How to propagate large numbers of hostas in a nursery// Divide plantain lillies // Hosta Production

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Happy Growing, everyone!

[@blubbietweeduizend]

This morning I watched your video and this afternoon I thinned out and divided a small but quite dense field of Hosta's. The open spaces are barely noticeable but now I have 35 more Hosta's in my garden.. Thanks.

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Well done!!

[@Vickylaursen]

@@savvydirtfarmer exciting! hows it going now

[@gregboshell977]

Couple of years ago I divided a hosta and ended up with 17 outa one plant

[@peziki]

Very good production skills w/this video. Clear views, loud enough speaking, clear linguistic skills and good background scenes. Overall good demo and editing. Trying to keep backgrd noise down is good but keeping kids, pets, traffic quiet is not easy but helps.

[@joesabal1212]

Love this channel! I've got a ton of Hostas that need this type of transplant technique to feed my plant coffer with cash for other plants for my yard. Thank You

[@ybernier1925]

i'm so happy i found your videos! my husband and I have been wanting t start a nursery for a while and this summer we're finally getting a start on it! were starting to divide our hostas and then daylilies.

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Good plan!

[@marilynhudson5805]

I hope you live near me. I will give you all the Hostas you want. I live in country club hills ILL. No charge s

[@sandrakay26]

@@marilynhudson5805 I live close to you!

[@ForgingFreedomTV]

Excellent information! I’ve dabbled in plant propagation and have had good success! I always love learning something new. Our motto is “helping you to achieve your personal liberty” and learning how to propagate your own plants and create an extra income stream is definitely one of those skills we encourage. Thanks for all the work you put into your channel! I look forward to consuming all of it.

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Thanks for being here!! Much appreciated

[@vo2651]

Amazing training video, that's what it was for me 😊. I followed along and got 4 plants out of one! (4 Hosta plants where I live would have cost me $48). I searched KZbin for a tutorial on propagating them instead of spending all that $, and I'm so glad to have found yours! 😊 Suggestion: You should pack this into a class and sell your informational videos, it will help you support your business, great teacher! (skillshare, udemy, & others) Thank you for sharing your knowledge with others and good luck! 👍 🙏

[@savvydirtfarmer]

I wouldn;t even know where to start!

[@turiaturiana7529]

@@savvydirtfarmer get Chloe to look into it! I bet you she would be able to help. Agree with the poster, you have a wonderful teaching method and lovely attitude, you would definitely do well on skillshare and the like. It's just recorded videos like here, but payable 😊

[@randyman8984]

I have 2 hostas that was getting drowned out by a bigger plant. They was still thriving you just couldnt see them from the front anymore so I dug them up this morning and did what you showed in this video. These came from the ground about 2 yrs old. Out of 2 plants I got about 18. 2 things I did diffennt was I put them in red solo cups(with holes) instead of the planters like you used. I want to say they are slightly bigger than what you used.. Also Instead of cutting them all the way down I removed about half of the foilage. Put them on the back porch that gets maybe 30 mins of 11: 30 am -noon sunshine.Just checked on them and they are looking good. I figured I might have alot of wilting since I left more foilage. I figured leaving more green on them they could phosenthis better and grow into mature plants faster.

[@cathyrash834]

7777

[@cathyrash834]

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[@paulortiz2035]

I tried to dig up a row of over grown hosts, once! What a F'ing lot of work that was! Incredible roots, incredibly thick, tough, and NOT EASY TO DIVIDE! Once I FINALLY got them out of the ground I put small sections of them on a sheet of plywood which was sitting on saw horses! Then I rather unceremoniously cut them into smaller plugs---- with a hand saw!!! Forget using a knife or scissors. The handsaw worked just fine! I cleaned up around the reduced plants soil line and replanted some of them again. The rest I tired to give away and threw out whatever was left. But they had to be divided as they had been in the ground 20-30 years, so they were a thick mat of roots and stems being choked by each other. The point is, a saw worked great. Even a bread knife was less then ineffectual! The hostas will look fairly sad for the rest of the summer after they are dug and divided but will recover nicely once spring arrives--- next year! They are some of the toughest plants I have ever worked with. Except for the white variegated ones which I was able to kill without any effort on my part. The white hosts can be very temperamental and are neither big nor fast growers, and die very, very easily!!! No idea why! But they are just NOT nearly as robust as green or blue or yellow ones!

