It Is All Right to Move and Replant your Hostas...?
- John Plant
- 5 hours ago
- 4 min read
Let’s try and answer that question starting with a little bit of our garden history.
Some 10 years ago, this area was covered by a prostate Juniper. A somewhat aggressive conifer, that sort of, out-grew its position. It had to go!
The first job was to cut back the conifer to ground level instead of removing the root system, adhering to the principle that most conifers do not regrow once cut back. Consequently, the challenge was that the soil remained filled with roots.
The solution seemed easy! Build up the soil level to allow plants to grow in the same spot. So, this was done, and the area planted as shown above. Whilst it still looked good it was quickly apparent that there wasn’t enough goodness in the soil and needed to be even deeper. The Hostas were removed and potted up until ready to replant the bed.
The extra soil depth was achieved by building a small stone wall, around the area and filling it with a mix of garden soil, potting compost, well-rotted manure and some leaf mold.
We established a reasonably deep area, 45cm – 60 cm deep, for planting back the Hostas. A layer of fine bark mulch was subsequently applied. Over the past decade, it has been gratifying to observe its growth, requiring minimal maintenance.
After 10 years, you may wonder what improvements or changes can be made. Is it possible to relocate your existing Hostas, which have been there for years, and ensure their continued vitality? The answer is a positive… YES!
All the Hostas had been meticulously labelled, making them easy to identify for future use. After thorough watering, each Hosta was carefully dug up and immediately potted along with its label. These potted plants were then placed aside, away from the flower bed.
The border was dug over to a depth of at least one spit, then compacted to provide some stability. The entire bed was then covered with multiple barrowloads of used potting compost. This included compost from selling Hostas and removed compost, well-rotted manure, and plenty of leaf mould. This mixture is similar to the original bed. Proper preparation is essential; when the foundation is right, everything else will follow smoothly.
The bed was subsequently dug to a depth of one spit. This was then raked to form an even but slightly mounded surface in which to plant. It was then left undisturbed for approximately one week to enable some of the Hostas in pots to grow further foliage, making them easier to place out. During this period, the bed was regularly watered to prevent the soil from drying out, especially given the occurrence of several hot days.
It was time to replant the border. I opted to include some of the same Hosta varieties as before, along with a few impressive new varieties. Although a planting plan should ideally have been prepared for the bed, my experience and knowledge guided the process effectively. However, if this is your first time undertaking such an endeavour, it is advisable to create a detailed planting plan.
All the pots are positioned on the soil in preparation for planting. The larger pots are placed at the back, the medium-sized pots are positioned in the middle, and the smaller ones are situated at the front. This arrangement ensures that all the Hostas are visible from both the front and the side.
Planting was straightforward with the new soil. It required only a simple excavation and no additional materials, not even fertiliser. Place all Hostas where desired, and once satisfied with their position, set aside the pots for future use. Ensure that each variety is correctly labelled.
The area was watered immediately after planting, and once more the following day. Regular watering will be maintained, particularly during warm weather. Once the Hostas have established and begun to grow, a layer of bark mulch will be applied again.
All the original Hostas from the bed were carefully removed and potted, awaiting signs of growth. Some plants remained without leaves. Those that were sufficiently large were divided into multiple Hostas and potted for future use. Watch the video to see final result.
When watching the video, it may appear that some of the Hostas are planted too close together. Planting a border will result in both successes and failures, creating natural gaps in the bed for existing plants to grow into.
Do not hesitate to relocate or reposition any Hostas if they are not thriving as anticipated. I regularly move them throughout the year without concern. In fact, it is often preferable to transplant them while in full leaf, allowing you to immediately assess their new appearance. Even slight adjustments, such as moving them a few inches, can be beneficial. It is understandable that achieving the ideal placement may not always be possible on the first attempt. Ensure the health and happiness of your Hostas by maintaining consistent watering, particularly for those that have been recently moved.
This bed will now be good for maybe another 10 years.
Remember, you can move your Hostas at any time of year, with the exception of frost and snow conditions, or extreme heat conditions. Do your preparation first, remove your plant and label, tidy up, and plant in the prepared area straight away. If you can’t do this, pot it up, until you can.
Don’t forget, aftercare is just as important. Do not neglect it.
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John Plant
Rewela Hostas
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