolerant of salty conditions (though the Silver Tree, Leucadendron argenteum is a bit more tolerant of wind and salt. Minak Theatre has some stunning examples of the Silver Tree, considered to be one of the most beautiful Foliage trees in the world, growing right on the edge of the sea facing cliff).
Watering: depends on the species, but none like to live in very damp conditions, and do not like wet feet.
Generally considered to be not hardy, but some species can tolerate temps down to -4 (especially species from around Cape Town in South Africa)

There are many types of tree fern, but the most common one in the UK is Dicksonia Antarctica.
Others considered OK to grow in the UK outdoors are Dicksonia Fibrosa, and Cyathea Australis.
As the name Dicksonia Antarctica suggests, this tree fern grows in colder conditions, and can tolerate temps of -10 for a short time. It is advisable to wrap the trunk and the crown in fleece, or to create a cage of chicken wire and stuff it with leaves. If the crown dies / dries out, the whole plant is dead!
The Lost Gardens of Heligan have huge specimens growing in their jungle valley that were abandoned for over 50 years, and are still growing fine, without any protection at all.
Care and requirements:
Requires humus-rich, neutral to slightly acid soil.
Not so wind tolerant as these are undergrowth plants, and not very salt tolerant.
Watering: must be kept damp at all times. This is critical. Tree ferns will die if the whole plant, especially the trunk is not kept damp. I water mine on a daily basis, watering the crown, trunk and soil. This said, they do not like to sit in water, so make sure you have well-drained soil.
Considered to be semi-hardy / hardy, depending on the type. I always wrap mine for the winter, and have not suffered a loss yet.

I think this is probably one of the most beautiful tree ferns one can grow – the huge, lacy leaves, and delicate golden hairs on the stems and trunk, plus the satisfying rate of growth makes this a worthwhile tree-fern to add to your collection if you have the space!
Cyathea cooperi, also known as the Australian tree-fern is a tree-fern native to Australia, in New South Wales and Queensland. It can also be called lacy tree-fern, scaly tree-fern, or Cooper’s tree fern. Not to be mistaken for Cyathea australis!
The name comes from Cyathea – from the Greek ‘kyatheion’ meaning little cup, referring to the structure that holds the spores, and Cooperi – named in honour of Sir Daniel Cooper.
It’s a fast growing tree-fern ( unlike Dicksonia Antarctica, the one commonly grown in the UK), and can grow up to a foot a year in ideal conditions, though in the UK I find it only grows about 6 inches a year as the growing season is shorter. It can be invasive in warmer locations – they are becoming a pest in Hawaii. It naturally grows in tropical, tropical lowland, and montane locations, most commonly next to streams, and in gullies where water is abundant, and winds are lower.
The ‘wild height’ of the fern is up to 15 meters, with a 30cm thick trunk, but you can stunt it by keeping it in a tightly restrained container. It’s a semi-hardy tree-fern, and can really only stand temps down to about 0 centigrade, and does need to be brought into a warmer winter location. If put in a cold greenhouse (no freezing) it will stop growing for the winter, and start again in spring, but if brought into the house it does continue to grow slowly year round.
Some people in the US have found its more tolerant of cold, and if it frosts lightly it will lose its leaves, and then re-grow later. As will all plants, the more mature it is the hardier it is. I find with me ( I bring mine into the house!) it tends to lose its shorter, more robust summer leaves, and send up darker green, larger, and more delicate leaves for the winter.
Tree ferns need to have their trunk and crown wet at all times. The trunk is really only a modified root, and the growth is only from the top of the plant so if the crown dries out the fern will die! I give mine ( its Lacy-Tree-Fern-Cyathea-Cooperi-crozier_a_curious_gardener_3got a 3 foot trunk) about 5 litres of water a day, and it sucks it all up easily.
Please note: unlike Dicksonia Antarctica, this tree fern cannot be bought as a trunk without soil – it won’t make it through the transplant. It need to be bought as a plant in a pot, but as it grows so fast it’s not a problem to wait a year or so for a substantial plant.
I have noticed they can be bought in the UK from the Gardeners club, and already are trunk forming and looking great
The growth conditions for this tree-fern are pretty much the same as all tree ferns, though this one is particularly easy to grow if you follow the basic guide below:
• Shade through to semi-shade. It can go in full sun, but needs a huge amount of water to keep it alive.
• Temperatures: 30 degrees to about 0. I bring mine out after all frost danger has passed, and bring it in before any chance of frost
• No tree ferns like very windy locations – I think this is due to the drying out factor. • Lots of water, very damp soil, and keep the trunk and crown damp. Do not leave sitting in water though!
• Soil: Humus-rich, neutral to acid soil.
• Feed: a seaweed feed, or tomato feed at a ¼ dilution is best – anything stronger will burn it. I tend to do it less with re-potted ones, and more for pot bound ones.
• Re-pot when the plant outgrown its pot – the roots will pop out the bottom, and you can tell that the soil is full of roots if you stick your finger into it. If you want to control its growth and not re-pot, it’s important to give it some mild fertilizer about once a month.

