I got several of these plants last year from Bluestone Perennials. They are
not listed in the catalog this year, so I thought that I would divide the
ones that I have. Despite our unusually cold winter, they came back with
vigor so I dug and divided them. I noticed that they had a substantial tap
root. Did I doom the plants by cutting them in half?

Bloody dock (Rumex sanguineus) is quite hardy. I live in Zone 7b and mine
stayed green all winter. Also, I have volunteers from the spot I kept them last
winter (before planting) that developed when I left some roots behind. I think
they will be fine unless you really butchered them when dividing.

"Marcy Hege" wrote in message
...
Bloody dock (Rumex sanguineus) is quite hardy. I live in Zone 7b and mine
stayed green all winter. Also, I have volunteers from the spot I kept them
last
winter (before planting) that developed when I left some roots behind. I
think
they will be fine unless you really butchered them when dividing.

I understand that they self-seed, but mine didn't flower last year being
very small when I planted them in late June. I couldn't find any
information when I did a Google search on propagation other than they were
easy to start from seed.

In article , "Vox Humana"
wrote:

I got several of these plants last year from Bluestone Perennials. They are
not listed in the catalog this year, so I thought that I would divide the
ones that I have. Despite our unusually cold winter, they came back with
vigor

Though semi-tropical in origin, that deep root means it is hard to kill
even in cold zones. Here in Zone 8, it's semi-evergreen.

so I dug and divided them. I noticed that they had a substantial tap
root. Did I doom the plants by cutting them in half?

They self-seed so easily they can become weedy, so there oughtn't be a
need to attempt division, there'll be plenty of seedlings eventually. I
have for the last three years deadheaded mine to keep it short & fluffy,
but might this year let it go to seed, though that means letting it get a
bit rangy & tall.

Sometimes they have two joined but distinct roots & of course those divide
with no problem. I wouldn't personally risk intentionally breaking a
single main root, even though in fact many broadleafed deep-rooting plants
of this sort can regenerate even from a root fragment. Rumex species CAN
have their root divided longitudinally & recover both halves, but I don't
know to what percent of successes, & it wouldn't be my choice to try it.

-paghat the ratgirl

--
"Of what are you afraid, my child?" inquired the kindly teacher.
"Oh, sir! The flowers, they are wild," replied the timid creature.
-from Peter Newell's "Wild Flowers"
See the Garden of Paghat the Ratgirl: http://www.paghat.com/

"Vox Humana" wrote in message ...
I got several of these plants last year from Bluestone Perennials. They are
not listed in the catalog this year, so I thought that I would divide the
ones that I have. Despite our unusually cold winter, they came back with
vigor so I dug and divided them. I noticed that they had a substantial tap
root. Did I doom the plants by cutting them in half?

No, specially this early in the season. I likewise broke the taproots
of another rumex (common sorrel) during spring transplanting and after
a few days of looking depressed they were back. I now have some 15sq
ft of the stuff. Water them well and they will be back. Because I
collect (yellow) dock roots as a medicinal herb from my yard, I have
also noticed that they, like dandelion, are able to come back form
small pieces of roots. Once they start flowering, you will have seeds
to start acres of dock (birds do like them though).

"simy1" wrote in message
om...
"Vox Humana" wrote in message
...
I got several of these plants last year from Bluestone Perennials. They
are
not listed in the catalog this year, so I thought that I would divide
the
ones that I have. Despite our unusually cold winter, they came back
with
vigor so I dug and divided them. I noticed that they had a substantial
tap
root. Did I doom the plants by cutting them in half?

No, specially this early in the season. I likewise broke the taproots
of another rumex (common sorrel) during spring transplanting and after
a few days of looking depressed they were back. I now have some 15sq
ft of the stuff. Water them well and they will be back. Because I
collect (yellow) dock roots as a medicinal herb from my yard, I have
also noticed that they, like dandelion, are able to come back form
small pieces of roots. Once they start flowering, you will have seeds
to start acres of dock (birds do like them though).

Do you mean that birds like to eat the leaves or the seeds?

"Vox Humana" wrote in message ...
"simy1" wrote in message
om...
"Vox Humana" wrote in message
...
I got several of these plants last year from Bluestone Perennials. They
are
not listed in the catalog this year, so I thought that I would divide
the
ones that I have. Despite our unusually cold winter, they came back
with
vigor so I dug and divided them. I noticed that they had a substantial
tap
root. Did I doom the plants by cutting them in half?

No, specially this early in the season. I likewise broke the taproots
of another rumex (common sorrel) during spring transplanting and after
a few days of looking depressed they were back. I now have some 15sq
ft of the stuff. Water them well and they will be back. Because I
collect (yellow) dock roots as a medicinal herb from my yard, I have
also noticed that they, like dandelion, are able to come back form
small pieces of roots. Once they start flowering, you will have seeds
to start acres of dock (birds do like them though).

Do you mean that birds like to eat the leaves or the seeds?

The seeds. Dock produces big clusters of seeds, a bit like amaranth.
The leaves are nothing special, too oxalic-sour. There are about a
dozen wild greens in my backyard I would rather eat.