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Moving hostas now or wait till spring

Susan Mladenovich

5 years ago

These guys have taken over a small raised bed. They are crowding out a small daffodil plant. Should I move them now or wait until spring?

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Susan Mladenovich
Original Author

5 years ago

Thanks everyone. I will wait until September. I’m in Toronto so we just went through a heat wave and now we are having lots of rain. I am planning on moving things around as I have a new bed we are creating. We just did a bubbling rock garden and I am creating a bed along the fence to connect the existing garden and that area. I am also learning a lot more about hostas in general. I think I will create a hosta garden eventually on the other side of the yard that doesn’t get all day sun. Here are some photos of things as they are progressing.

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Comments (18)

sunnywood4bChazyNY
5 years ago
Move now!
dhaven
5 years ago
You might consider waiting until fall. Less heat stress then, and hostas do well being moved or divided in the fall. Hostas moved in the heat of the summer usually look rather ratty for the rest of the season. Enjoy them where they are now, move them when it's much cooler and the plants are going to die back soon anyway.
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skmom
5 years ago
I prefer moving and/or dividing hostas in the fall, but they’ll survive a move in the summer pretty well too. The reason I don’t like moving them in the spring or summer is because I always divide them when I do, and then they look funky and misshapen for the remained of the season. I try to move them a few weeks or so before I think the cold weather will make them die back.
lindalana 5b Chicago
5 years ago
Depends how busy you are and what weather forecast for next few days. Rainy and cloudy, go for it.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
5 years ago
depends where you are ... how big they are.. whether you plan on dividing.. and whether your soil freezes ...

i dont understand how a hosta is crowding a daff that should be in dormancy .. if not almost there?????

some guy did a long post on moving fully leafed out hosta.. but i cant remember who it was ... nor the title ...

ken
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
5 years ago
ummm.... are you sure they are hosta... i would like to see a pic of how they took over a bed .....
cearbhaill (zone 6b Eastern Kentucky)
5 years ago
I've been moving a few things around now- yes, some get sun burned and some look crappy, but IMO it's late enough in the season that they're going to start looking crappy anyway and my thoughts are on next spring. Fall is a busy time around here so if I don't do it now it won't get done.
windymess z6a KC, Ks
5 years ago
I've been moving some because, like cearbhaill, I have time now... but I try to do it on cloudy/cooler days, or in the shade, try to do it fast, and then water water water. So far, those I've moved haven't seemed to even notice.

water water water.....
Susan Mladenovich
Original Author
5 years ago
Oops. Sorry. Thought I added a photo. I’ll add one when I get home.

As for crowding out the daffodil, yes it’s dormant now but I am looking at the space in general and what I want to do with it. And that is not to have hostas there because they just explode there.
Susan Mladenovich
Original Author
5 years ago
First 3 are various views as it is today. Last photo is from May or June.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
5 years ago
unless you are in the pnw.. why not wait until sept is a bit cooler ....

do it this way .... link below ..

just get rid of extras .... if you are bored of them ...

hope you know where the daffs are ... so you dont slice them up with the shovel .... and sharpen your shovel if you can ....

ken

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/moving-a-large-fully-leafed-out-hosta-lots-o-pix-dsvw-vd~2000608
Susan Mladenovich
Original Author
5 years ago
Sorry that last photo isn’t from May. Ignore it.
popmama (Colorado, USDA z5)
5 years ago
I call this plant layering. The daff grows and blooms first, then fades. Its spot is filled by the growing hostas. There is no competition because they grow/bloom at different times. I do this with tulips and to some extent iris. But if you think the hostas have gotten too big for the space, move one. Or pull them both out, divide them, put back half of each. Then move the other halves elsewhere. If you have no where to place the divisions, I have no doubt that someone else would gladly take them off your hands. They look great!
arcy_gw
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Agree on noway the hosta is doing anything negative to bulbs. I do a lot of dividing and moving in September. August is too hot and dry, as a rule, in my world. As long as you move/divide them 6 weeks before hard freeze they will be fine. I was doing this more back when that guy Ken gave reference to, originally posted his tutorial. It never fails. The only new consideration I might add, that type of host is a fast grower. What you divide this season you will be repeating. What I had fun doing when I began my hosta journey and what I care to do now are not the same. You might want to consider finding a hosta that when fully mature, won't look crowded to you. (another thing I gleaned from the a fore mentioned guys teachings)
gardencool
5 years ago
Dog having a beer!
windymess z6a KC, Ks
5 years ago
Nice garden, fountain, and adorable dog!
gardencool
5 years ago
DO what you can today; tomorrow is promised to no one.

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