Divide and Transplant Hostas This Spring Easily for a Lush, Leafy Yard Makeover!

Did you forget about your hostas? You cut them back at the end of the last season, so now you can’t see them in your garden. But plantain lilies are starting to grow back right now, as spring comes, and this is by far the best time to divide their leafy clumps and propagate them – you will get many more of those wonderful leaves and then the delicate blooms in your garden – and all this is for free!

Not only will you get more hostas for free, but you will also help overcrowded clumps if you divide and transplant them in spring, and it is very easy. But when exactly should you start?

Spring Is the Best Time to Divide and Transplant Hostas – But When Exactly?

You should divide and transplant your hostas as soon as they start growing new leaves. So, keep an eye on them from early in the season, because this may vary, according to the climate, from March (in warmer regions) to early May (in colder zones). In most areas, it will be by early April.

In any case, spring is by far the best time to divide hostas,and it’s because they are just coming out of dormancy, so full of energy, and because the leaves are small and the temperature still fresh.

If you did it when the foliage has grown and it’s hot, in summer, your hostas will suffer from evaporation, and, on top of this, you won’t be able to see where to cut the clumps well.

Finally, transplanting hostas in spring gives them time to set their roots before warmer days come.

How Often You Must Divide Hostas and Which Clumps to Choose

Hosta clumps can get overcrowded so you should usually divide them every 3 to 5 years. You will notice it from these symptoms:

·         Your hostas are growing less than before.

·         The center of the plantain lily clump is emptying, and the central leaves tend to die off.

Or maybe the clump has simply become too big for the space you have for it…

“But can I divide them anyway?” you may ask. And the answer is yes, if you want to propagate them and get more for your garden. But choose a large clump, better if overcrowded, and leave small ones alone.

And now, let’s see how…

1. Find the Ideal Location to Transplant Your New Hostas

First of all, you need to find a good location where your new hostas can grow happy and strong. So, here is what you need to provide for these leafy beauties.

·         A place in part or full shade; under trees and shrubs they thrive, and they can get some morning sunlight, but you should avoid exposing them to afternoon Sun.

·         A place that’s sheltered from strong winds; again, under trees, near hedges etc. will be fine.

·         A place that keeps cool and humid, as hostas don’t like dry climates and high temperatures.

After you find the best location(s) for your new plantain lilies, it’s time to get digging!

2. Prepare Your Hostas’ New “Home”

Your hostas’ new homes should be quite comfortable; the holes need to be about 12 to 18 inches wide and 12 to 18 inches deep (30 to 45 cm). Be flexible and adapt to the size of your variety, however,…

As a general rule, the hole must be 3 times wider than the clump and about 2 inches deeper than the roots. On average, your new sections will be 4 to 6 inches wide, for very big varieties, be generous with the size! You can always fill it in!

If you want to grow the new clumps in groups, keep them at least 12 to 18 inches apart.

3. Prepare the Soil for Your Hostas

Now it’s time to prepare a soil mix for your hostas, and it needs to be fertile, organically rich and very well drained. You can use your own “recipe”, but a good one for you is:

·         30% garden soil (loamy is best, and don’t use heavy chalk or clay).

·         30% well-rotted compost (or other organic matter).

·         40% coarse gardening sand.

The pH should range between 0.6 and 7.5.

Prepare soil in excess, because you will have to fill in both the new holes and the gaps you will leave next to the original clumps. And, before we start dividing hostas…

4. Three Tips to Divide and Transplant Your Hostas Successfully

Now I have three extra tips for you, so you can divide and transplant your hostas like a pro:

·         Water your hostas about 2 days before you divide them. This will give you a soil that’s humid enough to manage and to stick to the roots, but not too wet and heavy. Of course, if it rains…

·         Choose a cloudy day to divide and transplant your hostas, especially in warmer climates.

·         Divide and transplant your hostas in the morning or early evening.

And now…

5. Lift Your Hosta Clump’s Root Ball

Now it’s time to start dividing your hostas; and at first, you will need to lift up the roots so you can separate them.

·         Using a fork, stick it deep into the soil to three sides of the hosta clump, and keep 4 to 10 inches away from it (20 to 15 cm), depending on its size.

·         Lift up one side of the clump, so you can see the roots well; try not to break them and keep as much soil on as possible.

And now…

6. How to Divide Hosta Clumps to Get More

Now we come to an important moment: division.

·         Use sterile and sharp garden shears or a knife.

·         Cut through the clump making sure each new part has at least one healthy crown and plenty of roots.

·         Each new clump should be about 4 to 6 inches wide (10 to 15 cm).

·         You should get 2 to 4 new sections from each original clump.

·         At this stage, it’s a good idea to get rid of excess soil and tease some of the roots of your plantain lily clumps; it will help them settle in the new place and soil – it’s a bit like getting them accustomed to a “new diet”.

Now it’s almost time to transplant them, but first…

7. Fill in the Gaps Your New Divided Clumps Have Caused with the Soil Mix

Don’t wait, because you don’t want to leave roots exposed, and immediately fill in the holes you have created by dividing the clumps. This is also a good time to give your old hosta fertile and well-drained soil – a little spring boost!

8. Transplant Your Hostas Immediately

…Nor should you wait to transplant your new hosta sections to their new homes. This is why I advised you to prepare them beforehand, because their roots should be buried as soon as possible.

·         Fill the bottom 2 inches (5.0 cm) of the hole with the soil mix you have prepared.

·         Check that the crown of the clump you are transplanting is level with the ground.

·         In case it’s too deep, add more soil mix at the bottom.

·         Place your plantain lily clump in the middle of the hole.

·         Fill in the sides of the hole with the soil mix.

·         Press the soil gently, with your feet or even better with your hands. It shouldn’t compact, only settle.

·         If necessary, add a bit more soil mix.

Do it for each new clump, then, we need to work on both the old and the new hostas you have in your garden.

9. Water and Mulch the Old and the New Clumps

Now, as soon as you have finished transplanting your new plantain lilies, there are two simple things you need to do:

·         Water all your hostas deeply, this will encourage new growth. For the old hosta clump(s); only water the new soil you have used to fill in the hole.

·         Lay 2 inches of mulch (5.0 cm) all around all your hostas, this will keep the soil humid, fertile and with more stable temperatures.

Some Aftercare After Transplanting Your New Divided Hostas

Now you have fully transplanted your hostas, you shouldn’t forget about them, of course…

·         Keep watering them regularly.

·         Check out for pests, especially slugs and snails, and protect them from these hungry animals. At this stage, when they are young and in a new place, they are at their most vulnerable.

·         Your hostas will have enough food for some time if you have given them a fertile and organically rich soil mix, but not forever, so you shouldn’t fertilize them immediately but…

·         Wait for 4 to 6 weeks and then give them a balanced, slow-release granular fertilizer with NPK 10-10-10 (or more well-rotted compost), repeat again in summer and then at the beginning of fall.

·         You can also use a fast-release liquid fertilizer, still with NPK 10-10-10, but repeat this every 4 to 6 weeks.

And then…

Just Enjoy Your New Hostas and Those Gorgeous Leaves in Your Garden! That’s it! Now your garden will be much more leafy, even in shady places, and you will have many more hostas to enjoy and admire!