As September brings cooler temperatures to New York, it’s the perfect time to divide certain houseplants before they enter their dormant winter phase. Dividing now gives new plant sections time to establish roots while still benefiting from remaining warmth and natural light in your apartment.
Plus, you’ll create free new plants just in time for indoor growing season when New Yorkers retreat indoors for the colder months ahead.
1. Snake Plant’s Perfect Time
These tough succulents thrive in New York apartments thanks to their tolerance for inconsistent watering and low light conditions. Fall division gives them just enough time to heal before winter dormancy sets in.
Gently separate the rhizomes when repotting, ensuring each division has several healthy leaves and roots. Allow cut surfaces to callus for a day before replanting.
I’ve successfully divided snake plants in my Manhattan apartment using this timing, and they barely showed any stress – unlike when I attempted a midwinter division that resulted in yellowing leaves.
2. Spider Plants Need Space
All those dangling babies are ready for their independence! September provides the ideal opportunity to separate spider plant pups from the mother plant in your New York home.
Simply snip the runners connecting babies to the parent plant once they’ve developed small roots. Pot them immediately in well-draining soil and water thoroughly.
Many of my Brooklyn friends keep their apartments filled with spider plants all descended from a single parent I divided years ago – they’re practically a New York houseplant tradition!
3. Peace Lily Division
When your peace lily looks crowded or flowers less frequently, September division can rejuvenate it. The moderate temperatures in New York apartments this time of year minimize transplant shock.
Remove the entire plant from its pot and gently separate the root mass into sections, ensuring each division has several leaves and healthy roots. Repot immediately.
A neighbor in my Queens building divided her massive peace lily last September and gifted me a section – both plants now bloom regularly despite our north-facing windows.
4. ZZ Plant’s Hidden Potential
September marks the ideal moment to divide these popular low-light champions before they slow down for winter. Your ZZ plant might be hiding multiple plants within one pot!
Carefully remove the plant and separate the potato-like rhizomes, ensuring each section has both roots and stems. Let the divisions dry overnight before replanting to prevent rot.
During last fall’s division of my five-year-old ZZ plant, I discovered it had secretly formed six distinct sections – perfect for brightening dark corners throughout my Manhattan studio.
5. Pothos Multiplication
Fall division works wonders for overgrown pothos vines that have become leggy or sparse near the soil. The mild September climate in New York provides ideal recovery conditions.
Rather than simple cuttings, consider dividing the root ball if your pothos has multiple stems emerging from the soil. Each section can become a fuller, bushier plant.
My friend’s apartment near Central Park features an impressive pothos collection that all originated from a single plant she divided strategically each September for three years running.
6. Boston Fern Renewal
Summer humidity in New York apartments often leads to explosive fern growth. By September, these plants are prime candidates for division before indoor heating systems kick on and dry the air.
Gently tease apart the root ball into sections, making sure each division has plenty of fronds. Mist frequently after replanting to minimize stress.
During my years in a pre-war Brooklyn building, September fern division became an annual ritual – the timing allowed new divisions to establish before battling winter radiator heat.
7. Calathea’s Fresh Start
September offers the perfect window for dividing these tropical beauties in New York homes. The gradually decreasing daylight mimics their natural transition period in the wild.
Look for natural divisions within the plant where stems emerge separately from the soil. Use a sharp knife to separate these sections with minimal root disturbance.
After accidentally breaking a calathea while repotting last fall, I discovered the divided sections actually thrived better than the original plant in my Queens apartment’s varying light conditions.
8. Aloe Vera Multiplication
Mature aloe plants produce numerous offsets or “pups” around their base. September’s moderate New York temperatures create ideal conditions for separating these babies without stressing the plants.
Look for pups with at least four leaves before separating them from the mother plant. Allow both cut surfaces to dry for 24 hours before replanting to prevent rot.
Throughout my tiny Manhattan studio, I’ve placed divided aloe pups in creative containers near windows – they’ve thrived through winter while providing fresh gel for minor kitchen burns.
9. Philodendron Division
September creates the perfect opportunity to refresh overgrown philodendrons before they enter slower winter growth in New York apartments. Most varieties respond exceptionally well to division during this season.
Carefully remove the plant and identify natural separation points where multiple stems emerge. Gently tease these sections apart, ensuring each has adequate roots and leaves.
The divided philodendron sections I created last September have flourished in various light conditions throughout my Brooklyn apartment, proving how adaptable these refreshed plants can be.
10. Chinese Evergreen’s New Chapters
The moderate September temperatures in New York apartments provide ideal conditions for dividing these popular low-light plants. Mature Chinese evergreens often develop multiple growing points that can become separate plants.
Look for natural divisions in the stem clusters and carefully separate them with a clean knife. Each section should have both leaves and roots to thrive independently.
When I divided my five-year-old Chinese evergreen last fall, the separated sections actually developed more vibrant leaf patterns than the original plant had shown in my north-facing Manhattan windows.
11. Prayer Plant Separation
September’s transition to fall provides the perfect timing for dividing prayer plants in New York homes. The gradually decreasing daylight hours mimic their natural habitat changes without shocking the plant.
Gently remove the entire plant and look for natural divisions where stems emerge separately from the soil. Use your fingers to carefully separate these sections with minimal root disturbance.
A fellow plant enthusiast in my Upper West Side building created an impressive collection simply by dividing one original prayer plant each September for three consecutive years.