Oh, how we love our hostas. These plants are a perennial favorite among many gardeners and with over 2,500+ varieties to choose from, there’s a hosta for every gardener’s wants and needs.
They come in leaf colors that range from almost white to a deep, dark, blue-green. They reach their full maturity in four to eight years and given the right love and conditions Hostas require little care and will live to be 30 or more years if properly cared for.
Quick Answer: When should you transplant a hosta? Transplant a hosta to save its life if you are having major landscaping done or to take it with you when you move to a new home.
Another good reason is to move hostas from a bad growing environment, like a sunny spot. Otherwise, it might be wise to leave a healthy specimen in place and purchase a new plant for that additional place in the garden.
Hostas are tough plants, but in response to a stressful event like transplanting, The question of whether or not to transplant a hosta is worth consideration for jumbo varieties.
These perennials grow well in zones 3-9 and need minimal maintenance. Often considered a shade garden plant, hostas can thrive in containers as well.
The many shades of green and yellow in the leaves as well the leaf variations make a hosta an excellent addition to a balcony, porch, or patio area. If your garden area is prone to slugs, planting a hosta in a container instead would be a wise choice.
When Is the Best Time to Transplant a Hostas
- The best time to transplant a hosta is in the fall, while air temperatures are cool and soil temperatures remain warm. In late September, hostas have completed their active growth for the season and are preparing to enter a winter dormancy phase.
- The second best time to transplant a hosta is in the spring as the new shoots are just beginning to merge. Plant metabolism is slow during this time of cool soil and cool air temperatures. Transplanting in spring is a better choice than doing so in summer because in summer the plants might be stressed from high summer temperatures, and lack of moisture, and could be struggling to support leafy growth.
How Do You Move Hostas without Killing Them?
The first step is to prepare the new planting hole before you remove the hosta from its current location.
- Dig up a healthy hosta that has spread out.
- Pull or cut the plant’s roots apart, so that each new plant has a crown and roots.
- Dig new holes for the divided plants.
- Add some bone meal or phosphorus fertilizer to each hole.
- Plant a divided hosta plant in each hole.
- Water each new hosta plant.
Transplanting Hostas Into Pots
Hostas are among those perennials that do very well growing in the confines of containers. They come in thousands of cultivars and they are easy to care for, making them the perfect plant for busy or distracted gardeners.
All the growing conditions you provide, from the pots to the soil, to regular care, will help contribute to your plant’s success. When choosing a container, make sure the pot can accommodate the eventual full size of your hosta.
Your plant won’t grow to its full size during that first season in a container. You also want to make sure there are holes in the bottom of the pot, so the soil drains well.
Another thing to be mindful of is the material of your container. Terracotta, ceramic, and hypertufa can crack over the winter, during freeze-thaw cycles. Think about how you’ll overwinter your plant when choosing a container.
How Deep Do You Plant Hostas?
- Dig a hole, at least 12 inches deep and 1½ times the size of the mature plant.
- Mix in a 2- to 4-inch layer of organic matter.
- Carefully remove the plant from its container. …
- Place the plant in the hole so that the top of the root ball is level with the soil surface.
How Do You Maintain Hostas?
- Apply a well-balanced, slow-release fertilizer after planting or when growth emerges in the spring.
- Keep the soil moist but not soaked.
- If the soil tends to dry out quickly, consider placing mulch around the plants to help retain moisture, but be aware that mulch can be a hiding place for slugs.
What Is the Best Fertilizer for Hosta Plants?
10-10-10 fertilizer
The best hosta plant food is a slow-release NPK 10-10-10 fertilizer. Those three numbers stand for the amount of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium in the fertilizer. Slow-release fertilizers feed the plant each time it rains or the plant is watered
Can I Use Bone Meal on Hostas?
You can also skip using any of the commercial fertilizers and go organic. There are many types of organic fertilizers for hostas including ones made of manures, compost, seaweed, fish emulsion, blood meal, cottonseed, and bone meal.
FAQ
As a rule, hostas tend to grow bigger the longer they stay in one spot. So if you’re wanting a substantially sized plant, avoid frequent transplanting. If a plant has outgrown its place, then you should consider transplanting it.
Hostas are easily moved once you know how to. To transplant hosta plants, you’ll need a good shovel, nutritious additives for the soil, and, for larger specimens, in particular, a means to move your plant.
Dividing hosta plants is an easy way to maintain the size and shape of your plants, propagate new plants for other areas of the garden, and to remove dead portions of the plant to make them look nicer.
Hostas absolutely love the shade. Indeed, they languish in the hot afternoon sun so your shady landscape will provide them just the right conditions.
Can you cut back hostas? Yes, and if you decide to undertake the task, your garden will thank you. For example, you can begin cutting back hosta plants if you don’t want the hosta flowers.
Hostas are drought-tolerant, yet like moist well-drained soil. If the weather is hotter, increase the three times per week. Large hostas should be watered two times per week and daily during hot weather, especially if it gets more sun. Hostas growing in pots will require more frequent watering.
When you see hosta plant leaves turning yellow because of too much sun, it is termed hosta scorch. Hosta scorch is even more pronounced if the plant is also grown in poor soil. The plant prefers soil rich in organic matter that will hold water.
Hostas will grow best in rich organic soil. A loamy soil type may not need the addition of organic matter, but few of us are so lucky to garden in ideal soil and will need to add organic amendments.
The recommended soil is well-drained, has a slightly acidic pH, and is enriched both with nutrients and organic matter.
Not only are hostas hardy where you plant them, but they can also tolerate being divided. Eventually, they need to be distributed and propagated in new areas, or they will grow too big and stop receiving the nutrients they need to thrive. Or you may want to divide up your hostas to give some to a friend!
If the soil has settled and compacted around the plants over time they will shrink too. That’s why a fresh layer of organic mulch each year can keep your soil fresh down below. Mainly check out the moisture level several inches down. If it is dry, even after you’ve watered, then they aren’t getting enough.
Conclusion
We hope that you have found the answers you are looking for on When Should You Transplant a Hosta? They are a perennial favorite among many gardeners and with over 2,500+ varieties to choose from, there’s a hosta for every gardener’s wants and needs. Enjoy.
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