I bought a Hosta 'Blue Angel' perhaps six years ago and it has been quite
happy in a bright corner between the house and front porch. Last Autumn I
noticed that there were two stems (or perhaps trunks as this thing is huge)
and figured that I probably should divide it but I let time go by and
forgot about it. A week ago I was cleaning the dead leaves from that
corner and noted that there are now _five_ of them coming up. One or two is
really enough to fill that entire corner.

Is it too late now to think about dividing it? Will I simply cause troubles
for the original plant(s) by dividing so late?

John McGaw writes:

I bought a Hosta 'Blue Angel' perhaps six years ago and it has been
quite happy in a bright corner between the house and front porch. Last
Autumn I noticed that there were two stems (or perhaps trunks as this
thing is huge) and figured that I probably should divide it but I let
time go by and forgot about it. A week ago I was cleaning the dead
leaves from that corner and noted that there are now _five_ of them
coming up. One or two is really enough to fill that entire corner.

Is it too late now to think about dividing it? Will I simply cause
troubles for the original plant(s) by dividing so late?

No problem dividing now.

I've done so, spring, summer, fall.
I don't think the plant cares.

--
Dan Espen

On 13 Apr 2015, Dan Espen wrote in rec.gardens:

John McGaw writes:

Is it too late now to think about dividing it? Will I simply
cause troubles for the original plant(s) by dividing so late?

No problem dividing now.

I've done so, spring, summer, fall.
I don't think the plant cares.

Those things are almost unkillable. I wouldn't hesitate, either.

On 4/15/2015 11:20 PM, Nil wrote:
On 13 Apr 2015, Dan Espen wrote in rec.gardens:

John McGaw writes:

Is it too late now to think about dividing it? Will I simply
cause troubles for the original plant(s) by dividing so late?

No problem dividing now.

I've done so, spring, summer, fall.
I don't think the plant cares.

Those things are almost unkillable. I wouldn't hesitate, either.


I finally did get around to dividing the clump in two but delayed too much
and everything was out in huge leaves already. It made the process much
more difficult and damaged a few leaves but the original and the division
both seem to be doing well now.

On Thu, 14 May 2015 17:44:04 -0400, John McGaw
wrote:

On 4/15/2015 11:20 PM, Nil wrote:
On 13 Apr 2015, Dan Espen wrote in rec.gardens:

John McGaw writes:

Is it too late now to think about dividing it? Will I simply
cause troubles for the original plant(s) by dividing so late?

No problem dividing now.

I've done so, spring, summer, fall.
I don't think the plant cares.

Those things are almost unkillable. I wouldn't hesitate, either.


I finally did get around to dividing the clump in two but delayed too much
and everything was out in huge leaves already. It made the process much
more difficult and damaged a few leaves but the original and the division
both seem to be doing well now.

It's best to snip off the two thirds of the larger leaves after
planting your hosta divisions.... you want the roots to grow, new
leaves will soon follow. There's no need to dig up the entire clump,
simply make divisions with a trowel.. try not to disturb the parent
plant. It's much easier to divide hosta when its roots are well
watered for a couple days prior as hosta leaves tend to shed water
away from its roots so you may find the soil surrounding the roots
bone dry... lift the leaves and slowly/gently soak the root area so as
not to wash away soil.