RE: Speaking of hostas....

Actually, I meant how do you DIVIDE the hosta once out of the ground?  I can't get a shovel in then.

-----Original Message-----
From: Len Phillips [l*@yahoo.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 10, 2002 12:24 PM
To: perennials@hort.net
Subject: RE: Speaking of hostas....


--- "Saxton, Susan" <SSaxton@schwabe.com> wrote:
> Len, go into more detail of how you actually divide these plants once
> out of the ground.  I LITERALLY cannot get a shovel in.  Is it a
> strength issue I suspect?

Susan, I find it easiest to dig down about 4 inches from the closest leaf
stem and dig all around the plant.  I shovel straight down no more than 4
- 5 inches.  Once I have surrounded the plant, it should lift out by
pulling back on the handle.

If your plants are growing in competition with tree roots, you may have a
problem digging down.  When I encounter tree roots, I have to jump on the
shovel to cut the roots.  Sometimes the tree roots are too big to cut with
a shovel.  In these situations, I leave the tree root and carefully try to
salvage the hosta by digging the hosta up a little at a time.  I then
replant the hosta in a different location or in a black nursery pot so the
tree roots no longer compete with the hosta roots.



=====
Len Phillips
Editor of Hosta Magazine
Visit http://hostamagazine.com

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