Lobelia, originally from South Africa, is an amazing bedding plant, but there are also perennial versions. They come is a huge range of colours and sizes, from small, almost baby’s breath white clusters, to towering crimson spikes.
The perennial ones generally flower in spikes and flow during summer, and the annuals come in trailing and bush versions and flower from may through to first frost.
They generally like lots of sun, and decent moisture, though the annuals can tolerate a sun baked position well, and is great for hanging baskets.
I like to plant the annual in groups, and think it looks better to stick to one or 2 colours max, or it can get a little messy looking.
The annual blue princess’ has a particularly amazing shade of blue – unusal in the garden, and it glows in the evenings!

Associated with the 70’s, suburbia, and swingers, this grass is not my favorite plant, but can look good blowing in the wind, or in a nautralized evironment.
This South African ‘Pampas grass'( see below) looked stunning in the light waving in the wind.
Pampas grass may refer to any of three similar-looking, tall-growing species of Poaceae:
Cortaderia selloana and its selected cultivars
Cortaderia jubata (Andean pampas grass, purple pampas grass)
Erianthus ravennae (syn. Saccharum ravennae) (giant woolly-beard grass, hardy pampas grass, Ravenna grass, ekra)

The 2013 RHS Hampton Court Flower Show will soon be here, starting on July 9th. This year the show format has been updated with the various gardens, trade stands and exhibitors split up into distinct zones. Each zone will be themed and include plants, gardens, food and trade displays to reflect each theme.
The Grow Zone will explore the world of plants, Inspire Zone features conceptual design and fresh ideas whilst the Escape Zone will transplant the visitors away from the hustle and bustle of the city to the countryside without leaving the grounds of Hampton Court Palace.
Stephen Bennet, the RHS Shows Director explained ‘We have made exciting changes to enhance the visitor experience by introducing zones to the shows, each with its own distinct flavour and atmosphere taking the visitor on a journey through these fabulous shows in their spectacular settings.”
As always the show gardens take centre stage, with there being 33 show gardens this year and as always there will be a number of trade displays in the Floral Marquee.

