All the crowns in pots seem to have died, except one, which was very large with loads of small stems. I felt that if I left it as it was much longer, it too would die, so I decided to split and plant it today.
When I emptied the bucket, the soil was very dry, despite frequent watering. That could explain the poor growth. As I rubbed the soil away, I found loads of roots and mini-crowns. I split the whole lump into 7 crowns. The first 6 all had a small single stem growing. The 7th (and largest) didn't have any stems growing.
I dug over part of the bed behind the greenhouse where the buckets have stood for a long time. The bed has been sheeted over, so mostly weed free. The soil was quite moist. I planted out the first 6 crowns out about 18" apart - that might be too close for the long term, but it's fine for the rest of this year and a smaller area means less weeding. If they grow well, they can be moved apart early next year. The 7th crown (with no stems) was put back in the bucket for the time being with fresh compost. I'll keep it well watered so it doesn't dry out!!
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