General gardening topics

Dividing Agapanthus – How and when to divide step by step

Last updated on March 2nd, 2022

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Agapanthus are very versatile plants, especially in the summer and you can plant them in large numbers (in beds or pots) to create stunning borders. They require very little maintenance and they actually enjoy being a little crowded. If left to their own devices they will happily multiply into natural clumps of individual plants, however, they do benefit from being divided around every 4-6 years to keep them prolifically flowering.

Why you need to divide Agapanthus

If you noticed that the clumps of Agapanthus you have in your garden have started to get too big, they dominate the area and are preventing other plants from getting the nutrients they need, whilst at the same time also producing fewer flowers (which are most people’s concerns when it comes to growing Agapanthus) what should you do?

Divide and conquer. Or more specifically divide and split up the plants. The bonus here is that when you divide your plants you get additional plants you can put somewhere else or there’s always a friend who will happily take them from you if you don’t have room.


When to divide Agapanthus

When to divide agapanthus

Evergreen varieties

The best time to divide your Agapanthus is in the spring or early summer as soon as you notice the new shoots emerging or alternatively in the autumn. We would personally recommend the middle of September or October once your plants have finished flowering.

While you’re making your decision about when to divide your Agapanthus, remember that if you divide them in the spring you are probably going to receive fewer flowers that year because you have disturbed the roots, however, they will benefit from it and produce a much better show the following year.

You should divide your Agapanthus plants every 4 to 6 years, or every time they begin to get too large and underproduce in terms of flowers. If you are growing them in pots they are more likely to stop flowering, so as soon as you see this happening it’s time to divide and replant in well-drained quality compost.

Deciduous varieties

The best time to divide your deciduous Agapanthus is in the spring or early summer as soon as the new growth begins to emerge, or at the end of autumn when the leaves have died back. You should only really divide deciduous varieties every 7 years, but again, look for signs of overcrowding and fewer flowers, and then split when the plants are ready.


How to divide Agapanthus

How to divide agapanthus
Stunning agapanthus flower

In order to divide your Agapanthus you will need the following:

  • Two large garden forks to pull apart the large clumps.
  • A large spade (that is very sharp) to split the plants.
  • A large knife or saw to split them into sections.

When you are ready, start by digging around each clump using your spade. If you have large clumps of Agapanthus, and more than one clump has become intertwined (which is usually the case when they are grown in the ground) you may need to slice directly through the roots on all sides by holding your spade vertically and cutting straight down.

Once that is done, lift the clumps out of the ground using your garden fork and be as precise as possible. These roots are very strong so it will take a great deal of effort for you to lift them, no matter how strong you are. Once they have been lifted, shake them to remove as much of the excess soil as possible.

At this point, you can split the clumps in half using your hands (if you are able to) but this is often a little difficult. If the roots are too far intertwined and you’re unable to do it by hand, then we recommend, if you can, place your two garden forks in the centre, back to back, and use one as a lever to force them apart. This makes the job much easier.

Dividing Agapanthus - step by step
Agapanthus in full flower

At this point, you should separate each clump into a smaller clump and each still with a healthy root system. You want to tease out the roots with your fingers or with the sharpened saw. You can split your clumps in half, break them down into thirds, quarters, or even cut them into individual parts, Agapanthus are very tough and will cope with this very well. The only thing to remember is that the smaller the cut sections of Agapanthus, the longer it will take for each plant to produce flowers once it has been replanted so we recommend keeping them as good sized divisions and none too small.

Now you want to trim the leaves back by approximately half or two thirds of the original size and trim away any damaged or long roots, this is so that the plants can concentrate on producing new roots and getting themselves established once replanted.

Before you replant them add rich well-drained compost to the soil to help the plants recover. Space each clump approximately 30-50cm apart if you are using larger clumps, however, if you are using individual plants space them approximately 10-15cm apart. When you put them in the ground spread the roots out and plant them at the same depth as they were planted originally because planting them too deep can rot the crowns.

Fill in the soil around the area and pat it down. Water it well so that any air pockets are alleviated, and make sure the plant remains moist for the following few weeks after it has been planted so that it has an opportunity to establish itself successfully.

We recommend that you split and plant straight away to minimise stress on the plants, however, if you are unable to transplant immediately, put the plants somewhere cool and cover them with a damp newspaper until such a time they can be transplanted.

