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Post by Missredhead on Sept 21, 2013 7:54:29 GMT
One of my Hostas is so big now it takes up half the bed...when is the best time to chop it in half and how do I do that? Do I dig it up and do it or just slice into it with a spade?
The flowers have died off now.
I want to plant half into a pot and leave half in the garden bed.
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Post by Jasmine on Sept 21, 2013 8:29:23 GMT
What a coincidence Missy!
I have just dug up Fried Bananas as it spends the summer resembling a doilley and it's going in a pot to keep it away from the S+S.
I would do your digging and dividing now. I use an old bread knife!
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Post by Barbara on Sept 21, 2013 8:31:55 GMT
I have the same job to do this weekend, mine is lay on the lawn waiting for the soil to dry off so I can see the roots better. so that's three of us.
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Post by Missredhead on Sept 21, 2013 8:34:05 GMT
so I have to dig it up first then?..
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Post by Rosefriend on Sept 21, 2013 8:37:36 GMT
Already done one of mine Missredhead - just halve it in the ground and that was it. My MIL used to love hostas as you can take bits off and they will always stay a round shape!! I don't think it is possible to kill one unless you burn it.. RF |
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Post by Missredhead on Sept 21, 2013 8:43:09 GMT
Thats good to know RF..I have 2 so will try and chop them both into two....they have got so big the last couple of years.
Only one flowers though even though they were planted at the same time.....
I love the way they disappear over the winter and suddly start to reappear again come spring...
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Post by Jasmine on Sept 21, 2013 8:59:54 GMT
It's odd as I have 2 next to each other (well, I did before I dug one up!) - Fried Bananas and Venus and Fried Bananas gets munched and Venus isn't touched!
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Post by Rosefriend on Sept 21, 2013 9:10:30 GMT
It's odd as I have 2 next to each other (well, I did before I dug one up!) - Fried Bananas and Venus and Fried Bananas gets munched and Venus isn't touched! I now have more of the thick ribbed hard leafed variety Jasmine and they don't get munched either - the thin leafed ones are chewed to bits... However now that we have a "clean" garden on one side I have only a tenth of the slugs and snails that I once had... RF |
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Post by Jasmine on Sept 21, 2013 9:52:44 GMT
I wish I could say the same Rosefriend! I've just stood up a garden chair that had fallen over and found a snail working its way across the seat. It flew off into the field! |
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totp
Assistant Gardener
Posts: 128
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Post by totp on Sept 21, 2013 17:46:41 GMT
I have collected about 30 slugs in the last week using a beer trap. They seem very effective. I also keep al the old egg shells over winter then in spring I crush them up and sprinkle them round the emerging hostas. It seems to keep S&S at bay until later in the summer at least.
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Post by Auricula on Sept 21, 2013 17:56:54 GMT
Did my hostas last week. They seem to live in snail city so I was generous with the blue pellets. Once they're established they're ok.
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Post by Ladygardener on Sept 22, 2013 9:19:30 GMT
I did my Hosta yesterday and the stem was as thick as a tree trunk. There's no way the knife would go through it and I had to chop it up with the spade. It was a massive job. I grow mine in a pot and it's got thick leaves. The S&S totally leave it alone thankfully and I love it, it's got such bright colours. I agree, go for it now Missredhead but be prepared for hard work. |
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Post by Missredhead on Sept 22, 2013 15:43:07 GMT
I just went for it with a spade...half is still in the ground and half in a big pot...must remember which pot for when it dies back....might have to make a marker..
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Post by theinsidegardener on Sept 22, 2013 19:17:51 GMT
I (my OH) did mine today too Miss Redhead, it must be the week for hostas! OH was a bit brutal with the spade so I'm hoping the divided hostas will be ok!
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Post by Barbara on Sept 23, 2013 7:33:19 GMT
They will be fine, the time is right for them dying back , next spring you will see little mouse feet and off it will go again.
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Post by Ladygardener on Sept 23, 2013 8:47:46 GMT
 Barbara, don't mention mouse to theinsidegardener. She had one in her house a while back and she did'nt sleep properly for weeks.
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Post by Barbara on Sept 23, 2013 8:51:25 GMT
 someone else on here a long time ago had a mouse in the house, they lived alone and couldn't face the mouse, I don't know what happened they stopped posting.I think she was called Maggi, maybe she moved house.
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Post by Ladygardener on Sept 23, 2013 9:07:15 GMT
I remember Maggi, is'nt she the lady with the camper van and the little dogs Barbara. |
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Post by theinsidegardener on Sept 23, 2013 9:32:13 GMT
Eek Barbara Ladygardener, it might put me off gardening if I saw a mouse invading my garden. I read a post on here lately where someone had mentioned that they saw a mouse on one of their plants and I've been gingerly looking under the huge leaves of my digitalis ever since!  |
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Post by Ladygardener on Sept 23, 2013 10:47:57 GMT
I had one the other week sure, I spotted it's tail out of the corner of my eye. My Hostas that I chopped to bits (divided) all seem alive and well this morning.  |
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Post by andy on Sept 23, 2013 15:12:51 GMT
If you want to grow Hostas slug free then put them in a nice pot/tub and then place the pot/tub in a drip tray and keep filled with water at all times. Hostas will love the water, slugs generally don't. You cant have any part of the plant touching a fence, another plant or the ground etc or slugs will get on the Hosta that way.
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Post by Ladygardener on Sept 23, 2013 16:52:13 GMT
andy the Hosta I grow is pretty much left alone by slugs thankfully. They're the thick leaved ones and grown in pots and I'd recommend them to anyone who is having real trouble with slugs and snails. Thanks for the tips, Ruth has had Hosta turned to lace by the slimy b...... .
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Post by Auricula on Sept 24, 2013 18:08:23 GMT
Mine are all in the ground  |
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Post by Jasmine on Sept 24, 2013 19:08:43 GMT
If you want to grow Hostas slug free then put them in a nice pot/tub and then place the pot/tub in a drip tray and keep filled with water at all times. That will give you a hosta with its own moat - very grand! |
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someone else on here a long time ago had a mouse in the house, they lived alone and couldn't face the mouse, I don't know what happened they stopped posting.I think she was called Maggi, maybe she moved house. 