Planting bulbs in containers is easy, and a great way to get spring colour.
This should be done in September / November for colour the following spring. There are also summer bulbs – I’ll add more later on that one!
I find that if your garden is small, it’s easiest to go to the garden center to get your bulbs, but do check around, many (gasp! shock!) Pound Stores and small stores sell ready-made collections that work really well together. I’ve never had an issue with quality as long as you check the bulbs aren’t to shrivelled or rotting / mouldy, even from the Pound store, and its a great way to try out a new project without too much cost.
There are literally thousands of bulbs / species of bulb out there, including Tulips, Daffs, crocus, snowdrops & muscari to name a few. Chose based on colour, height, and time of flowering – all pack say this on the label.
In Containers:
To start, get yourself a container, and make sure to put a layer of gravel or crockery in the base – bulbs need good drainage. The depth of the container should be reasonable, but it doesn’t have to be too deep. Bulbs look great in wider-than-high pots, especially in plain ceramic that doesn’t detract from the flowers.
Get your bulbs, or mix of bulbs and decide how you want them in your container – it’s usually best to cram in as many as you can for max impact – bulbs can look lonely on their own.
You can use one type, or several types, just make sure you put the taller at the back / in the middle of the container, smaller ones at the front, and the largest bulbs should always be planted the deepest in the pot.
Fill the container 1/3 full with a good, but well-drained soil. Place the first layer of bulbs on the soil ( the biggest bulbs / plants!), and fill in over top with soil, so just you can see the very tops peeking out. Always plant bulbs with the wider end ( with roots) down.
Take the next layer of bulbs, and space out around the bulbs underneath – they need space to grow through, but do try to cram them in as much as possible. I usually on do 2 layers of bulbs, but if your container is deep enough try for 3, but make sure there is at least 1/3 of the container worth of soil over the top layer of bulbs.
Many people put gravel over the top to hold the soil down, and make it look nice, but you don’t have to.
Water in, and put in a bright protected corner till next spring’s show!
You can also do this in other containers under winter bedding plants – Just do the first layer of soil, then the bulbs, then a bit of soil, then the plants, and backfill around as you would normally.
It’s a great 2 season display – I especially like doing this with red hardy cyclamen, Tete-a-Tete Daffs, and Blue Muscari ( see the pack in the pic)
Watch for slugs and snails – they like the juicy new tips, as do squirrels. You can put them in a cold frame to protect them, or cover the tops of the pots with chicken wire to stop the squirrels digging them out.
Into the ground:
Bulbs look good planted into the ground ( usually in clusters, or naturalized in a grassy setting). The best way to plant any bulb in the ground is to use the following rule of thumb – the bulb should always be planted at 3 times the depth of the bulb itself. (i.e. 1cm bulb = 3 cm into the ground). There are some exceptions to the rule though, so do check the pack. When planting, to get the best natural group is to stand and scatter them, and plant them where they fall.

January

Do we dare hope that things are starting to warm up a bit? I’ve had enough of catalogues, dreaming, sorting tools, and staring at the snow and rain.
Did a little post-snow tour to check out what’s been happening, and it’s more than I thought!
The hardy, ornamental cyclamen are still going strong, the violas are starting to perk up, and there’s signs of life from my perennials. The bulbs are already sticking their noses out of the soil, and I give it a month before the tete a tete daffs are flowering with the crocuses – let’s hope it doesn’t get to cold again.
A couple of snowdrops are out too – a sight for sore eyes!

These really are the easiest of all orchids to grow, and are becomming almost to common for their own good!
Flowering for up to 6 months at a time, all they need is a once weekly dip in water, a bright, but not sunny window, and a coolish, but not cold room.
To water: Take the plant and pot, and either run the tap over the soil, or submerge the whole pot in a bowl of water. Make sure they drain before you put them back – they hate to sit in water, and don’t get the flowers wet – they will mark.
All orchids like high himidity, a bathroom is ideal to grow them in, or give them a mist every now and then.
Fertilize with orchid feed. These plants are ephytic, meaning they don’t grow in soil, but bark, and on trees. Repot only if you have too, and with the correct soil, which you can buy on ebay! you can put them outside in a shady spot for the summer, but snails seem to like them, and ruin the leaves.
Once the flowers have died, cut the flower point about 6 inches from the base above a stem joint, continue to treat it well, and it should flower again in a few months. They usually flower in the autumn / winter.
Think these make great single specimens, or as a group – see my wedding guest book display below! :)

It’s the cheerful, orange-red winter berries that make this easy-to-care-for plant so special, and indoors or out they add a great bit of winter interest.
It’s also called the Jerusalem Cherry, Christmas Cherry, Madeira Cherry, Cleveland Cherry, and Coral Bush.
Though probably not so in keeping with the current taste in restrained-pallet modern gardens, I think these hardy little shrubs are a great addition to any garden in milder parts of the UK, and can also be grown in pots for indoor / outdoor, long-lasting (2-3 months) displays of colour.
Jerusalem_Christmas_winter_Cherry_care_grow_a-curious-gardener
These small, evergreen, perennial shrubs have glossy small leaves, and the plant can be pruned into shape to keep it compact. However – this can only be done after the berries have gone, and before the little, white, citrus like flowers come out mid summer – if you cut off the flowers, you get no berries!
One usually buys the plants when they are in berry in late autumn / winter, and the berries will last until Feb-March. Berries are about 1cm, round, and shiny. They are really quite cheap to buy – I get mine at Columbia Road Flower Market for a £1 each, and the plants are 30 cm tall and in berry.
I use these in several ways, and treat them as disposable annuals and as perennials – indoors as a winter ‘bouquet’, as winter bedding plants, and as shrubbery. They look great in all forms, and because they are cheap, you don’t have to feel so bad if you get rid of a few come summer. They fit in well in more formal settings, but can also look good naturalized in a mixed border.
Plant out the plants either before first frosts, or after last frosts. If you kept them inside, allow them to acclimatize to the could outside before planting for a week or so.
I’ve had some in the ground now, in light shade, and they seem to be ok with lower light levels, though its best to give them as much sun as you can, they will flower more, and give you more berries. They like a reasonable soil, an average amount of water (if the soil feels dry 2 cm down, it needs water), and reasonable care – it really is an easy-going plant!
They will grow to be 45-50 cm high and about the same outwards. They can self-seed, at least in London.
Warning: these plants, and berries are poisonous if eaten – be careful if you have kids around!
Growing from Seed:
Allow pods to dry on plant; break open to collect seeds
Allow seed heads to dry on plants; remove and collect seeds
Remove fleshy coating on seeds before storing
Properly cleaned, seed can be successfully stored
Propagation Methods:
From seed;
sow indoors before last frost
From seed; direct sow after last frost
From seed; germinate in a damp paper towel

