Yes Hostas get bigger an bigger and bigger once they are established. They need to be divided, some of mine--the taller ones with the big leaves get divided every spring. I think I've supplied half of the neighbourhood with pieces of mine.

In the spring when they first start to show signs of sprouting, I dig up the whole plant and with a sharp shovel cut them in half or quarters. Hostas are tough and suffer no ill affects from this. Maybe others have a different way of doing it, but this works for me

I divide them as oilpainter does but I use two pitchforks instead. I had to move all mine this spring. Sum & Substance is now about 4' across (we had to use the back hoe to move this one!) but Fire and Ice stays small. Hostas all grow differently, some fast and others slow. There are also some that are spreaders and others that grow into clumps. You can tell how fast growing your hosta will be is you count the 'eyes' that come up in spring. The more that come up, the faster it will grow.

The proper way to divide is to dig the plant out (as mentioned) and then separate into sections. I have also cheated and "divided" without digging up the main plant, just by using the shovel along the edge of the plant and cutting downward and then remove that outside section and replant. It's probably not as good as if you actually remove the plant (and can see where you are cutting) but seems to work in controlling the width of the plant as well.

It's interesting that when you buy a hosta, you get a small plant, one section of root I suppose and it takes a couple of years to do well. When you divide you are usually starting with a decent size plant already.

Thanks for the advice. I might divide mine next year. I have a Gold Standard and something else that are big, plus some smaller ones.

Just wondering also if anyone has any suggestions for a bright perennial that would look good mass planted with hostas. I'm thinking of doing a bed that is all hostas, interplanted with one other perennial, and tulips for the spring before the hostas come up. I thought of Maltese Cross. Any other thoughts?

Gillian,

You are looking for a 'bright perennial'...are you speaking about its foliage or its flower?

You can get hostas with yellow foliage to add color change in your hosta bed. Some people plant martagons in with their hostas for added color....martagons will add height as well as color to your beds. Martagons are a long lasting perennial, the same as hostas.

I believe that maltese cross prefers full sun.

I have also seen, for added color, impatients interplanted with hosta. Gorgeous!

Brenda

I think your choices depend on just how much sun your hostas get.

Heuchera comes in many different foliage colors if you want other colorful foliage plants for part shade. They may be more of a match with smaller, lower hostas, however, or near the front.

I've seen people have daylilies to the back of the hostas (if part sun) or something like ostrich fern (shade). Maybe perennial grasses?

I have some of my hostas in a spot that gets maybe 8 hours of sun and I have them growing with maltese cross, a yellow ribbon cedar, variegated euonymus and a red barberry.

They will be under a 15' tamarack in the morning (airy foliage) and light shade/full sun on and off all day. Most of my yard is like this. I have Maltese Cross a few feet away and it does well. Alternatively, I'm thinking of all one colour of Penstemons. I want a bright flower with a long bloom time. I was imagining something a similar height to the hosta leaves. I thought of heucheras too but maybe looking for something a bit bolder. I also considered Jacob's Ladder but it doesn't bloom very long for me.

The reason I didn't used to like hostas is because I don't like the look of anything with yellow or lime green leaves. Makes me think chlorosis. Green/blue/white and any combination are the ones I like best.

Different foliage shapes look nice with hostas. Ligularia gives you that plus it gets yellow flowers. Heucheras, jacobs ladder and solomans seal also give different leaf shapes. I also have various columbine. The McKenna Giants stand well above the hostas. I also have a sunny patch in the shade garden where I planted a 'ditch' daylily. For 'instant color' I placed some stones in the garden and planted pansies around them. Impatiens would look good there to. Marg

Gil, I have the Elfin Pink Penstemon and it is bright pink and very cheery looking. Prairie Dusk is a really nice purple.

Brandon Pinks Coral Bells will give you lots of pink flowers for a long time also.

Brenda

I think I will do penstemons for now. I have pink and blue Dwarf Navigators and they like my yard. I got one pink that isn't dwarf and I want to move it. I have overgrown spireas and junipers to dig out of the bed and replace with the hosta idea. I just don't like the spireas and junipers enough to weed them regularly.

Just found out one of my hostas has HVX, yikes. It came with the house and now I have to exterminate it.