[@savvydirtfarmer]

There are probably 10 reasons why it's better to work with younger plants, and you just touched on several of them. You can divide a big, old hosta with a shovel, handsaw, axe, machete... whatever you have. For growing nursery plants? I prefer a more precise approach that doesn't require me to have an inventory of huge, mature plants to butcher every year.

[@fadihajjaj]

Interesting I have some hostas that rooted from only leaf and stem ( without actual root or crown). I took few leaves with stem and stuck them in ground and they kept growing !!

[@savvydirtfarmer]

YES!!! We tried it with just leaves, maybe 3 years ago and rooted about 50% of them. The problem with that is it takes painstakingly forever for them to grow out to a selling-sized plant. And, as with everything, I'm sure some hosta varieties work better than others.

[@josieraimondi6763]

Wonderful to know this.....when I was dividing several hostas, the stem broke off from the crown. I have them in water right now but I'll put some in potting mix and see how they grow. Glad I kept them!!!!

[@batchrocketproject4720]

Excellent demonstration, thanks for posting. Is there a way to encourage crowns to throw up more growth centres (like nicking or burying stem bases?). I'd like to establish some bigger clumps from small plants and would love to speed up the process.

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Not that I know of. Some varieties just don't multiply, and others multiply fast... too fast, really. The Night Before Christmas is an example... crazy how fast it multiplies!

[@artist.chantal]

There's a reason why this video is the top suggested on Google👏👏

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Thanks for watching!!

[@orlandolang6753]

thank you for the video! I plan on doing that with my plants. Quick question, what do you do with them for the winter in places where the ground freezes. Just leave them in their containers until the following spring? Thank you in advance

[@savvydirtfarmer]

They stay in their containers on top of the ground, mostly uncovered, all winter.

[@charliemagoo7943]

I had some above ground in container when the Texas freeze came. Outside temp was below -15 for 100 hours. So they froze solid and came back no problem. If they were in the ground they could have been 40 degrees warmer.

[@paulortiz2035]

Hostas are tough! I had some I never got around to replanting so were laying on top of the ground. In Chicago! Next spring they came up ready to go! That's tough!

[@sandrearoth9846]

Nothing like a Hosta Takeover!! 🥬

[@ieeshamroczek6583]

Thank u so much for this channel ive been thinking of starting my own home nursery and now i will. So excited

[@savvydirtfarmer]

You can do it!

[@annapotter7397]

The most informative video about separating hostas I've seen! Thank you!

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Glad it was helpful!

[@knotweedkninja8539]

Where do you purchase your pots. Seems like a pot cost as much as what you sell the plant for. Where is the profit?

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Various places... mostly local. Can get them at amleo.com or greenhousemegastore.com. Free from local landscapers. Pots cost about $.20 each, until everything went up. Now they're more like $.40 - $.50 each. Plants I propagate I have about $1 in them, sell them for $7.

[@FastGardenGnome38]

What was the reason for cutting the leaves of the hosta after dividing them?

[@Plantmomofthesouth]

Thank you for showing us this! I got some as a gift and they look like it needs to be separated and propagated so I can plant them where I need them to be.

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Sounds like a good project to me!

[@darneittajones8338]

Yes Sir, That chop looked like Hosta murder but you know what your doing.........Lol

[@kburkes4245]

I'm trying to nail down the timeline on this. So if I buy a hosta now (April, zone 6b) I would let it grow this year, and then next spring divide it, and then let those babies grow another year two syllable size. Is that how it goes?

[@savvydirtfarmer]

You can divide hostas anytime. I don't mess with it in winter, or in the heat of the summer. If you have hostas now that have multiple stems, you can divide them today, if you like. Really depends on what you want to do with them. I have hostas that could be divided now, or sold now (or in a couple weeks when they flush out more). Always selling some and dividing some. Time wise, there's no exact way to do it.

