Advice on plants that can be split or easily propagated/grown from seed.

[Hippee]

For the last couple of years I have run the plant stall at the local gala. So far I have just dug up what was already in the garden but spread - many of which I'm not that keen on, but I keep it for the stall. I have plenty of alchemilla, linaria, sedum, aquilegia, perennial geraniums and hypericum. Can anyone recommend perennials that grow well and can be easily split, or propagated, or that seed themselves? And if anyone is in the Harrogate area, can they spare me a bit [cheeky emoticon]? Thank you!

[TuttiFrutti]

Heucheras. Dead easy to divide them. They cost a lot to buy from garden centres, but I have doubled mine every autumn by splitting them, plus there has been some self-seeding so I am sure you could collect the seeds and sow them yourself.

Sorry, not in Harrogate area so i can't give you any.

[Hippee]

Thanks TuttiFrutti - will add that to my list.

[cuppateaplease]

When is the gala - are you sowing/splitting for this year or next and how much time/space can you spare
Just wondering if you could do veg seeds eg toms or whether the timings would be wrong.
Foxgloves seed themselves as do my cowslips - they are everywhere
Fushias root easy but do take time, indoor/annual geraniums easy too, grasses, primulas, spider plants.............mmm must admit everytime I prune something I end up growing new plants - will have a think about those that are easiest/quickest

[OTheHugeManatee]

Oregano or mint? Grows like Topsy in my experience, and copes well with being split/propagated.

Not in Harrogate either, though, sorry

[CogitoErgoSometimes]

Can't seem to get rid of crocosmia in my garden. Forget-me-not seems to pop up every year. Those big red oriental poppies I've had rise like Lazarus from beds dug over twice and the seeds germinate really easily. Pinks/carnations are easily propagated from cuttings... so are rosemary and lavender.

[Hippee]

The gala was on Saturday, and I was a bit ashamed of my "range", so I'm trying to be organised and think ahead for next year. Good thought with the crocosmia, I do have some of that. Will try everything else too, and hopefully have a few more things in flower on the day (always last week of June). Thanks everyone so far!

[OTheHugeManatee]

Yes, forget-me-nots too. They self-seed like mad, have distinctive foliage that's shallow rooted and fairly easy to split and are pretty forgiving to transplant.

[cuppateaplease]

Have thought of some more to add to your list:
to go with the other herbs mentioned you could have chives - easily split, and sage which will easily root although i have more luck with the purple than the green.
sempervivium (houseleek) are constantly putting out new plants so one plant can provide loads of ones to sell (have sold these before at a bootfair and they sold quite well).
Sisyrinchium can be split easily but aren't that quick at growing so you won't get that many new plants.
For indoor plants crassula/moneytrees and christmas cactus will root really easily straight into compost - I am overrun with these as I keep sticking bits in pots and away they go! shame I'm no where near you or you could have a load . Peace/sail lilys also split easily
have fun

[Hippee]

Cuppa - can I pick your brains about peace lilies? I have a very healthy plant, which I could split, but it never flowers any more. I have read up on it and it seems that it can be hard to get them to flower again, so if you have any tips ....

I had loads of sisyrinchium a couple of years ago, but I sold a lot at the previous gala and it seems to have disappeared now . Thanks for the other tips. I have sage in the garden, but it's a real monster - some of the branches have rooted themselves, but I've had no luck so far with keeping these alive after I've removed them from the parent plant. Have you just rooted cuttings?

[cuppateaplease]

my mums peace lily regularly flowers and seems to thrive on neglect. It is in a very light room and as I'm the only one that waters her plants it tends to get quite dry and is even starting to droop before i'm there again to water (so prob once a week in normal weather and twice when really hot). Have been eyeing it for a while as it's due for splitting so I get my own one!

I've rooted lots of sage but not all cuttings will root so I tend to put several in compost in a wide, but not tall, plant pot or 2 or 3.... I cut most of the leaves off, or cut leaves in half, just leaving the new ones at the tips and stick them in (with rooting powder if i remember) keep them watered and leave them to it. I also put some in water which doesn't tend to be as successful. I had about a dozen plants last time I did this.
Sage plans do tend to take over - when mine get too big they get evicted, trimmed to provide cutting material and replaced with a smaller plant grown from a previous cutting

I take cuttings of most plants when pruning working on the assumption if I put enough in compost/water at least some will root even if the rest just keel over and die!

[TheDailyWail]

I have valerian which seems to self seed everywhere. I've also divided and put elsewhere. My mum has wallflowers which have rooted from cuttings, Hebe & bereris are shrubs which seem to root easily. Vinca/periwinkle and penstemons are doing well from being divided.

[catinthehat2]

Sisyrinchium - I wouldn't split it, just hunt the babies round the garden, usually about 800 gazillion IME

day lilies/hemerocallis - if you have a big plant you can probably hack a few bits off. MAke a note of the flower type, eg one of mine is a lovely dark red with an orange stripe, could appeal as an extra to someone who has plain ones

foxgloves - I would get a packet of fancy apricot ones and just sow them. Again you will get 800 gazillion babies, but everyne adores apricot foxgloves and they are expensive at garden centres.

[catinthehat2]

another thought, hellebore family - lots of baby plants everywhere, but again, make a note of the flower type/leaf type when fully grown so that people will risk adding to their collection without repeating

[Hippee]

I'm feeling very inspired - thanks everyone! Also, have discovered a huge load of aquilegias that have seeded themselves. Hoorah!