There are some spring-flowering bulbs that do better when planted in the green (when they have flowered, and still have leaves). You will not get flowers the current year, but the years to follow if you use this method. This is used for new plants, and for dividing existing clumps. Other bulbs are either planted in autumn, or in spring once frosts have past.
Snowdrops should always be planted in the green. The RHS says that this should be done when the leaves are dying back, however these is much discussion about this, and other gardeners have found that planting them while still in flower works as well, if not better.
Winter aconite, with their cheerful yellow flowers, and frilly green collar are now said to be better planted in the green as well, though there is discussion about this, and it does seem to depend on which supplier you get them from.
Bluebells, and tete a tete daffodils can be planted in the green as well, though this is usually done pre-flowering to get a later display of flowers. (see how to plant bulbs in autumn)
How to plant / divide bulbs in the green: Carefully dig up the clump, ensuring not to damage the bulbs or foliage. Shake off the soil, and carefully tease apart the individual bulbs, leaving the foliage in place. Dig a suitable hole ( 3 x the depth of the bulb) and plant leaving the foliage sticking above the soil at about the same level it was originally. Let the foliage die down naturally and wait till next spring for your show!

February

March

April

May

I love the purple colour of french beans, though it’s a pity they go green when you cook them.
french-beans-curious-gardenerI grew some of these last year, thinking they would be as easy as runner beans, but they need a lot more heat, and very careful watering ( do not overwater!). I also found that they liked to sprout later in the year than runner bean, and needed more sun.
They only grow about 6 feet tall, so its easier to stake them than runners, which will just keep going and going!
Really like the purple flowers, and the big purple-green leaves – makes a nice colour contrast with the runner beans, and the purple beans add an extra little interest in the veggie patch!

June

Chard, whatever the colour or name ( silverbeet, perpetual spinach, spinach beet, crab beet, bright lights, seakale beet, and mangold to name a few!) is actually all the same plant no matter what it looks like! I think it’s one of the most rewarding leafy veggies to grow, and as a colour-lover, it’s also a beautiful addition to the veggie patch, in decorative containers, or grown mixed in with non-edibles.
The leaves of the plant are always green, but the stem can be anything from pure white, to bright pink, yellow, or red. The keep their colour even when cooked, which is great.
They cook like any leafy vegetable, but it’s best to cook the thick stems for a bit longer than the more delicate leaves so you don’t overcook them. It’s considered to be one of the healthiest veggies around, with high amounts of vitamins A, K and C. It’s also rich in minerals, dietary fiber and protein.
They are probably one of the easiest veggies to grow – they can tolerate cold, damp, sun, and other than your typical snail, slug and caterpillar damage are pretty pest free as far as I have found, though some older leaves do seem to get powdery mildew (I just don’t eat those ones)
I usually buy a mixed packet of rainbow chard for a good selection of colours.
Sow between April and August.
I usually plant 2-3 seed per small pot, and thin to 1 when I can see a dominant one, unless there is a unbalance of the mixed colours.
I leave it on a warm windowsill until I can see the first set of true leaves, and then harden off and move outside to a bright location.
Keep the soil damp, but not soaking. Do not let dry out!
If planted early in the year you can start harvesting when the leaves are 10-15cm long, only taking off the outside few so the plant can keep growing. They can get stringy and tough when they get to big.
You should get at least 3 harvests per plant, if not more, and with a few plants you can have a pretty regular harvest for most of the year.
If you sow in August, get the plants established outside for the winter. they won’t grow much, but will start off with a bang in the spring, and can often be one of the first good
I usually put a fleece over mine for the winter, but have forgotten, and they seem to tolerate frosts and snow without issues.
You know that the plant is at the end of its life when it bolts (throws up a flower spike).
If you keep sowing on a frequent basis throughout the year you should have at least 9 months of Chard harvests.
They do not like temperatures over 30 degrees (in the UK this should not be a problem – it is in Canada!)
I have to thank Out of My shed for the most recent batch of seedlings I have – plant sharing is a great thing! Thanks Naomi!

