Hosta

m13r13c13

I have a hosta in a foot square container that has now out grown it. It is a lovely hosta and I don't want to loose it. Can anyone tell me when is the best time to divide it. Also what is the best way to do it, I have never done anything like this before. M

irishwexford

I have two large ones growing in my garden and intend to split them up in September and plant some elsewhere. Don't know if this will work but will give it a try.

Linda32

Hi, I like them as well, you won't loose it, they are as tough as old boots.

I have mine in the garden and they stay there all year. They die down later on in the year but they don't actually die. Around next April time you will see shoots appearing from below ground. Tip the hosta out then and split it by driving a spade or fork through the middle as if cutting a cake in half.

If its big enough, then you can chop it into quarters and then you have either two or four plants.

m13r13c13

Thanks for your advise, this one has been in the pot for about three years and has never failed to please me. By the looks of it I think I could probably get about four from it. The bees love it, but so do the slugs which for some reason this year I seem to have managed to keep them off it.

When would you suggest the best time to divide it please?

Linda32

I would divide around next April when you see shots coming out of the ground.

Savannah02K

I've done mine in both autumn and spring, doesn't seem to hurt either way. I find it difficult to split with spade/fork or combo thereof so I just water really well, get plants out of containers and then use small saw to cut into three or four pieces. As previous poster said, they're as tough as old boots!

Re the slug problem, I put my potted ones on raised feet with a surround of gravel mixed up with talcum powder (the slugs/ants really don't like the powder), the ones I planted out in the garden in a gravel garden and really flourish very well.

m13r13c13

Thank you, I have taken that on board. Not sure how I have managed to get away from slug attact this year, but then again saying that I haven't seen many this year.