Dividing in the spring vs. the fall---what's best?

[rufie98]

I want to divide a couple of my hostas. What's the difference between spring and fall division? If I divide now, will the hostas be a little bigger (by next spring) than if I divide in the spring? Or would they be pretty much the same? Are there some varieties that prefer being divided at certain times?

[Mark Raw]

In my opinion it makes no difference. There are some varieties that are best left alone for a few years, usually the slow growing ones and many of the big blues. Unless of course they are either too big or getting too big for their location. All my plants are grown in pots but I try to leave them as long as possible with the above in mind.

[viktoria]

I only divide in the spring. If hostas are divided soon after the eyes begin to shows growth, the divisions will soon look like they were never touched at all. When I used to divide in the fall, which conventional wisdom says works equally well, I would lose an unacceptable number of plants to rot. Here in zone 5 they just do not have time to become established again before winter comes. Dividing in the summer, after hot weather arrives, would also result in unacceptable losses.

Viktoria

[ViolaAnn]

Not all hostas divide equally easily. I've found that for those which easily fall apart or which you can wiggle apart with some effort and perhaps judicious cutting of an occasional root, I prefer to divide in the spring before they leaf out, but I've also had good success dividing in the autumn.

But for those with heavy, solid crowns which must be cut in order to divide, I've had much better success dividing in the autumn.

[Tigger]

Bob Solberb says (or at least said; I can't find the reference) that late summer-early fall division is good and even preferred for most hostas, but not the Sieboldiana/Tokudama types because they don't make new roots in the fall. He's a commercial grower, though, looking to increase plants for sale and not as part of a display garden. For us home gardeners, dividing plants around Labor Day (Solberg's recommendation) means that an already tired garden looks ripped apart for the last month or so of the garden season.

The downside to spring division is that the optimum window of action may be short: it's easiest to dig and split when the eyes are up but the leaves not yet fully unfurled. In our garden, unfortunately, this often coincides with a time in spring when the ground is really too wet to dig. I'm always mindful of soil structure, not being as blessed with decimeters of topsoil as some of you are.

David

[rufie98]

Thank you everyone. Each one of you has made good points to consider.

My experience with division is limited. Prior to 2011, I only knew about using a shovel and chopping the hosta into halves or quarters. Last year I read about propagating by removal of the hosta and washing off the soil. My first attempt was successful---I divided into one eye sections with half the eyes going into the ground and half being potted. All survived the winter, but the ones in the pots developed more eyes. Another attempt to divide my Crusader hosta was more challenging. It couldn't be separated by hand but required cutting into sections. Worked out great, but I was worried! My not so successful attempt was with my Great Expectations. Timing wasn't good (late spring)---what was I thinking!??---I divided and put one eye in each pot. One went to my sister's house (she fried it), one fell off its shelf and went unnoticed and dried up, one just shriveled away and now I am left with two one eye divisions. I am hoping that these two will continue to survive. I know it takes many years to have a decent sized Great X, so I thought I had better start right now! I do have one mature Great X, and it brings me a lot of joy to see it, but I want more!

So I see that there are a lot of factors to be taken into consideration. Tigger hit on a good point---that there seems to be a relatively small window of opportunity in the spring when the hosta are at their prime for division. And one never knows what the weather will be like. And I do hate the cold! So I am going to do some thinking and decide very soon about dividing now, before it is too late.

[Mark Raw]

I would never dare split a GE or Dream Weaver/Queen or Thunderbolt. They seem to be sooooooo slow to get to any size, 5 eyes wow the best i have done is 1 eye and thats 2 years old, getting slightly bigger but still slow. I am talking about my Dream Queen. GE never did well at all for me so very reluctant to get another.

[Phil]

I've been dividing hostas at will all summer. I have the distinct advantage of not knowing any better. Next year might be another story.

[boops]

I divide at will also, I dug up a few older ones, cut them in half, and planted both of them. They did just fine. I divide in the late summer most of the time, as I am cleaning up spent perennials, daylilies etc. I have divided Hellebores at will also. they all do fine. I have one So Sweet that is really getting huge, but I'm leaving it alone as I already have two others. I have so many new hosta this year, I don't see the need to divide any of my Hosta in the foreseeable future.