z 5 is half the US.. and wildly divergent ...

move in late july ... thats root growing time ... so they will have to to settle in.. and grab hold ...

and then for sure.. they wont heave ...

how big are they???

ken

z5 is less than one quarter the US and shares a very unique characteristic - a cold low temperature of between 10 and 20 below zero. Not that zones matters all that much as to when you can move hostas. Many people move hostas when ever they want/need to move hostas for many many valid excellent reasons. I divided an Albo Marginata this week because it was crowding out my Aztec Treasure AND I needed to fill a blank spot. Now that all my hostas have finally reached season maturity I only NOW recognize which hostas are getting too big for their locations. One of my Patriots has been nearly swallowed by a Lancifolia - something needs to move, I have yet to decide what. Fall is a good time to divide as the aesthetics of hostas are on the wane and division usually does some minor damage to existing hosta leaves. If you are moving the entire hosta move it now, water it it in well and keep it well watered and you get to enjoy it all summer right where you want it!

It's still helpful to know the nearest large city or state to get an idea of heat stress for an area. I do most of my planting and moving in early fall. It avoids the heat of summer and gives plants some time to settle before winter. When that will be depends on your location. For me it's late September to mid October.

Wherever you live...move them early so they can get settled and not heave when the ground freezes over winter. I like the way Ken says that they need to grab hold.

Here w/o freezes, I cannot up-pot a hosta after July because the roots don't grow enough to fill the pot and they rot for me. Lesson learned the hard way

Some of them ( the more hardy ones) won't notice when you move them, but many of the newer fru fru ones will flat out die.

YIPES, just read that you have a one year old. I wouldn't move a 1 year old planted hosta for a couple years! Are you saying that you have had it for one year but it was a 3 year old plant when you got it? OR is is that it really is a teeny weenie one year old tc or seedling? Explain?

-Babka

Earlier in the fall, as soon as the cool weather hits, is probably best, but I've moved hostas right through the end of November and never had a problem. As long as the ground isn't frozen, you can move hostas. Be sure to water them in nicely, and some mulch is also a good idea, keeps the moisture in and may help prevent frost heave.

I am in the process of moving more than 10 from the front yard to the back now because our neighbors cut down all their huge oaks front and back (he likes the golf course look-sigh-oh to have the property Ken has). We have moved five so far To the other side of the yard where it still has shade. Keeping them well-watered. The giants were half the size this year as last. Thinking maybe full sun was not making them happy and I am keeping my fingers crossed that in a few years they will be recovered. Once I finish their new garden, I will post pics.

Cyn- That is curious...the part about the giants were only half the size this year as last. Many growers put theirs in full sun, because with enough water, they grow roots galore while their leaves crisp up. Bigger plants to sell next spring. Did you lose a lot of roots during the move?

-Babka

Thank you everyone for your advice. I will wait until the Fall to move a few of my hostas.