Planting and Transplanting Hostas Indoors and Out

Hostas are growing in popularity for how they thrive in the shade and fill out otherwise barren patches of gardens. They are also beloved for the color they readily bring into a home or office. The wide variety of sizes and colors, from inches tall to 3 feet, from gold to green, blue to while, and combinations in between, ensure there is a variety of hosta suitable for any location. The basics of care and planting are the same with any type of hosta and any size.

When to Plant Hostas

It is best to plant or transplant hostas when they are actively making new roots, but after the first flush of growing new leaves. This occurs primarily in the spring shortly after hostas come out of dormancy. Some varieties of hosta also have a second cycle of root growth after the worst of the summer heat, another good time to transplant.

Nominally, however, planting can occur at any time of year. The only real necessity is that the plant has time to establish itself before any major temperature changes. As long as there are at least 6 weeks before the heat spikes or frost hits a hosta can be transplanted.

Prepare the Soil

Hostas require large amounts of water but well draining soil. They also prefer nutrient rich soil. For this reason it is wise to prepare the soil before planting a hosta. Choose a potting soil with this in mind if planting in a pot. If planting outdoors, mix the soil with organics such as compost and peat moss. Add sand or gravel for drainage if the soil is dense or thick with clay.

The area of soil to be prepared outdoors depends on the size of the hosta being planted. Check the expected size the hosta will reach and dig a hole at least a foot larger and 18 inches deep. Remix the soil from the hole with the organics and sand.

Planting or Transplanting Grown Hostas

Whether you are moving a hosta from a container to the ground, from a container to a larger container, or moving a ground planted one from one place to another, the process is roughly the same.

If planting outdoors, dig a hole at least 18 inches deep and wide enough to let the roots spread loosely across it. A container chosen to hold a hosta should be as large as the hole that would be dug outside. Do not plant a hosta with the roots bent or folded.

Create a mound in the center of the hole. The crown will sit at the top of the mound and the roots will drape down the sides

Remove the hosta from its original location. Loosen it from the pot or dig it from the ground. If it’s in the ground, expect the root ball to be as large around as the leaf mound.

Tease the roots loose from the soil and each other and spread them out over and down the mound. If the hosta has been in a pot the roots will be congested and need this detangling. If grown outside, removing the soil will let the new soil with its fresh nutrients reach the roots.

Fill the hole with soil, keeping the crown just about ground level. Use hands and feet to tamp the soil down to minimize air bubbles, a cause of root rot.

The area around the hosta should be mulched whether it is in a pot or the ground. Mulch will limit weed growth, retain soil moisture, and , if outdoors, keep the root temperature stable. For a decorative look indoors, consider mulching with small gravel.

Always finish any planting process by watering well. This will help compact any air bubbles as well as give the hosta the means to establish itself. Always remember that hostas require copious amounts of water and keep the soil moist.