July

These come in all sizes, from 15 foot trees, to small annuals.
They are found across the world, I have noticed the small ones tend to come from cooler climates, and larger ones from hotter ones.
Their flowers are usually trumpet shaped, can be single or double, and tend to come in whites, creams, yellows, sometimes purple. Leaves can range from light to dark, and generally have holly shapped leaves, but softer, and much bigger.
The seed pods are really neat looking, and are spiky like a horse chesnut. The big black seeds can be grown on easily. They really like sun!
The one in the image is a tropical one, and needs to go into a a frost free location for the winter – bring it inside can prolong flowering. Flower smell amazing in the evening – obviously a moth fertilized plant. Its easy to take semi-rips cuttings, and responds really well to resonably hard pruning if it gets out of shape. Unless in a warm, bright place, it will lose its leaves for the winter. If it does, don;t water it to much – only when the soil is dry 2cm done in the soil.

August

These came of a very old pear tree in the house I was renting at the time, and other than the odd branch prune it was pretty much happy on its own. Think we got about 200 pears a year off it – was giving them away left & right!
Didn’t learn much, but the most productive fruit tree I’ve ever had – can’t complain!
Grow your own!

The idea of topiary is horrifying to some people, but I think it has its merits, especially in small spaces!
Cloud trees in particular, can make a bare wall into a evergreen feature, and other seasonal or bedding plants and bulbs can be underplanted around it for year round colour.
The are reasonably easy to maintain if you purchase a pre-grown one, just trim as needed while keeping the shape. For smaller leaved ones use scissors, and gently clip away. Always take a step back to look every few snips to make sure it doesn’t get lopsided! Never prune anything if its going freeze outside.
The two cone shaped ones are lemon scented, and nice addition to the garden all year round.
Get some!

Associated with the 70’s, suburbia, and swingers, this grass is not my favorite plant, but can look good blowing in the wind, or in a nautralized evironment.
This South African ‘Pampas grass'( see below) looked stunning in the light waving in the wind.
Pampas grass may refer to any of three similar-looking, tall-growing species of Poaceae:
Cortaderia selloana and its selected cultivars
Cortaderia jubata (Andean pampas grass, purple pampas grass)
Erianthus ravennae (syn. Saccharum ravennae) (giant woolly-beard grass, hardy pampas grass, Ravenna grass, ekra)

It’s the warmest day of the year so far, and I wanted to share some sunny spring colour to brighten your day!

A autumn flowering bulbous perennial (half way between a regular plant and a bulb).
Just started growing these, will have to experiment more, but this is what I know so far…
Native to South Africa.
Likes sun, will tolerate a little shade.
Well drained, fertile soil.
can take cold, but will die if not mulched in cold winters.
The genus name derives from one of the Nereids (sea-nymphs) of Greek myth
Called the Jersey Lily in the UK because a shipment of them washed up on the Jersey Isles where they naturalized.
Leaves are not pretty! tend to plant them with other plants to hide them.
Flowers in the most amazing pinks or whites in autum, just when everything else is dying away – Brilliant!
they like to be congested, so work well in pots
will naturalize if in a warm , and well drained enough location – people seem to do well with them planted inder their bay windows where the sun warms them and the drainage is good.
Garden care: Plant shallowly outside with their neck just above the surface of the soil at 10 – 15cm intervals from April onwards. They are happiest in a dense clump, so once planted avoid disturbing the roots and only lift and divide them when they have outgrown their alloted space