POSTED: May 16, 2005 by Jake
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Don't worry just yet. I've been told that hostas will take the first year or two to establish a new root system. Once they do that, then they take off above ground. They are pretty disappointing the first year or two after planting/splitting because of that.
When you have small ones, to get established again. They will get huge soon enough :D
i split some hostas last year (not sure how old they were as they were already part of the garden when we bought the home - the landscaping was done in the last few years so i imagine them to be fairly young). anyways, they look so piddly now and some hardly seem to be growing. did i divide too early (i was trying to spread them out throughout the garden)? when should hostas be divided? ie. how wide/large should the clump be? some i see in otheres yard are HUGE and still look very lush and great....
the better they actually grow. I ( in Ontario) split mine into about 6-8 new plants - much more economical and I love getting new varieties - something to think about is to buy them when they go on sale as you can plant them even in July!!
this is an excellent time to move your hostas. Dig around the clump and hoist them out. I saw a TV clip of Ed Lawrence, our Governor-General Gardener Guru here in Ottawa doing this a year ago, and he lifted them and separated, using a garden fork, then washed down the hosta so as to expose the roots, then teased them apart to prodice individual small plants -- lots of them! and then planted the *singles* in the ground for the next season. Apparently they do just fine. Where are you? I don't think you should have any problems.
are pretty hardy plants. I've moved mine (and split them) in the dead of summer and they've done well.
It's a smaller one, looks like a Patriot. It was out with leaves and all, and I just moved it about 2 weeks ago without any problems. My soil is a little clay-like, so I just dug in with the big shovel to leave a big hunk of soil with the roots. It was quite a hoist getting it into the wheelbarrow, but it went well, thankfully.
Jake, now is a perfect time to move your hostas. I am assuming that you live down East. My hostas are huge now - but then I live in beautiful British Columbia. Take a good look when you have them out of the ground - you may be able to divide them and give your friends a gift. I divided "one" hosta this spring - IT WAS HUGE - I got 12 - 15 plants from it. I am now very popular with my neighbors.