I’m in sSouthern Ontario and have a number of hostas that need to be moved. They’re currently just starting to peek out. How soon until can I safely transplant them?
Hosta are wonderful plants that not only survive our Ontario winter but they thrive and grow bigger. Because of this hardiness, they benefit from division every few years and you get to reap the rewards of spreading them around your own garden or sharing the divisions with family, friends & neighbours.
Right now, when they are starting to poke up through the soil you can easily locate them in your garden and select a good spot for them to be replanted. Once the weather is warm enough for you to work in your garden and the soil is thawed out and workable, you can dig them up, split them and replant. Digging the transplant holes first is a good idea as then the divisions can be replanted quickly. This will also tell you if the soil is completely unfrozen and ready to work before you start to dig up the Hostas.
Try to get as much of the plant root ball out of the ground as possible, without damaging it, as this will give your divisions more ability to establish in their new location. Use a good sharp knife to make the divisions and sterilize it after dealing with each plant in order to minimize any pathogens being transmitted from one plant to the next.
Once you have the divisions in their new homes, water them in well.