[@nphrandom]

This is the one that is going to set me up, have a row of 20 year old hostas maybe 50ft down side of a trailer home every few ft is hostas and out by a ft just roots and mass hostas 😂 once i have the medium and pots along with are ready going to dig the entire lot up and will be propagating dividing and potting like crazy, have a 200sqft area a 100 sqft and 40 sqft area already covering and mulching to act as a place to store in a full south exsposure next to a 3 barrel water system and biodigestor outlet i really want to get at them now buuut... im not ready yet

[@imassage619]

My favorite outdoor plant. Sad that Cali doesn’t have them. I have to buy them on line

[@sunseabass]

Don’t know where you are, but I just bought some at Home Depot today. Also they sell bare roots starting in January. I’m in SoCal.

[@SpeedyRichie]

How often do you water them? Great video by the way!

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Daily unless it rains

[@thehallhive9425]

Great video! Your "hosta murder" comment cracked me up. Where do you get your little pots from? I'm trying to look into decent pots that don't cost a bunch so there's still profit margin.

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Apparently there is a "shortage" on pots now. For the most part, I buy them from a local supplier, and they are OUT. See also AMleo.com or Greenhousemegastore.com.

[@thehallhive9425]

@@savvydirtfarmer thanks!

[@ydnftbhdy]

Just found large pots of hostas on sale for 26CAD and was going to divide them up, glad I found your video.

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Enjoy!

[@LoriThurstonInTunePhoto]

Where do you over winter your hostas and other plants? I’m in indiana and we get a hard freeze. How could I protect them. I do not have a greenhouse, looks like you don’t either. I could probably swing something like you have. Do you have a video about your shelter?

[@savinoandriano1484]

I have a question for you, by the way I love what you are doing God bless you and your family wish you all the success throughout your journey! My question to you is fruit trees persimmons they are a hot item it’s been a year and a half that I have trying to order an Asian or American persimmon tree and it is impossible everywhere and everyone is sold out. Maybe that is something that you would be interested in

[@savvydirtfarmer]

What is your question?

[@savinoandriano1484]

@@savvydirtfarmer can you grow persimmons trees, I tried buying one from every nursery but they all tell me that they are sold out! Have to go on there waiting list. Maybe that is something that you can add to your nursery

[@savvydirtfarmer]

@@savinoandriano1484 there are thousands, literally endless items I could add to my nursery. Persimmon trees is certainly one of them.

[@fintryendrickwildlife1619]

I divided many of my Hostas last year after watching your video , I used my least favourite in case it went pear shaped … that Hostas has now become a favourite … it is Wolverine and I split it last year into 20 plants and yesterday the last of the 20 have popped up for the spring … so many thanks for your terrific videos !!! sending you best wishes from Stirlingshire Scotland

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Awesome! I have had Wolverine before but currently do not. Would love to find some more. Best of luck to you.

[@rosedolch8637]

I heard you can actually eat them. I guess they taste like asparagus.. There are recipes for bacon wrapped hostas.. Good to know it can be a food source if ever needed.

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Several comments here talking about that. I'm hearing about edible hostas more and more.

[@coolroy4300]

I recently learned how to place rocks in the soil around certain plants like Hostas and Elephants ears that rodents like to nibble on . Also spraying with the casteroil based garden sprays works great too .Do you agree ?

[@ejfishes7610]

Great video! I have a question, I live in zone 5B , so would you leave them outside during the winter in the tray? It can get down to below 0 here. Or would you move to an unheated shed / garage? Also, for someone starting out would you get a few plants from a big box store and divide those up vs a wholesaler? Finally, what size pot do you sell those to your customers? Than you for your time!

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Hostas are very tough/hardy plants. Are they hardy in your growing zone? They will be fine in pots/trays outside through winter as long as you don't go through a long dry spell and let them completely dry out. Their water needs are very minimal during winter anyway, so that's usually not an issue. I have bought plenty of hostas from the box stores as long as they are correctly labeled. If they just say "hosta" on them, that's a deal breaker. You have to know exactly what variety of plant you are selling always. I sell 90% of my plants in trade gallon size pots (3 qt), including hostas.

[@ejfishes7610]

@@savvydirtfarmer thank you getting back to me! Yes they are hardy in our area. We actually have some in our yard but wasn’t sure if I should be dividing those up and selling or getting a few starts and go from there. Appreciate your time and learning a lot from your videos!

