I have many hostas in my shady yard the they need some thinning.
by
Louise
+15
How harmful will it be if I dig up some now and either replant them somewhere, or give them away? I don't want to kill them.
18 answers
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After they finish flowering, trim off the flower stalks and tie them as shown in the attached picture. Then dig up and divide. They may get a little beaten up, but hostas are very sturdy, Louise! http://pinterest.com/pin/166703623676773278/
Barb Rosen
on Jun 28, 2013
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Sure wish I could help you out by taking a few off your hands! :-)
Marilyn Highley
on Jun 28, 2013
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Come on over, Marilyn!!! It's just a short drive. :-)
Louise
on Jun 28, 2013
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I'll be over too Louise!! :)
Nancy Hand
on Jun 28, 2013
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Come over, Nancy. You're closer than Marilyn. :-)
Louise
on Jun 28, 2013
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Mine haven't started blooming yet. Yours are very pretty!
Nancy Hand
on Jun 28, 2013
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Hmmmm, you'd think with your being farther south than I am, yours would have bloomed before mine. When I planted hostas, I had no idea they put out such tall flowers. I'm not sure how I feel about the flowers.
Louise
on Jun 28, 2013
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Hostas are easy to split. And best time to split is in the spring. If you separate them now, be sure to give them lots of water as they take root transplanted elsewhere. Or put them in pots, or grocery bags and sell at the curb side for a buck or two. I'd buy them and have done so.
Sugar and Spice
on Jun 28, 2013
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I have split, dug up, run the lawn mower over them. You cannot hurt them. I also have transplanted mine several times because they grow so big. Have fun, move them around. Mine do just as well in partial shade as they do in full sun. Good Luck.
Rosemary Hesse
on Jun 24, 2014
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When I moved to this house I was disappointed because the entire sidewalk was lined with hostas. I thought "How boring." Then I found out that there are a gajillion different varieties. I started splitting them up and giving them away, even to strangers walking by. I filled in the spaces left with other varieties - skinny leaves next to fat ones, blue ones next to white ones, big ones with little ones, etc. Now they are my favorite part of the yard.
Jeanie M
on Jun 24, 2014
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You can divide Hostas anytime, but if you divide during the summer the only requirement is water, lots of water. Good luck and enjoy your new plants...
Patty
on Jun 24, 2014
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Seems like they are hard to kill. It's easier to divide them in the spring but you can do it anytime. Just make sure they are care for until they get re-established.
Patti @Hearth and Vine
on Jul 20, 2014
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@Louise The hosta is the one plant I love that doesn't like Florida. I finally found one variety that does grow here. I have three small plants that are two years old. Yours are beautiful.
Sherrie S
on Jul 20, 2014
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I have some that are getting too much sun after I had a large tree removed. I'm going to have to move them to the back yard where too much sun won't be a possibility.
Louise
on Jul 20, 2014
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Louise, you can dig them up at any time as long as you dig around the plant and keep enough dirt with the plant. No need to wait until they're done flowering. And if you don't like the tall flowers, snip them off unless you are wanting to save seeds. Try looking for a Hosta called "Aphrodite" it has large white flowers on short stalks and the scent is heavenly, almost like a Gardenia!! (Are you growing Gardenias there? Mmmm, my absolute favorite flower!)
Bonnie
on Aug 12, 2014
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You might also want to look at the "Huechera" plant, which grows like Hosta but has many different colored leaves instead of just shades of green. They send up a dainty spike with tiny flowers above the plant. (Not as gangly as the hosta, tho.) Here is a website that you can find both Hosta and Huecheras.... www.Hostadirect.com Very reliable and send excellent plants.
Bonnie
on Aug 12, 2014
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@Louise , I have divided my hostas any time they need to be divided. They are so hardy and dependable. I think they LIKE being divided and letting their feet grow! I used to fuss dividing them, now I just take a shovel and drive it straight down where I want to take some off, then loosen soil around the outside of that particular spot with the shovel and lift out the cut off piece. I usually put it in water until it has a new home or hole. Yours are lovely.How many varieties do you have? I have 8. hostas rock. And I personally really like the flowers ..after blooming just snip off the spikes, but I don't understand some people not liking the flowers. oh well.
Bernice H
on Nov 05, 2014
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Different varieties of Hosta bloom at different times. Some varieties are more tolerant of sun then others. If you know the names of your Hosta, you can look them up on the hostalibrary.org Hummingbirds love the flowers, but it will not harm the plant if you clip them off. It may slow new growth a little, but I've never found that to be a problem with Hosta. When I divide them, I dig up the whole plant, taking care to dig around it so that I'm not chopping up the roots. I literally turn the plant upside down and with a serrated knife, I cut through roots. It's the easiest way to do it, and they always thrive as long as the new plantings are watered so that they don't dry out. I have many varieties of Heuchera (aka, Coral Bells) that get along beautifully with my Hosta. They come in a large variety of colors and complement the Hosta well. They're very easy to care for and have many varieties that grow in full sun.
Kristen Rikli
on Feb 13, 2015
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