Re: Potting hostas for moving

Smith and Hawken carries a heavy duty digging fork also. I have had mine for
approx. 20 years.  I can dig hosta without cutting off any of the roots.
First I loosen the soil around the plant. Then I lift the plant. Some of the
larger plants must weigh eighty to a hundred pounds. The fork also is good
for carrying and placing plants that are hard to get a good hold on. I never
try to shake soil from the root ball.

I know this sounds like work, but it is a labor of love for me.

When planting I am careful to spread all of the fibrous roots to help the
plant get a good new start. Then I water the hosta in.

If a spade were used many of the longer roots would be cut off.

I will probably move 125 hostas this fall using my fork.(not to mention my
back)

A tip for people moving crowded hostas. If you think you have enough room
for your plants to grow for one more year at their present location, THINK
AGAIN. Move them this year. I have many hostas whose growth has not been
optimal because of over crowding. I HATE when that happens.

Dan Nelson
Bridgeville DE
zone 7
-----Original Message-----
From: Diane Frederick <frederic@wcnet.org>
To: hosta-open@mallorn.com <hosta-open@mallorn.com>
Date: Monday, September 14, 1998 3:49 PM
Subject: Re: Potting hostas for moving


>RL wrote:
>>
>Diane
>> Since I dig hostas every day, and some of them are in large clumps, I
>> must have a dependable fork.(my digging tool of choice)  After trying
>> several , with lots of them resulting in being broken or bent, I finally
>> went out and spent nearly eighty dollars ( for one!) Spear & Jackson
>> spading fork.  This tool has paid for itself many times over. I have used
>> it for three years with no problem.
>> Ran
>
>Ran,
>  Where did you get your Spear & Jackson? I don't mind paying the price
>for
>a good quality garden tool. I went all over today trying to find
>something really
>good, and ended up with a just "fair" quality spading fork that will do
>for now.
>
>Thanks,
>Diane
>Zone 5, Toledo, OH
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