[@paulortiz2035]

@@savvydirtfarmer I much my gardens once they have finally froze to at least 3-4 inches. THEN I much and cover the pots or stuff in the ground. Once they have been frozen I want everything to STAY FROZEN until next spring were they unthaw--- once! It is that freeze-thaw, freeze-thaw, freeze thaw, over and over that kills most plants. And the drying out when pots thaw doesn't help either. But black pots can certainly warm in the later winter sun and then freeze again during the nights. A Killer! Much well and don't let the mulch blow away. Bird netting is nice. Or in a poly hoop house. Mulched. And when the pot can thaw and not freeze rock hard, solid. Once it starts to warm up i start to uncover pots a bit and then remove the rest of the leaf mulch once spring has 'for sure' arrived! And i let nature do its thing to wake the garden up. Seems to work just fine!

[@paulortiz2035]

@@ejfishes7610 I have seen hostas potted up by non-professional growers. They look sad, bedraggled and pitiful, to be honest. (The boss/owner of a garden center I worked at would pot her stuff up. It looked terrible and didn't sell--- at all! Similar stuff grown by a local, experienced and professional grower--- flew off the tables. His stuff look PERFECT! Not a blemished leaf, not a bug bite, and no mud caked, dirty pots! His stuff was absolutely gorgeous, healthy and, as I said, perfect looking in every way. His hostas were also 2-3 years old, grown in poly houses, in those pots, the whole time. His plants were stunning!!! The owners stuff was terrible looking and didn't sell. Had she not owned the place no one would have ever bought them from her. Plus, she potted from the ground, with just regular dirt from her garden! Bizzare, huh? I moved away but she wasn't in business very long. Just very, Very tone deaf! In one of the nicest, richest sections of Chicago she wanted to sell her bedraggled, homegrown, little plants, which were----- hostas! IT JUST DIDN'T HAPPEN!!! (We often just threw her stuff out it was so bad! She didnt know because she wasn't there often, she was at her 'farm' in Wisconsin--- growing stuff! To sell! Absolutely true story! I kind of hope she doesn't read this, but it's all true!!! Sadly. She got divorced and took her settlement and decided to become a grower! You know, how hard could it really be??!!) Ans: Harder than it looks!!!

[@paulortiz2035]

@@ejfishes7610 If you really want to consider being a 'grower'--- go work for one for a year to see how much work is REALLY involved and LEARN a few things about how it is REALLY done! After all of that, think about it again! And go from there. It is NOT as easy as falling off a log!!!

[@theresachiorazzi4571]

Can you cut the roots will it kill the plant.

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Yes, you can cut them. But no more than necessary.

[@marezeedo]

I’m really enjoying your hosts videos. They are hard to find in my area. I’m in zone 9b. I’m wondering what is eating your leaves that I noticed in your plants? I have same thing. I’m thinking it is the Roly Poly bugs. Is the best way to get rid of them is to use organic DT? Thanks for any advice. These are my husbands favorite plants and I want to be successful. Backyard Gardner Marlyn

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Some bug damage is reasonable and normal. I don’t do anything for holes here and there, minor leaf damage, etc. I’ve never had any major pest problems with Hostas or anything else.

[@LemonDropYum]

Thank you for the video. I'm going to try and do this for a yearly spring farmer's market in my area. Do hostas die back in a hard freeze? I'm in zone 9a and my hostas say they're good down to zone 3. When the winter comes, will they die and come back in the spring or will they tolerate the cold just fine?

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Hostas will survive winter in pots just fine; particularly as warm as you are.

[@LemonDropYum]

@@savvydirtfarmer I planted mine in the ground, not in a pot or green house.

[@bettyschwartz9728]

Why do you cut all the leaves off before you repot them?

[@savvydirtfarmer]

The plant is shocked to some degree when you tear them apart like this and the result is going to be a wilted mess. The plant needs to focus its energy on growing roots at this point, and with time, will re-grow its leaves. Do you have to cut all the leaves off when dividing hostas this way? I don't know. It's just what I do, and, it works.

[@josieraimondi6763]

Should hostas ever be fertilized? I haven't in the past. What fertilizer do you recommend?

[@savvydirtfarmer]

I fertilize all of my potted plants with a slow release fertilizer, brand Florikan.

[@frednobles2485]

Great teaching could you please put the name of the plants you mention on the screen

[@sandybrown7005]

How are the plants protected in winter? Are they outside? Greenhouse? I'm trying to learn to propagate as a hobby, yet a bit clueless when it comes winter time.

