Splitting Hostas Now?

10 years ago

I've always heard that if I split my hostas in the spring then I'll have to look at raggedy hostas all summer, so I should split them in the fall once they start to look raggedy anyway. I live in Iowa where we've had a very wet year, but this time of year is typically drought-ey through September. I have a lot of hostas that need to be split and I'd like to put some of the "new" hostas on a hill in dry shade. I have a sprinkler back there. If I split and transplant now, will the "new" hostas survive the winter and live next spring? Will splitting them now be too stressful for the remaining hostas?
Thank you very much.

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Comments (6)

don_in_colorado
10 years ago
They will be OK, just make sure they keep getting watered generously.

Regards,
Don B.
becky_ia
10 years ago
I also live in Iowa. I usually split my hosta only in the spring right as they are coming up. But I have split them in August once the rains start coming again. Just as Don says, if they get plenty of water, they should do just fine next spring. As long as they have at least six weeks of growing time to establish their root system until it freezes. And with our strange weather the last two years, who know when that might be!
thisismelissa
10 years ago
Why do you think your hostas need to be split?

Unless they have outgrown their container/space or are dying out in the center, there's no botanical reason to divide hostas.

I'm not sure where you're getting your information that is anti- spring division, but I do disagree.

If you divide a hosta in the spring before it has leafed out (ie, when the pips are about 2-3" tall), you'll be able to better see what you're doing and the hosta will still leaf out in a symmetrical pattern. I personally would prefer not to mess with a hosta that is leafed out. It's too hard to see if you've got the soil level right.... even if you tape up the leaves.

Doing it now risks that you may not be able to provide it the kind of moisture that it would prefer, prior to going into dormancy.

If you must divide, I'd do it in the spring when pips are a couple inches tall.
paul_in_mn
10 years ago
One disadvantage of splitting in early spring is tromping around in the soil when it is wet and soft - I try to stay out of the garden that early to keep from compressing the soil.

Paul
adayania
Original Author
10 years ago
Thank you everyone, you introduced a lot of ideas I hadn't thought of. I guess I'm not sure if all of my hostas need to be divided. We bought the house with mature hostas two years ago and they haven't been divided in 15 years. Some of the large or very large hostas and crowding each other out, and some are just so pretty I want to make more of them. Aside from thinking they would look bad all year if I separated them in the spring, I also had a baby and missed the time of year the pokeys were poking out before they unfurled. Thank you everyone for the advice!
josephines167 z5 ON Canada
10 years ago
CONGRATULATIONS on the birth of your baby! :-)

I've been dividing hosta at various times during the growing season. They
generally don't mind...some have a temporary setback...others don't. If I happen to do this later in the season, I have to watch for frost heave early in spring. If the roots are exposed during the unpredictable thaws and freezes that accompany spring, they might turn to mush and the plant may not survive.

I had a few minis whose roots were heaved out of the ground and was out there daily tramping on wet ground, covering them up. I thought I lost one other but it emerged very late. It was NOT a good idea to move them so late last year. I was lucky and won't do that again!

If you decide (and if you have the time) to divide now, water diligently as Don suggested. If you don't get around to it, enjoy the time with your new baby or time to yourself. There is always wintertime to dream about spring division. :-)

Once again, congrats! Looking forward to future posts and photos of your hosta! :-)
Jo