Why You Should Consider Dividing Hostas In Fall For A Healthier Plant

The hosta is a fantastic foliage plant, adding texture and color to your yard with its beautiful leaves and summer flowers. However, like many perennials, hostas need to be divided every three to five years to promote health, vitality, and new growth. You can choose to divide your hosta plants in spring, which many gardeners opt to do. However, there are some benefits of dividing these perennials in the fall. 

Adding hosta division to your garden's fall to-do list can be beneficial to the health of your plants. It can lower the risk of transplant shock, as the weather is slightly cooler. And heat can dry out your new divisions quickly, so fall gives them a chance to stay strong as they settle into their new homes.

Furthermore, fall division gives you a better opportunity to figure out where you want to place your new hostas. You can see the size and growth of the original plant you are dividing, and this will give you an idea of where you want to place your new ones. Determine which areas in your garden need filling out, and plant your hostas accordingly. In spring, your garden can be a little bit hectic, with new plants busting up out of the soil and roots growing rapidly underground. Dividing in the fall allows you to ensure your new hostas will get the space and nutrients they need to thrive, leading to improved health.

You need to divide your hosta plants six weeks before the ground freezes, as this will allow them to settle in and establish themselves before winter dormancy. Water the soil well beforehand, and then lift the clump of hostas from the ground with a garden fork or spade. Place your hosta plant on a board or sheet, and tease the clump with your hands. Sometimes, you can pull hostas apart yourself if they're smaller plants, so it's worth giving that a go for a more gentle division. 

If you can't pull them apart by hand, take a heavy spade or knife, and cut between the shoots. Try to avoid cutting the roots, leaving as many as you can attached to the plant. You may need to pull apart the roots by hand if they are tangled. Each division you make should have one to three good buds, and you should replant them immediately if you can. Place them at the same depth the parent plant was growing at, and make sure you space your hosta plants with enough room for them to grow to their mature size.

Water each new plant, and add mulch to the top of the soil. This will help them retain the moisture they need to establish themselves and prepare for the colder months. Keep an eye on the moisture of the soil for the first few weeks or months of growth, watering your hostas if they need it.