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Most of my plants sit outside in the winter just as they do the rest of the year... uncovered. I don't do anything to them. Part of my learning curve for what I do is figuring out which plants survive over the winter with very few losses - that's part of the reason I grow what I grow.

[@annfrederking1878]

Why is there a reference to "plantain lillies"? An incorrect term and always has been and lilies should have only ONE 'l' as well. But more important, are you sanitizing your tools between plants? That's really important to avoid the spread of viruses, especially Hosta Virus X. If you are using the same water over and over, you also risk spreading virus.

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Have a nice day.

[@paulortiz2035]

A really nice, lush 1 gal pot of hostas was been growing in that pot for 2 or 3 years in a poly-hoop house! You will net be dividing and selling the same year. Or even next year. Growing anything for sale is a long term investment! As in years! Not months! So no quick cash flows for you. No cash flow in, toward you, anyway! Cash flows out? Oh, those will happen immediately!

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Yes... the way I do my nursery, every investment is long term. Growing plants, dividing plants, selling plants... rinse and repeat, over and over and over.

[@user-msmac1970]

Good video my wife and I plan on starting our nursery next year there are different house plants I am propagating now for that. I noticed you had your wheelbarrow with your potting soil just curious was that your mixture or was the bagged. If it was your mixture did you have your fertilizer mixed in all ready??

[@savvydirtfarmer]

It’s my mixture; I fertilize everything by top dressing

[@MBihon2000]

I just get them free at the nearest nursery before they throw them away on the landfill. They are very forgiving plants. They multiply on their own. I just pull the young hosta away from the mother plant and plant them to another shady area of my garden.

[@savvydirtfarmer]

And, that's the beauty of the hosta!

[@DavinaEternal]

Where do you suggest buying nursery pots and trays?thx!

[@juliafiore120]

Isn’t propagating basically ripping off the grower? It just seems wrong to profit. Ok to divide for your own yard but morally, I think it’s wrong imo.

[@savvydirtfarmer]

This is just a weird comment. Immoral to propagate and sell plants? It IS illegal to propagate patented plants. There are royalties, trademarks, and more attached to that. No thanks. Is it immoral for farmers to plant seeds, grow food, and sell it? That is plant propagation. Hope you are well. God bless.

[@janemiller2812]

I’m having difficulty subscribing to your channels. Message says error to channel. Any reason why?

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Nothing I know of. Sub count has gone up today, it shows.

[@joannekucks4343]

I’m moving from a condo to a 55+ apt that has a balcony. I have a lot of perennials that I’m leaving behind. Can I grow any perennials on my balcony like hostas, lilyofthevalley or lilies? I’m in Minneapolis and could keep them inside over winter or would I let them die off and replant the bulbs in the spring?

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Can't speak to lilies except that I know my daylilies won't overwinter in pots - I killed them all. Hostas? They'll thrive in pots over winter if they are hardy in your area. Main thing is to keep them moist without drowning them. They can freeze, get buried in snow (which is actually a great insulation), etc, but they won't do well with repeated freeze/thaw/rain unless they drain very well. Otherwise, they are a great plant to try.

[@saminemredjomoenawi5882]

WOW Wow Wow Wow!!!! 🙏❤️💕🎩🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵 THANK You so very much for Your Precious beautifully wisdomful Video dearest Sir. Humble greetings from Suriname God BLESS YOU FOREVER Sir 💗❤️💕

[@dikdebruijn5101]

I used your wonderful technique this summer to divide some hostas, which have now almost all lost their leaves down to soil level. What do I do with them through Fall and Winter? How often to water? They are in a greenhouse that usually stays around 40˚F over the winter. Thank you very much for the information.

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Don’t do anything with them. They need a cold. In order to survive. They have to go dormant. They can stand freezing, snow, cold, whatever, and winter and be fine.

[@colvingenealogy]

This is similar to dividing dracaenas which I also grow,

[@karenclark5169]

Clicked on "thanks" on your Q and A video and didn't realize I was sending money. I am not set up to send money so apologize; just wanted to say thanks. My mouse ears are looking sunburned. I am going to move them to a shadier place.

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Thanks for watching!! They will appreciate some shade.