Where to buy Agapanthus

Bestseller No. 1
Carbeth Plants - 5 x Agapanthus Blue Triumphator Summer Bare Root - African Lily Deciduous Herbaceous Perennial - Low Maintenance Pollinator Friendly - Grow in Beds, Borders and Patio Pots
  • AGAPANTHUS ROOTS - Agapanthus Blue Triumphator, commonly known as African Lily or Lily of the Nile is an easy to grow hardy deciduous herbaceous perennial cormous root that produces large round heads of trumpet shaped soft blue to violet flowers with darker purple striped markings. These flowering plants loved by pollinating insects, in particular bees and butterflies, will add interest to your garden during the Summer months of July to September. These upright growing, clump forming plants can reach to an height of between 100 and 120 cm.
  • HOW TO PLANT AGAPANTHUS - Plant these bulbs in the Spring in fertile, well draining soil in a sheltered spot that receives full sunlight, between 2 to 5 cm deep and 4 to 6 cm apart, with the pointed end facing up and roots downwards. After planting, water well and water about once a week during the growing season. After flowering, cut the spent heads back at the base and remove any dead leaves at the base by hand.
  • PLANTING POSITION - These bulbs are great for growing in flower beds, garden borders or in patio pots. Agapanthus look great when planted beside Roses, ornamental grasses and edible herbs. Further to this they are ideal for growing in coastal, cottage and low maintenance gardening schemes. They can be used as cut flowers allowing you to enjoy them in your home and garden. In colder areas, you can protect agapanthus with a heavy mulch around the root zone or move potted Agapanthus indoors, or cover the pot with horticultural fleece or mulch.
  • EASY TO STORE - If you are not ready to plant bulbs now, then store them in a cool, dry, frost free, well ventilated location. A garage, shed, loft or cupboard are ideal. Open the paper bag to allow air to circulate round but leave the bulbs in their bags until ready to plant. Just make sure mice or other rodents can’t get access to them. Keep an eye on your bulbs while in storage, if they are showing signs of going soft, it's best to get them planted before they deteriorate any further.
  • CARBETH PLANTS - We are a Scottish based company with over 20 years experience in horticulture. With a large variety of plants for the garden, indoors and also gift wrapped for special occasions. We pride ourselves on prompt delivery as well as our quality and affordable plants.
Bestseller No. 2
You Garden - 3 x Agapanthus 'Poppin Purple' in a 9cm Pot - Garden Ready Agapanthus Plants Ready to Plant Out in Gardens - Supplied as 3 x Established Plant Ready to Plant in Garden & Plant Pots
  • A spectacular new reblooming variety giving a much longer flowering season than most Agapanthus.
  • Darkest purple buds that open into intense violet flowers between June and September.
  • Semi-evergreen, slender, strap-like arching leaves with flowers rising above on strong, straight stems.
  • Hardy, but will need protection from the coldest winter weather.
  • Supplied as 3 x established plants in 9cm pots, ready for planting, growing to a height of 60cm (2ft) and spread of 45cm (1½ft).
Bestseller No. 3
Bare Root Hardy Perennial Garden Plants Agapanthus, Ideal for Borders & Patios, Easy to Grow 12 x Agapanthus Blue & White Collection Bare Root Plants (12 Bare Root Plants) Thompson & Morgan
  • Agapanthus Blue & White Collection are hardy outdoor bare root plant, ideal for growing in garden borders and large patio pots. Easy to grow, flowering in summer
  • A perfectly balanced blue and white-flowered collection of two Agapanthus varieties, including ‘Queen of the Ocean’ and ‘Polar Ice’. Producing rounded flower heads on upright stems, they’re ideal for use as cut flowers
  • These perennials are easy to grow in containers or borders, drought-tolerant Agapanthus are ideal for a hot, sunny border, bringing colour to the garden in mid-summer
  • Bare root plants; 12 x Agapanthus ‘Blue & White’ Collection bare root plants.

Last update on 2025-03-05 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Welcome to my site, my name is John and I have been lucky enough to work in horticultural nurseries for over 15 years in the UK. As the founder and editor as well as researcher, I have a City & Guilds Horticultural Qualifications which I proudly display on our About us page. I now work full time on this website where I review the very best gardening products and tools and write reliable gardening guides. Behind this site is an actual real person who has worked and has experience with the types of products we review as well as years of knowledge on the topics we cover from actual experience. You can reach out to me at john@pyracantha.co.uk

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