TM, I just split and moved one this spring, I had 'Francis Williams in a spot where it was getting to much sun. This is the one that sported on me. I dug, split it in half and moved it into more shade, still getting too much sun though. I find leaving as much of the rootball intact when moving I get good sized plants from the get go. Now one of the pieces has sported again and has a segment with blue green leaves.
Another way of doing it is to remove only a portion of the Hosta that is getting too big, filling the hole with some nice compost, I do this all the time. No need to dig the whole plant, this can be done spring or fall, I usually do it in the spring when they start showing signs of growth.
By the way your Hostas are gorgeous, two different varieties or has one sported on you? I love your combination of color and texture.
Annette

Those are Beautiful.I have never grown those,so can't offer any advice,sorry.
Kathi

I would say they do need to be thinned out. I have a whole bed of hostas that are crowded terribly. Annette, thanks for the tips on moving or dividing. They are monsters to dig
up huges ones and divide.

I do love the colors of the various plants you have in that bed. They look wonderful together.

I'm not currently growing anything in the shade but I love your plant combination. What is on the far left?

Thanks, Annette, for the great advice. I think I'll try moving them with as big a root ball as I can possibly get and see how that goes. There are two varieties there. One is a Tokudama (sp?) and the other is called Blue Plate. I bought them locally from a hosta grower.

Thanks, Kathi and Gldno. I think they look pretty cool too.

A2zmom - Thanks to you too. The plant on the far left is a Harry Lauder's Walking Stick, a contorted hazelnut. It's leaves look kind of flappy and odd, but it sure is a sight when they're gone.

ThinMan

I wish you well, TM! I've only moved them one at a time and haven't divided any - they don't get all that big for me. Probably too dry.

Love the rest of the bed, as well. Beautiful combos.

How are the sunflowers and cosmos doing?

Diana

Diana - The cosmos are doing fine, with a few starting to bloom, so I guess they were tough enough to withstand my harsh treatment. Amaranth are another story. Only eight out of seventy have survived, but they are getting really big. I have never grown them before and didn't know what to expect.

The sunflowers seem to be a couple of weeks behind where they should be, probably because it has been a very cool spring and summer here so far. I hope I will have some to sell by the end of the month.

Thanks a lot for asking. It's very nice of you to be interested.

TM

Beautiful, just beautiful. They look as if they'd like dividing and giving space.

Diana, do you think it's the dry, or is it the lack of winter chill? Except for Royal Standard, which does best hidden under the azaleas, mine wait until late June to appear at all. I suspect they're waiting to see if any more cool days are coming, after April, LOL. I'm going to move some up on the north side of the garden in a windswept shade and see what happens next year.

Nell

Do you really have to dig them out and divide? That's hard work! :-) I hope this isn't hosta heresy, but early this spring I just took a shovel and chopped hunks off the side to get an ancient specimen back to a reasonable size.

I took two large chunks off, both which have re-established well, and are blooming now. The original plant looks as if it was never touched -- and will need a few more chunks off next spring!

I'm sure this isn't the "ideal" way to do it, but it works for me, and I got the idea from another gardener who does it too with success.

Thin man, do you have a spading fork? Two is even better, for separating plants.
It looks as if the four plants have grown very close.
A fork will slide in between the individual plants with much less loss than hacking at them.

Nell

Nell, I should have phrased that better. I think it's the dry air. Or maybe not. I am certainly no hosta expert, having only a few. : ) I just notice they stay put and I haven't had to divide them. They are in well amended soil with regular watering. We don't have snails or slugs. Maybe that's the problem. Don't you need them to go with the hostas ? (joking)

TM, sorry to hear about your amaranth. I lost a lot of my sunflower seedlings when I went on vacation and my water helper forgot about them. I've started over. I'll probably not see blooms until xmas. : )

Diana

I think it depends on the variety. I have some that I split and divide in the fall and they come back one-sided next spring. Others will fill in the same season. Only one way to find out-- try it!

Tracy