Dividing Carex Montana - Fall Planting - October 2024

I have a little cluster of Carex Montana that I planted in Summer of 2023 along the beginning of the impromptu flagstone path along the south entry of our house.  I picked them up at Northwind Perennial Farm and they were just plug-sized.  I put them in next to the Boxwoods that are under the Linden trees and allowed them to anchor the 'corner' of the path.  

These things stood-out to me so much this season that I posted about them just a month-or-so ago when I said they were thriving in this deep-shade location.  In that post, I mentioned that I "should plant 12 more of these along the path".  

With Fall Planting season here, I decided to try to divide some of these Carex Montanas to get a couple of free plants.  Like I've done with other divisions - when I haven't divided said plant before - I hedged and left one of the three intact.  I didn't touch the one in back.  But, I dug up and divided the other two - which were a little bit larger.  Below, is the 'before' photo; showing what the three Carex Montanas looked like pre-Fall-Dividing:

I took the two divided clumps and dug them in along the fence - a little further back along the flagstone pathway.  I used some of my own homegrown compost to dig them in.  See below for the two clumps that came from the Carex division:

And here, below, are the two divided carex that I left in their holes and the third one (in back) that I didn't touch:

A note for future Jake - when we're at Northwind Perennial Farm next year:  we can use 15-or-so Carex Montana plugs over in this area.  See below for the layout - the only question is the opening area for the gate.  I'm thinking these are low-enough and ply-able enough to live under the swinging fence gate.

Could plant 15 more Carex Montana plugs in this little garden slice.  

Besides the texture of these, the weed supression and 'living mulch' aspects are what I'm attracted to in this carex.  Oh...not to mention the shade tolerance.  Love that. 

This area was part of my 2024 to-do list - #21 was to improve the southside entrance.  Did I get this done?  No.  But, I've now planted two sedges and have a plan for even more.  I'd say that is partially complete - and now I have a plan.  

This gave me a +2 plants via division.  #11 on my 2024 to-do was to 'focus on fall planting'.  

These two new carex find me running my total up to 18 'new plants' for 2024.  That feels pretty good. 

Here's my math: +2 trees, +2 John Greelee Grasses, +6 Ajuga + 2 Stachys = +12 planted. And...+1 red swtichgrass, +1 mystery grass and now + 2 Autumn Moor Grasses  + Carex Montana = +6 by division.

18 total 'new plants' in Fall 2024.

Fall Planting 2024 List

• A semi-dwaf, mostly upright conifer tree - the Oregon Green Austrian Pine - planted in the front yard along the south property line.  #ConifersShouldComeFirst
• The Skylands Spruce - container grown from Conifer Kingdom.  Planted in the back of the Island Bed in the front yard.  #HideAndReveal
• Two new and one transplanted John Greenlee Moor Grass (Seslaria) in the island bed in front of the Northern Glow Korean Maple.  
• Six Ajuga 'Chocolate Chip' groundcover plugs planted in the Island Bed in the front yard. 
• While not a 'planting' or 'dividing' project, I extended the front porch beds out a foot-or-so.  
• Dividing an existing Red Switchgrass down IB2DWs near the sidewalk.  From one grass to two - hoping to rejuvenate the crown of this ornamental grass and get it going a little bit. 
• I dug up, divided and transplanted into two clumps a 'mystery' blue-green sesleria/or ornamental grass from the front porch bed down to IB2DWs along the sidewalk.
• Two Stachys 'Hummelo' planted IB2DWs as small quart-sized nursery pot.  
• Two Carex Montana divided and transplanted along the southside flagstone path.  I hedged and left one intact.