Dividing daylilies, hostas and siberian iris

[Turbosaurus]

I am in zone 7, average last frost date is in mid April although the threat is not gone until May. We've had some good weather and things are poping early this year.

I have Stella D'oro daylilies, hostas and siberian Iris I want to divide. Is now the proper time?

I know with Hosta I can basically just hack out a hunk with my spade, rip it up and toss it on the ground and it will grow- they're insane, but what about my siberian Iris and daylilies? I already have some new growth on them, is it still okay to do it now? When I dig them up to divide, how many eyes should I leave in clumps, or should I try to tease them apart and replant individually? Is it necessary to be very gentle?

[Kisal]

I confess to treating my Siberian iris and daylilies pretty much as you describe your method for separating hostas. I just dig them up and use a digging fork to break the clump up into sections about 1 foot or so in diameter. I always just replant small clumps, not individual plants. I've never counted eyes.

They've always done fine for me ... poor abused things!

I know that bearded iris -- the only other kind I have -- need much more detailed care, but Siberian iris are pretty tough. Although I would rate the plants higher on my scale of "plants I love" than this writer does, he apparently follows the same technique as I do when he divides his Siberian iris:

https://www.lib.niu.edu/2001/icl010816.html

And here's an article about daylilies, although as I said, I use the same technique as I do for Siberian iris and now have daylilies all over my yard:

https://www.ext.colostate.edu/Pubs/columngw/gr070714.html

[rainbowgardener]

Ideally, I think the dividing would be done in late summer, early fall, after they are done blooming and after the worst heat of summer is past, but early enough that they can establish roots in the new place. But early spring would be the next best time. And anyway daylilies are so hardy and adaptable, they are hard to kill no matter what you do to them.

I'm with Kisal, just separate them into smallish clumps. If you did tease them out into individual plants, they would look pretty small and spindly the next year anyway. They are not delicate plants!