How to Divide Hostas

Hostas have a clumping root system, so to divide a plant, simply cut through the clump with a knife from the crown down. You can also pry apart the root clump with garden tools, but this won't give you as much precision. Cutting through the roots is fine, as hostas roots quickly regrow once transplanted.

When should hostas be divided?
Can you divide hostas anytime?
How do you divide a large hosta plant?
How do you multiply hostas?
Why do you split hostas?
What is the best fertilizer for hostas?
Do hostas like sun or shade?
How do you dig up hostas and replant?
How deep should hostas be planted?
Should hostas be cut back in the fall?
What do you do with overgrown hostas?

When should hostas be divided?

Splitting hostas is best done in spring or early fall. Ideally, plan on dividing hostas before spring or fall rains arrive. Hostas suffer most when they lose roots, so dig as much of the rootball as possible. If you just need a few divisions, dig small clumps that have formed beside the larger parent clump.

Can you divide hostas anytime?

The best time of year to divide hostas is late summer (August or early September). But don't worry if you forget—you can divide hostas any time from spring to fall. You'll have about a four-week window to divide your hostas.

How do you divide a large hosta plant?

Lift the plant free from soil and shift it onto a tarp. Divide hostas into pieces with eyes or growing points. Some hostas pull easily into divisions, while others need cut with a sharp spade or knife. Replant divisions in soil with plenty of organic matter.

How do you multiply hostas?

Here's how:

Pry the hosta out of the ground with a pointed shovel or a garden fork. ...
When you have the plant out of the ground, turn it on its side and cut it in half with a sharp, flat-edged spade. ...
Plant each piece in the ground where you want it to grow at the same depth as the parent plant.

Why do you split hostas?

Dividing hosta plants is an easy way to maintain the size and shape of your plants, to propagate new plants for other areas of the garden, and to remove dead portions of the plant and to make it look nicer.

What is the best fertilizer for hostas?

The best hosta plant food is a slow release NPK 10-10-10 fertilizer. Those three numbers stand for the amount of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium in the fertilizer. Slow release fertilizers feed the plant each time it rains or the plant is watered.

Do hostas like sun or shade?

A. Hostas are great plants for a low-maintenance garden, with many varieties to choose from. Though they are considered shade-tolerant plants, most will not thrive if grown in deep shade. Many hostas are more vigorous and will show best colors when given some exposure to sun, such as morning sun with afternoon shade.

How do you dig up hostas and replant?

Start digging the plant by inserting your shovel into soil just outside the edge of the leaves. Roots typically extend this far. Insert the shovel all the way around the hosta, forming a circle. Pry the plant out of the ground.

How deep should hostas be planted?

Dig a hole, at least 12 inches deep and 1½ times the size of the mature plant. Mix in a 2- to 4-inch layer of organic matter. Carefully remove the plant from its container. If the plant is root-bound, gently untangle and shake out the roots.

Should hostas be cut back in the fall?

In autumn, hosta leaves turn shades of yellow and gold, then fade. This is the beginning of the plant's dormant season, so you won't see any more pretty foliage until spring. ... Trim back all the leaves and foliage at ground level, then bag it up and dispose of it.

What do you do with overgrown hostas?

Here is the easiest, fastest way to thin and separate overgrown hostas while propagating new plants to grow or share.

Start by digging around the plant edges, a few inches from the plant. ...
Start by watering the roots to wash off as much dirt as possible and expose the roots and rhizomes.
Shake the roots.