[@gottathinkupanewone]

Hostas can be really hardy as long as they have good soil and plenty of water. I've propagated hostas by transplanting a single leaf than had a hair of root still attached.

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Hard to go wrong with Hostas!

[@LoriThurstonInTunePhoto]

Where do you over winter your hostas and other plants? I’m in indiana and we get a hard freeze. How could I protect them. I do not have a greenhouse, looks like you don’t either. I could probably swing something like you have. Do you have a video about your shelter?

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Most of my plants, including Hostas, get little or no winter protection. They can freeze solid, get buried in snow, get flooded, or go 3 weeks without rain and be fine. It’s all about potting soil drainage. Hostas are about the toughest plant there is.

[@Transition333]

Where would I buy the plastic plant tags identifying these particular hostas? You probably can’t contact the original plant company of the Vulcan hosta, can you?

[@savvydirtfarmer]

I go to Lowe's and buy the cheapest vinyl mini blinds I can find, cut them into 5" strips, and hand-write "Vulcan" on the label with a #2 pencil. Lasts for years.

[@ATLIEN333]

No disrespect but looks as though you have a nursery on your property in a residential neighborhood. I wonder do all your neighbors think that's okay? I'm pretty sure that's a city code violations unless you're in a very rural town. Nevertheless very informative information.

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Very rural town. Neighbors love it - I give them plants!

[@rethablair6902]

New subscriber here🤗

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Great!! Welcome

[@bonniepickering6949]

Can you plant the cut hostas directly into the ground?

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Yes. As long as they have some decent roots and aren't scorched by hot afternoon sun, they should do fine. Bigger divisions will likely doo best directly in the ground. Some of these tiny ones I make would likely not fare as well.

[@y0nd3r]

13:04, is that regular landscape fabric on the ground? I looks like rubber and it gave me the idea to maybe use pond liner on top of my invasive Vinca Major to kill it.

[@savvydirtfarmer]

It’s called woven ground cover/cloth. “Woven” is important

[@gabbysgoods827]

Hi. I need to split my Hostas. I’m going to split the day lilies they are over crowding each other. Mine are to BIG !!!! New Subscriber. I’ve been growing my own plants 🌱 from seeds. Some plants 🌱. A Veggies Garden. A flower 🌸 garden. I didn’t realize I need to clean off the roots.

[@savvydirtfarmer]

I just clean off the roots to make it easier to see what I'm doing when I make small divisions.

[@gabbysgoods827]

@@savvydirtfarmer good 😌 idea 💡

[@grassman8684]

New listener. Love your channel. So basicaly what your saying on most of the plants is on average it takes about 2 years of growth before it'll sell?

[@savvydirtfarmer]

That's a good average for the types of plants I grow... from propagation to sale.

[@davejsullivan]

I was at a small nursery and they mentioned that some hostas have copyrights on them and people can't divide them and sell them. Have you heard of that?

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Many plants, not just Hostas, are patented or have copyrighted names and cannot be propagated legally or sold by a certain name unless certain requirements are met. See my video on patented plants

[@davejsullivan]

@@savvydirtfarmer thanks. It was a very informative video.

[@jeffscop]

YIKES! 10:32 Hosta murder. :)

[@PrettyAliceNight]

When you divide them and repot why do you cut off all the leaves?

[@savvydirtfarmer]

I’ve done it both ways. Makes no difference. Just my preference.

[@lookingfordiscovery]

I just dug mine out and cut into the mud with a careful eye, holta's started growing back within 8 days with a little tomorite and All Purpose feed along the way - quite incredible!

[@emilyalmansa4497]

Hi. I love your videos! I am attempting to grow hostas for the first time but I keep finding several holes on the leaves of one particular plant every morning. I tried Sluggo, but will appreciate any suggestions.

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Slugs are just going to get their share of hostas. I don't have a definite fix... people try all kinds of things and swear by all kinds of home remedies that I've never tried.

[@Vickylaursen]

@@savvydirtfarmer the only thing that works for me is the soap/vinegar/water mix. On rainy days i go out and spray anything i want to keep.

[@lindastrang6755]

Unfortunately they would not survive Canadian winters unless planted.

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Always important to only grow plants that are hardy in your area.

