overgrown hastas?

Question

i have hastas that are getting really big. when i moved into the house July '06 they looked really nice. This past summer they were huge. The flowers (purple) don't bloom until August or later and then they don't last very long. Now they are done, but look terrible. What should I do with them?

Answer 1

They look terrible because it is getting on winter. You can divide and transplant them now, or wait until spring, if the weather where you are is nasty. Just clean up the dead foliage, mulch them with leaves, and forget them until spring. Then do as the last answerers directed. If they were growing and blooming well, perhaps they don't really need transplanting yet, unless you really want more plants at this time.

Answer 2

Cut the flower stalks off.Depending on where you live transplant them.You will have to cut down right down the middle of the plant.You may want help with this it's heavy.When you get the plant out of the ground cut pieces of the plant away.You can use these in other spots in your garden.You can take the mother plant and re-plant it in same spot.Make sure the pieces have roots on them.Next summer before they get too big, mulch them well.Water if rain is not coming.I love hostas unfortunatly so do the deer that live around me.

Answer 3

You have a couple of choices.
Once they are done you can cut them back to the ground in preparation for next year when they will be larger.
You can split the plants into smaller plants and spread them around your property.
Simply dig up the hosta and cut the tops off.
Using whatever tool you choose, just cut the clump into 4 or 6 pieces..you will not kill the plant, this is how it is done.
Then replant each smaller piece of HOSTA...this give you about 3-5 years before you need to split them again. Each time you split them you end up with more and more plants. Good Luck

Answer 4

You need to divide them. This is the great thing about hostas--when they get too big, just dig them up and cut them in half with a kitchen knife, straight down the middle. Now you have two plants that you can either replant, or if you don't have places for two plants, give one half away. If they're extremely big, you may need to cut them in larger sections. I wouldn't go leave them less than 1-2" of roots, though I did have one once that I accidentally knocked 2 leaves off, planted those without roots, and they grew!