DIVIDING HOSTA--THE PERFECT TIME!

I had a big task that I had been putting off for two years--a long, perimeter HOSTA bed, that desperately needed dividing!  Well, I finally did it--the eight 11-12 year-old hosta Royal Standard Hosta's, and 8 Albo-marginata Hosta's were dug, divided and replanted--some in my yard, and the rest in the 2 yards of a son and daughter.  What I found was, it wasn't nearly as hard as I thought it would be, and took a fraction of the time I thought it would take!  I knew these giants had root systems that would be massive, and that the plants would be heavy!  This time of year, however, the nice, soft, moist soil, made it a relative breeze!  We took a pitch fork, to protect the roots, and lifted all the way around the plant, then made several  lifts to get the hosta, either in one piece, or, as with the Royal Standard, dividing them into 3 sections. Since they are just barely breaking their dormancy with just a few of their "fingers" starting to poke up, but not unfurl, and, of course, several not even poking up yet,  it was THE PERFECT TIME to dig and divide them.  I'm glad the task is finished, and extra happy that my son and daughter will have full-grown, beautiful hostas in their yards this year!   HINT--if the hosta is still too big for your needs, gently turn the pulled hosta over, and take a sharp shovel or saw, and cut through the hosta.  Keep the root ball intact as much as possible--this will make replanting so much easier.  Plant in a hole that puts the transplant at the same level that it was previously.  Water in, to settle the soil, removing any air pockets, and then watch them unfurl and grow through the season!  NOTE:  Some hostas may never need to be divided--mine did because they had overgrown the area they had been planted in.  We planted the new ones so that it will be many more years, if ever, before dividing is needed again!