[@tomhahn6792]

Hello Savvy Dirt Farmer. I just came across you and your great video and saw your comment about Wolverine. Our Land of the Giant Hostas" in Milton, WI. that has 2,500 varieties of hostas and 440,000 plants for sale has Wolverine for sale. Best of luck. One question: Where are you located so I can determine your zone. Thank you.

[@savvydirtfarmer]

West TN, zone 7.

[@tomhahn6792]

@@savvydirtfarmer Thank you.

[@marilynhudson5805]

My yard is really full of hostas I want them all gone. I have reached the age that don't allow me to work in yard. What can I use on them to destroy the?. No one seems to be interested in them.

[@savvydirtfarmer]

I have no idea. If you find out, let me know. I'd like to know myself.

[@joshua511]

Do you sell these hostas (and maybe some evergreens?) through the mail? If not, do you have a recommendation on where to order?

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Will have some of both to sell this winter once they are dormant. Any info pertaining to that will be posted here.

[@andielliott2306]

Every one of my potted hostas died last winter here in Idaho...zone 4. That would be 60 of them.

[@savvydirtfarmer]

That's a lot of dead hostas. I lost 72 coral bells (an entire "batch") a few seasons ago. About $150 worth of plants down the drain. Stuff happens, and sometimes we can't figure out why plants die. Overwintering can be tricky... but hostas are usually very hardy.... I rarely lose one over winter, but I'm also in zone 7.

[@paulortiz2035]

See my comment about freeze-thaw, freeze-thaw! Was that the issue, maybe? Hostas grow in Northern Minnesota, no prob! It is -40°F regularly! Come spring they pop right up!

[@lindaferguson593]

Do you have a list of perennials that do well in dormant month divisions? Thanks!!

[@savvydirtfarmer]

no

[@lindaferguson593]

Do you keep an ongoing list of plants that are no longer patented? Can you share that list or info please? Thank you!!

[@savvydirtfarmer]

No, sorry

[@wags9777]

How would you like to live next to a residential backyard grower? I would not

[@savvydirtfarmer]

When I had neighbors on all sides, they loved it. 5 neighbors. They thought it was cool and couldn't believe how many plants my backyard could produce.

[@chericarpenter-lundstrom6897]

Can you propagate all hostas? Aren't many of them registered and illegal to propagate and sell?

[@savvydirtfarmer]

It is illegal to propagate any plant that is under patent.

[@emmasurf8768]

Is you wanted to dig up overcrowded hostas, but want to sell them next year, would you recommend just sticking them back in an open bed and potting later,, it immediately potting after the dividing.I don't have a greenhouse so would either leave in sunroom or in the ground

[@emmasurf8768]

i hope you can understand my post. AI keeps making odd grammatical auto correcting.

[@savvydirtfarmer]

i would dig, divide, and pot.

[@hosta127]

Would it be all right to divide my hosta now? And just leave them all winter and grow till spring 2024? This is Oct 19. I’m in zone 7, parallel with you.

[@savvydirtfarmer]

You can do it now if you want to... thing is, once they emerge in early SPring, they will send up more shoots than they have now.

[@hosta127]

@@savvydirtfarmer Good point! Smarter to wait! Thank you

[@Joey-vw1id]

Was that the Benny hill theme song playing when you were potting up the divided hostas towards the end of the video?

[@savvydirtfarmer]

No, but it should be!

[@martinwhitehurst9893]

What's the best time of year to propagate? Spring?

[@savvydirtfarmer]

You can divide Hostas pretty much any time of year. I like to do it in late Spring or early summer… but any time works fine.

[@LostInThisGardenofLife]

So inspirational ❤

[@jackiebrown8694]

Where do you get your plant tags in order to have them when you divide and make new plants?

[@savvydirtfarmer]

I make them by cutting up old window blinds and mark them with a #2 pencil. They last for years.

[@philipcrewe540]

Great advice, I’ll give it ago, thank you from England

[@suemantha7736]

do you leave hostas outside during winter And cover them from snow

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Leave them outside uncovered all winter. Very rarely lose any. SNow covering them is good - it insulates from the even colder air.

[@andielliott7721]

I will be ordering from De Broomen...thanks for the tip.

[@charlottebush6598]

Once divided where are the stored during the winter or are they replanted before the first frost?

