If I carefully dig up a plant, and take as much of the root as I can using a scissors, then replant in a small foxhole bottomed with 10-10-10 or Hollytone, and dirt, then water daily for a while, is this pretty much the same, or am I missing something? Thanks.
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Rhizomes are specialized stems that run more or less horizontally underground. They are different from ordinary roots in that they have nodes and internodes. Above ground, nodes are found on a plants stems or branches where the leaves or buds are attached. The area between the nodes is called the internode. Below the ground, rhizomes have nodes and each node has a bud(s), whereas, ordinary roots do not have nodes, so they do not have buds. Ginger and Iris are examples of plants that have thick rhizomes, so the buds are very easy to see on them. Quack grass and many kinds of lawn grass (Kentucky Blue grass for example) spread by means of thin underground rhizomes. As they spread along under the soil, a new clump of grass springs up from each node, resulting in a beautiful, thick lawn.
So, what the internet and books are telling us, is that we can start a new plant from one little piece of the rhizome (underground stem) as long as it has at least one node or bud on it. Two or more buds per piece is best. (In much the same way we can start a potato plant from a piece of tuber with several eyes on it).
The plant can of course be propagated (starting new plants) by simply digging up a portion of the parent plant and dividing it into smaller pieces. Small plants that have developed from the nodes on the rhizomes which are located around the parent plant can also be dug up and transplanted to a new location. A lot of the tiny feeder roots will be cut off when the plants are dug up, so it is best to cut away excess foliage to compensate for root loss. Cut the stems back to a couple of inches from the soil, leaving a couple of leaves or buds on each stem. The fertilizer should be thoroughly mixed into the soil prior to planting. A high concentrate of fertilizer located directly beneath a plant can result in the 'salt effect' (burning of the roots). I have no idea what 'Hollytone' is, so I can not make any comments on this. Finally, it is much better to thoroughly soak the soil around the plants and then water again when needed, as opposed to watering everyday. The plant may not need water every day.
Good luck with your new plants.
