It’s that time of year. Many gardeners need to hack back the hostas and spread them around the yard. So here’s a quick How-To guide, courtesy of my old chum, Sue Black:
How to split Hostas
Hostas are very hardy and are almost impossible to kill so don’t be afraid to take a sharp spade to them!I find it easiest to split them when they shoot up about 4-5 inches before the leaves open. It is OK to split them after the leaves open – just easier if you don’t have to keep lifting the leaves out of the way!Take a sharp edged spade and dig down as deep as your spade, loosening the soil around as you go. Leave about a 3 inch perimeter around the plant so the roots are protected. Lift your hosta out – it might need some extra muscle on the middle! (Try not to leave it out in the sun too long so the roots don’t start to dry)
Dig a hole as deep as the plant and about twice as wide in the place you are going to transplant. Water it well. If you have some bone meal handy throw a bit in – it helps the roots.
Take your spade and put the blade across where you are going to split the plant. Now stomp down hard on it – you might even need to jump on it! The roots are tough! Place the split plant into the previously dug hole and back-fill, tamping down the ground to get out the air pockets. Water well. Hostas grown quite quickly and once they are established they can be split every couple of years.
And here’s a quick video that shows you how, just in case you’re a visual type!