When to Cut Back Hostas. As a general rule, hostas should be cut back in the late fall. Start with leaves that have wilted or turned brown. Healthy leaves can stay a bit longer to help the roots store needed energy.
The good news is that hostas, also known as plantain lilies, are tough and forgiving plants. Even if you forget to prune them at a certain time or you neglect to prune them at all, they'll still survive just fine, even if they don't look their best.
Hostas should be cut back in late fall. Healthy hosta leaves can be left on the plant in early fall to capture much-needed energy, but all leaves should be trimmed off after the first frost to deter slugs and other pests from making your hosta their winter home.
Dead leaves are pest-friendly, so you'll do well to start pruning hosta plants as the foliage fades. Trim back all the leaves and foliage at ground level, then bag it up and dispose of it. That helps things look neat in the garden and keeps bugs from overwintering snugly in the dead leaves.
They are often cut back during early fall cleanup. Hostas will flatten out and get mushy after they have been frosted a few times — that is when I would clean them up. While it is a good idea to cut back hostas in very late fall, I often run out of time and do not cut them back until spring with no harmful effects.
Dividing Hostas in Fall
You should wait until night temperatures have cooled but while there is still time for divisions to grow new roots before freezing weather sets in. September is usually best in areas with cooler climates, October is okay for dividing hostas in warmer zones.
Hostas have a clumping root system, so to divide a plant, simply cut through the clump with a knife from the crown down. You can also pry apart the root clump with garden tools, but this won't give you as much precision. Cutting through the roots is fine, as hostas roots quickly regrow once transplanted.
Remove flower stalks after bloom to encourage new growth. Many hosta cultivars have nice color in fall, so let them thrive until they start to suffer from frosts. In late fall, after a few frosts, hostas will flatten out and get mushy. We suggest cutting them back to avoid slug and disease issues.
Every single hosta species flowers at some point. That's how they reproduce. However, unlike some plants such as lettuce, which die back once flowering starts, you can let your plants bloom and the leaves will still be as large and colorful as ever.
Cut The Flowers
Tall scapes of flowers can be costly for hostas to produce and maintain. Cutting them off as they start to emerge will divert that energy back to the foliage, creating a fuller look. Other gardeners just don't like the look! Don't worry; cutting the flowers back won't damage the plant.
How often you need to transplant hostas varies. As a rule, hostas tend to grow bigger the longer they stay in one spot. So if you're wanting a substantially sized plant, avoid frequent transplanting. If a plant has outgrown its place, then you should consider transplanting.
Hostas perform best when split every 3 to 5 years or so, but timing depends on the cultivar. It's essential to wait until a plant has reached maturity before splitting because the process significantly slows down growth. Some large hosta varieties, for example, can take at least 5 years to reach maturity.
In hotter climates, the heat may cause a hosta to temporarily go dormant and stop growing. You may notice that the outer leaves dry up and wither. Once the temperatures have cooled as Fall approaches, though, the leaf growth will usually resume.
Generally, hostas prefer to be out of direct sunlight. Most will tolerate morning sun, but need shade during the hottest part of the day. They are often planted beneath trees, but don't like competition from shallow-rooted trees.
If you live in colder zones, such as Zone 5 and below, you should divide and transplant perennials by mid-October. Otherwise, wait until early spring to divide hostas, daylilies and other perennials. However, autumn is a great time to take pictures of your flowerbeds.
Hostas require little care and will live to be 30 or more years if properly cared for. While most known for thriving in the shade garden, the reality is more nuanced. The ideal situation is dappled shade.
If you have some fast growing hostas you can get them to spread but they won't do this on their own. To get one hosta to cover a large area you will need to divide selections away from the main plant, this will allow that section to essential reset their maximum spread.
Yes, Mulch Does Matter!
Hosta located in dryer soils will grow more slowly, put out fewer leaves and not look as lush especially during the summer months. Location, location, location is all important.
Newly planted hostas will need daily watering for the first two weeks. Once established, small or medium plants will need a good soak once a week. Hostas are drought tolerant, yet like moist well drained soil. If the weather is hotter, increase the watering to three times per week.
If you have hostas that have gone dormant as a result of the drought, watering them will likely encourage a flush of new leaves to grow.
Many blue varieties turn green over this period and can often look like completely different varieties themselves. All of these things are completely normal and are all part of the winter shut down process. As the nights draw in and the temperature drops you will notice the leaves will turn yellow.