The smaller varieties (as in shorter plants) stayed within their 4" pots very well. The taller varieties were a little more adamant about getting out of the pot. Here's an example of a Pinelands Pam:

Inside that pot there is a solid tuber mass...it would be impossible to separate them I believe. Notice, however, that it eventually grew the tubers out of the top of the pot and out into the surrounding soil. Many didn't even bother to grow much in the pot, and for the most part looked just like a field tuber.

I'm not sure what you might have to do if you really wanted to keep them in their pots. I suspect the only way would be if the edge of the top of the pot was above the soil.

Now the problem becomes how to proceed. I have kept as many roots as possible attached to the clumps, but they've all been washed thoroughly. I've kept the soil they were growing in, and now plan on placing the clumps in some surrounding soil in 16" x 24" trays. I'll leave them there until they eye up...some have sprouts already.

Once I can see as many eyes as I need plants for next year, I plan on cutting the tubers with eyes off the clumps. If the tuber is too big I'm going to lop off most of the tuber and see if the sprout carries on...I believe it will. The tuber (or tuber piece) then goes into another 4" pot to be grown on until next year.

I have to admit, I'm still very unsure about splitting clumps. I'm very tempted to just go at it and split the clumps any way that seems reasonable and just take cuttings again...I may end up doing that.

I'll try and take pictures during the process throughout the weekend.

Cheers,
Russ

Cheers,
Russ

I wanted to grow them in 4" pots in order to make it easier to lift them in the fall. My understanding was that the 4" pot would *keep* the clumps small...obviously that's not true.

Referring to that foot-like tuber, here it is cleaned up out of the pot:

I agree, I had a very difficult time splitting this tuber up...as I did with many of the tubers. In fact, I had so much trouble with them I have decided I won't be planting in 4" pots in the future. I will certainly get them started in 4" pots, and likely grow them in these pots until they're planted out into the gardens...but when they go in the ground I'll remove them from the pots.

My reason is simple, trying to divide such tight clumps yields fewer tubers and makes ensuring I have viable crown material on tubers more difficult. Even if I only want a couple of tubers, its still more difficult to do with tight clumps.

Cheers,
Russ