How do you separate parts of a hosta plant to make it smaller? its taking over my garden help please?
Question:Its taking over my garden and I would like to be able to split it alittle and maybe re-plant what I cut off. Help please
Answers:
All of the hostas in my 1/2 acre yard came from a few clumps given to me by my neighbor. Now I have them every where. They are the easiest plants to split because they will take a lot of abuse and spring back to life.
Here's what I do: water well the hosta you want to split. Drenched soil and roots separate more easily. Decide where the new piece will go and how big you want the new one to be. Remember it will soon grow bigger so don't start with too much or you'll be dividing again. Then dig the new hole and if possible, add bagged garden soil or a good top soil in the hole. Then use a spade shovel and cut away a piece of the hosta pushing the shovel straight down on each side of the piece you wish to take. You may kill a few stalks along the way but it's ok. Now get underneath the cut section with your shovel and get the roots. It should lift easily. I've been known to take a long knife and saw roots and stalks if necessary to split the plant. Transplant to the hole you've dug. Add more soil around it and water well. Both plants will be fine if you water as needed the first week.
If having a perfect shape is important to you, cut wedges. However, in about a month you won't notice that you took a piece from the first plant.
Remember that hostas grow most anywhere but prefer shade. Too much sun changes their color.
In 10-years of splitting, I lost only one plant and that was because of soil. You almost can't do it wrong.
A neighbor of mine splits hers into pieces about 5 inches around and sets them along the street for takers when hers get too large. I've exchanged hostas with my neighbors for other perennials they had overgrown. It's a great way to share the joy of gardening.
Usually done in the spring or fall, dividing a hosta is easy. I usually dig up the clump and divide from there. They are quite hardy and can take some brutal dividing with a spade or pitch fork. Yes the divisions can be replanted, just do it soon for the best results! Good Luck!
I love hostas.. just dig around bottom and pull plant out. then cut roots apart . once out of ground you should be able to see where you can cut them apart.. it's easy really. then just replant each one.
Hosta are easy to divide. Can do almost any time. Just dig the whole plant up and use a sharp spade to make divisions. Be sure to keep enough roots intact on each section. Then just put the divisions where you want and keep them watered.
You need to devide in fall. Take a shovel and place it a little above the hosta(where you want to split), and hit down where you are deviding. You can get 3-4 smaller hostas from 1 large plant.
you can split hosta at any time of year they are so hardy i dont think they can be killed. ive split them in the middle of summer and not replanted for over a week and they did just fine and thats in 90 degree weather...
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