[@savvydirtfarmer]

I divide them, pot them, then leave them alone. Next Spring they come up happy.

[@lindaferguson593]

What month did you do this in? What is the earliest month in the year to divide these? Thank you!!

[@savvydirtfarmer]

I like to do them in Spring, shortly after they leaf out, but really, you can do them any time of year.

[@ChristopherAllen-f2w]

Can you tell us the degree of shade cloth you are using? 30%?

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Anywhere from 40%-60% seems like the sweet spot for me.

[@markb8954]

Great video. I’m more of a shovel divide gardener, but, these gives me a few ideas for earning pretty much free money. Do you fertilize these young plants at all through the year? Can they be over wintered in those very small pots? Maryland, Zone 7.

[@markb8954]

I did want to add that last Fall one of our very nice large hostas put out flowers, then a few pods of seeds. I dried thecseeds, planted this spring & we now have upwards of 50 new plants from one seed pod from one hosta!

[@savvydirtfarmer]

I overwinter my small hostas in 3.5" pots... hardly ever lose one and we get down to near zero most winters. If a plant is hardy in your zone, overwintering has more to do with moisture control than cold temperatures. The worst thing you can have is frozen pots with water standing in the tops of them for any length of time. I very rarely lose any potted hostas at all.

[@markb8954]

@@savvydirtfarmer Thanks for the response. I read all the Comments and saw that you answered that a few times now. That would be a good follow-up video. “Ok, Repotted Hostas - What’s Next”. If you have an email I’ll send pix of my tiny baby hostas from seed.

[@mtw2121]

great video ! (as always - can't thank you enough for your information & guidance) .. one question.. are you dividing and potting these up in the spring or fall ? i also live in zone 7 (SOUTHern NJ) .. keep up the great work

[@savvydirtfarmer]

I usually divide in Spring, but you can really do it any time. thanks!!

[@sandrakay26]

@@savvydirtfarmer when you do it in the spring how long do you wait for them to be big enough to sell. I want to do it now but what do I do when they are grown over the winter. Does that make sense

[@savvydirtfarmer]

@@sandrakay26 they will over winter in pots just fine. Hostas are about the toughest plant there is. Depends on variety and size of your divisions how long it takes to get to to selling size.

[@vanferrell7021]

Not only is it a beautiful plant it's edible as well

[@savvydirtfarmer]

What do they taste like and how do you cook them? Earlier in the season, maybe?

[@alaynelangford2323]

Do you have to cut the leaves off before planting the new plants?

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Probably not

[@nikkichevere]

👌👏👏👏👏 Amazing thankyou

[@karenfries170]

Maybe you've been asked this before, but how do you make your potting soil? Thank-you for this wonderful video, the first of yours I have seen!

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Check out my DIY potting soil video.

[@meilanhee]

@@savvydirtfarmer diy potting soil

[@angelasaquatics4751]

Just learned that you can cut across the top of the heat in a cross shape to get 5 new plant sprouts instead of one!!!

[@savvydirtfarmer]

I've seen the idea, but haven't tried it.

[@kuianderson965]

Thank you for sharing, have a great time growing on from .New Zealand.

[@janemarheim5042]

I live in a cold climate, any tips for over wintering?

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Are they hardy in your area? If so, they should overwinter in pots fine. Otherwise, cover with white plastic in any sort of homemade tent or tunnel

[@brendathoms5588]

I live in Michigan, where do you keep them in the winter?

[@savvydirtfarmer]

I keep them right where they are. They freeze, flood, thaw, snow, ice, whatever. I've never lost more than a few.

[@cindycin9]

Thank you

[@karenjordan5527]

Hi! Can I do this in August ready for next year? And do I keep in the greenhouse until next year?

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Yes you can. I don't keep anything in a greenhouse... don't have one. I leave out in the open, or cover with white plastic.

[@karenjordan5527]

@@savvydirtfarmer thanks so much! Youve inspired me to have a go at cuttings to sell!

[@josieraimondi6763]

News Flash -- today, May 20, 2022, I just ordered 100 mixed varieties of hostas for $150 from Gilbert H Wild. Shipping was free, since the order was over $100. Just saying. This has to be a bargain!

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Well done!

[@evilpandagirl9]

Thank you for stating about nursery vs home difference! Thats what brought me here.