Dividing Potted Hosta Plants

Now is a perfect time to buy and plant hostas.  Recently, I purchased 4 potted hosta plants from my local nursery for 60% off.  I was able to increase my savings by dividing the plants before putting them into the ground.

When choosing which plant to purchase, first pick the variety then look for a plant that has multiple divisions.  The plant in the above photo has 2 divisions.  Remember that plants at this time of the year don't always look their best.  If the leaves are ripped, torn, or sunburnt on the edges don't worry as long as the plant itself is healthy.

I purchased this plant for 60% off the regular price of  $17.99 which is $7.20.   I can get two plants from that one potted plant so my final per plant price is $3.60.  That price is below the normal 4 inch potted hosta price of $4.99 for a common hosta.   

To divide hostas, first remove the plant from the pot and look for a gap between the divisions.  This particular plant has a 1 inch gap and it is at this place that I will divide the plant.

 I like to use a plastic utility knife that has a blade that can be extended roughly to 4 inches.  It is also important that the knife is very sharp because you want to slice through the roots and not smash or tear them.

If your knife is very sharp it will take about 10 seconds.  I cut through one side and then the other side because this was a 6 inch pot and a 4 inch blade.  It can be tempting to just cut one side, than use your hands to pull the remaining roots apart but that method can frequently lead to damage.  You want to leave as many intact roots as possible, so fight that urge.

In the spring you will be rewarded with a  rarer and larger sized hosta for less money than the starter hostas sold at the big box garden centers.

Here is another post that I wrote about dividing hostas that involved a different method and when I have the time this is the method that I prefer to use. 
Dividing Hostas and Getting More for Your $$$$

Materials needed
Healthy potted hosta plants
Plastic disposable utility knife
Bucket of water

FYI this same method can be used to divide day lilies.

Reuse Repurpose Recycle

New Day Lily Plants and a Beetle Trap Update

I have a beetle trap update but let's look at the pretty flowers first.

 Fooled Me

 Indian Giver

Those are some striking day lilies.  I couldn't resist buying them the other day when I was shopping for flower pots.

The beetle traps are kicking it.  After only a day and a half the half gallon container was half full of those nasty beetles.

The other two traps have a full two days worth and they are each over 2/3 rds full.  Unfortunately that means I need to empty the traps.  EWWWWWW

The above trap shouldn't be too bad because I just need to put the cap on it and I am done.  The other two are gallon bags that you are suppose to empty but I am going to remove them and staple them shut.  EWWWWW  When I replace the ziploc baggie I will put the ziploc portion at the top so that I just need to remove bag and zip it up.  

I walked around again today checking the beetles usual haunts and nary a beetle to be found.  Love it when a plan works out.

Also not to be found, orioles.  They have left for the summer.  But we have a new bird.  The grey cat bird.  They sound just like a pissed off cat.....LOL  

On a side note.....see that rock popping out of the ground behind the beetle trap?  That boulder has popped up out of nowhere in the last three winters.  More than likely the deeper than normal frost has pushed it up.  R poked around with a metal rod and says it's big.  There are about 5 rocks that need to be mined in the side yard. You can see where they are because the grass turns yellow first in those areas because the dirt is shallow where there is a rock.

It's always something.  If it's not beetles eating your leaves, it's big old rocks popping out of the ground.

Asiatic, Oriental, and Day Lilies

I like big flowers and I cannot lie. Lame...I know but I couldn't help myself.  Tiny delicate flowers just don't do it for me.  I need flowers that can be seen from a distance because my house sets back from the road so flowers need to be BIG if they are to be seen by the passerby.

Right now the lilies are in bloom. Both the Asiatic and day lilies (which aren't lilies at all) but for the sake of this post anything with lily in the name qualifies.  True lilies grow from a bulb and day lilies grow from rhizomes which is a modified subterranean stem that sends out roots from it nodes.

So what's the difference between Asiatic and Oriental lilies?  Asiatic lilies bloom first and just about the time that they are ending their bloom the Oriental lilies take up the cause.  Oriental lilies also are scented.

So lets start this lily parade.

 Trumpet lily is very large and tall and shaped like a trumpet.  

 This might be a Oriental lily because it smells like a light perfume. Not overpowering but just enough that you take notice.

 Now for the day lilies.  This one is called Little Grapette.  It's a short plant with smaller flowers.  

 I can't remember the name but is is dark dark red with a chartreuse back side. 

 This is striking.

This is a day lily that was suppose to be white but it's ivory and doesn't look white at all next to my white trim so I'm going to move it.  It's very large but not as tall as the label indicated.

Burnt Embers

 This is a small day lily with double the number of petals.

Very large and very pretty.  I prefer the tetraploids day lilies.  Tetraploids have double the chromosomes so the petals are thick.  I also prefer hostas with thick leaves.  I guess I have a 'type'....LOL

I still have Star Gazer lilies to bloom and several of my day lilies need to bloom.

We had quite the storm today so I won't know how my flowers fared until the morning.  We needed the rain so if it knocked a couple of blooms off their stems then that is OK.