agree with not cutting off the parts where the plant stores food ...

maybe its time for you to divide this one .. and plant the extra part of it in mother earth ...

ken

I do not, but sometimes I think I should. So I don't really know what to think. I'm no help at all. I don't know why you're even listening to me.

this isn't helpful but just so you know..I have limited experience growing hosta in pots..my few potted hosta don't have large root balls so I never needed to decide to trim or not..

or.. even better.. divide it.. and cut roots off one.. and not the other.. then unpot in late summer early fall.. and report back on your experience ...

ken

Thanks all for the comments and input.

Dave, I only trimmed the very long thin roots, just below the scissors in the pic. They were circled around the bottom of the original pot. I like to clean out the roots as much as possible and re-pot without balling up the roots. In a normal height x width pot it would have to be very large to accommodate the length of the roots.

This SMQ is only in its 3rd year as a bare root two pips. I've been trying to grow an SMQ for several years and hoping this one might be successful. It is a streaker and last year showed some solid leaves so i may have to divide it soon.

I've never ever trimmed hosta roots. Seems like cutting off a lifeline to the plant. If the roots won't fit, then the plants may need bigger pots or bigger holes in the ground, or the plants need to be divided at the crowns.

If you trim, cut off the roots, just like hair, you can’t undo it. I like Ken’s idea ===>>make this an experiment and report back on both plants. We will all learn something then.

debra

I've always grown in pots for over 30 years now and I agree with what you are saying but a little balling up of the fine roots won't hurt it.

Dave