Fall would be better, unless you are terribly bored. If you move them now, make sure you get a huge root ball, and then water every day. I move mine at anytime, but, I do also baby them after the move for the rest of the summer.

Paul

I had to laugh when I saw "unless you are terribly bored". My mother is comming to NY to visit for the first time in about 2 years. We always have a good natured "who has the nicest yard" competition. I went to visit her (in GA) last month and her yard is beautiful. I've been outside hours and hours everyday trying to get the yard and house ready for her visit. I think I'll wait till the fall to move the hosta! Thank you for your help.

Lisa,

I moved all eight of my hosta in March and April. Krossa and one of the Halcyons got moved again in May. They all look fantastic. In fact, they seem to have benefited from the experience!

Note To The Underwhelmed: The eight are now 16 thanks to the enablers here.

Hostas are warm season growers, meaning they only send out new roots during the warm season - summer - so that is the best time to move them. Hostas moved in the fall won't grow new roots until the following June, though this is only an issue when you are really chopping them up or moving small plants.

I plant and transplant all spring and summer, trying to stop in September, and do all of my dividing in July and August.

hosta start looking ratty in late july and august ... in z5/6

hosta grow roots in july and august ..

since they already are past prime .. do it in july/august ...

anyone have a link to the old post about MOVING A FULLY LEAFED OUT HOSTA???

ken

ken

hit the link

Here is a link that might be useful: link

Wow, what a great forum. Thanks for all the help. I think I'll wait till the visit is over and then start moving them.

oh wait..

the short answer.. since they are hosta...

WHEN YOU DARN WELL WANT TO

KEN

Ditto, Ken Adrian, I moved a large T. Rex 10 days ago and it is perfectly happy. Of course, it helps that it seems to be raining all the time in central PA at the moment.

Lisa,
I see 2 problems in moving hostas too late in the season,
- Hostas will be heaving (getting pushed to the surface) by the frost with not enough time for new root growth.
- during the big frenzy of getting your out door things stowed away, and getting ready for the winter, like snow blower checked out, storm windows installed etc., you neglect to document all your last minute hosta moves, and you spend most of next May trying to figure out what is coming up.

I like the short answer... "since they are hosta, do what you want to". Actually, with the common (and cheap) hosta I've done just that and they've all survived perfectly. I was just afraid to do that with the "not quite as common" varieties that I have. THANK YOU!

Here's a picture of my Krossa which was moved in March, then again in May. I have been growing this hosta for 3 years. Krossa is 40" across and dwarfs a neighboring healthy Guacamole.

Update.. . I decided to go ahead and move them because it was driving me crazy that the smaller ones were hidden behind the bigger ones... Then it rained for a week straight. The good news is, they are all alive and well!

I've been moving mine as well as all are fine.

I treat 'em like chess pieces. Move 'em when you want to.

So what did your mom think? I moved a large Krossa yesterday, it was just too darn big where it was. Moved it whole. Today I have some dividing and moving to do to add different color where all I see is dark green. Hosta are like furniture at my house. If all goes well the ones I move today will need less babying than the Krossa. #1 the plant is smaller, easier to deal with #2 I will remove all the dirt before dividing so I will have little root loss. I baby mine for a week or two. All summer Paul? That is a lot of babying. My only issue is what to do with the ones that are where the new divisions will go. I really don't like putting the time into potting and hate to lose my pots and dirt for such common specimens.