How to Transplant Hostas In the Fall

This giant clump of hosta needs to be separated.

There are as many types of hostas as there are places to put them. Some varieties like the sun, while others like the shade, so as long as you match the right plant with the right lighting condition, you'll grow lovely hostas. After about the second year, you'll need to separate them, which means you have eight new hostas which need to be moved, and fall is the best time to accomplish this.

Things You'll Need

• Garden gloves
• Spade
• Hand garden clippers
• Hatchet
• Hand spade
• Bulb planter

Instructions

1. Spade an area around the plant, pushing the spade into the ground vertically. After you've gone all around the plant, use the spade to angle in under the clump and loosen the roots. Remove the root-ball from the ground and move it to where you can use a hose sprayer on it to remove as much dirt as possible. The root-ball is surprisingly tough, so use plenty of water pressure.

2. Divide the roots. You will need lots of brute strength since they are hard to pull apart, but you can use garden clippers for assistance. Use a hatchet as a last resort. As long as you have a decent piece of the root, it will grow in the spring. If you can't get to planting them the same day as you pulled them out of the ground, place them in a paper bag and leave them in a cool place.

3. Plant the new plants in holes as deep as the root indicates. The very top of the root is called the crown, and you want this to be at ground level. A small hand spade makes a good tool for this, or if the ground is not frozen, a bulb planter works very well. Cover the roots with soil and tamp the ground to make sure the root has good contact with the soil.

4. Mulch over the hole to give it protection from cold weater, as well as remind you where it is in the spring.

Tips & Warnings

• You can generally separate hostas every two to three years. You can tell it's time when the mound measures over 18 inches across.

• If your hostas look spindly and weak, it could be that it just doesn't like where it is or that the conditions aren't right for that particular variety. Either way, move it to a different spot in your garden.

References

• Purdue University Consumer Horticulture: Hosta Has Much To Recommend It