How do I move/transplant hostas, dwarf spruce?

Question

We have a plumbing problem and our front yard is going to be dug up to make the repairs. We want to save as many plants as possible. There are several hostas and dwarf spruce which will have to be removed in order to take care of the plumbing project. We're thinking of removing them from the front and putting them in the back yard. The hostas are large (24" across) and I wonder if we should divide them before we replant. We'd appreciate any suggestions and tips for moving the plants successfully.

Answer 1

If you live in a hot climate, I sure wish you could wait until cooler weather. I had to transplant a sick plant last week in houston and just watered in good first and made sure I got all the roots and put it in a pot in a shaded place and I will baby it until it cools off in the fall. Otherwise, just watered the heck out of it and never let it dry out until the roots are established again .

Answer 2

hosta will do well if you divide they will also do well when transplanted the spruce idk

Answer 3

As a Master Gardener, I can help you with this one.  When moving or transplanting trees and plants, almost all with go through some sore of transplant shock, simply from being dug up.  Try minimizing this by watering BEFORE moving and after moving them.  Placing them in a shaded spot after digging them up should help and keeping them protected from blinding sun and severe changes in watering, and weather should help.  Also, trying to replant them as soon as possible will help keep down the losses.  Be prepared, some plants and trees might be lost, no matter what you do, but by being practical and conservative in your handling, you should be able to minimize your loses.  If you were able to put this off until fall, you would fare better, but this is one of those things, where time will not wait for a more opportune time to do it, will it?  Back off the fertilizing and cut any flowers that may have appeared or do appear on the hostas, to keep the plants from being stressed additionally.  You can easily divide the hostas while you have them dug up, this way, what ever losses may occur, will not be noticeable for long.  I would dig as deeply as possible to get as much in the way of roots for the spruces and the hostas and maybe even use a little rooting hormone when putting them back in the ground.  Don't go crazy with it, but adding a little prior to replanting should help them be more successful when put back in the ground.  Fertilizer should NOT be used until you know they are up and running again, it will cause the plants to devote more to leafing than forming roots, which would be my focus in replanting.  Hope this helps you and good luck!

Answer 4

Yeah, if you have not divided them in four years or so, you can divide them when you are taking them up and relocating them.  Hostas are pretty good sports, overall.  They will sulk for a while,though, so give them extra water and be sure they are planted at the proper depth in the new location.

The spruce is more dicey - they can die completely and not brown until much later.  But if it is do-or-die, then move them anyway and just water them nicely for a while.  Hopefully your place is not all droughty like ours was in June, or they will already be unhappy.  Water them a few hours before moving them unless it has rained lately, and be sure to have the new location picked and the "to" hole dug before you take them up out of the ground, because leaving them lying around in the sun while you take a break and dig the hole later will just make them very unhappy indeed - you want to take them up and take them right around the back and pop them in that new hole just one or two at a time and put the earth back in all nice and tight around them and water them in good - don't wait on that watering, either!  I also like to put a little Osmocote down in the hole before I put the plant in, it kind of makes up for the unhappiness and root loss that goes with moving them.  Dig a nice big hole when you are taking them out, too, because you want lots of roots on them.

Answer 5

Hostas are easy to transplant and easy to divide. Just use a garden fork to dig them up (not a spade or shovel which cuts the roots). They are also easy to divide -- just gently prise the plants apart using the fork (or two forks if you have them)

The spruce may be more problematic, especially if you move it in the heat of the summer. Dig widely round it and try to get up as much root as possible. Plant it in an bigger hole than you dug it from amd keep it well mulched.

When you have moved them, make sure you keep the ground soaked for several weeks for the hostas and for months for the spruce.