Here is how to divide hostas and daylilies. In early spring or late summer to early fall, dig up the clump. Shake off soil and pull or cut it apart. Keep 2 or 3 eyes per hosta piece and 2 or 3 fans per daylily piece. Plant hosta crowns at soil level, daylily crowns 1 inch deeper. Water deeply.
This is TN Nursery's potting shed, run by TN Nursery, a third-generation family nursery in Altamont, Tennessee, growing native trees and plants since 1959. This project shows how to divide hostas and daylilies side by side, so you can split both in one afternoon.
Signs a clump is ready to divide
Hostas and daylilies spread outward every year. After a few seasons the clump gets crowded. Look for these signs:
- The center of the clump is thin, bare or dying back.
- Daylilies make fewer or smaller flowers than they used to.
- Hosta leaves are smaller and the clump has outgrown its spot.
- You want more plants for a new bed or a friend.
Most hostas can be divided every four to five years, according to the University of Georgia Extension. Daylilies can go a few years between splits too.
When to divide hostas and daylilies
Both plants divide best in cool weather, when roots can grow without heat stress. Early spring is the first window. Late summer to early fall is the second.
| What to know | Hostas | Daylilies |
|---|---|---|
| Best time | Early spring as the shoots (called eyes or pips) poke through, or early fall | Early spring as growth starts, or late summer after bloom |
| Each division needs | 2 or 3 eyes with roots | 2 or 3 leaf fans with roots |
| Planting depth | Crown level with the soil | Crown about 1 inch below the soil |
| Leaves at division | Easiest before leaves unroll; in fall, trim some large leaves | Cut back to 6 to 8 inches in late summer |
| How it splits | Tough crown; often needs a knife or spade | Fibrous roots; pulls apart by hand when young |
The daylily depth and leaf trim come from Iowa State University Extension. The crown is the spot where the shoots meet the roots.
In Tennessee and across the Southeast, wait for the summer heat to break before a late-season split. A cool, cloudy stretch in early fall is ideal. Avoid dividing while plants are in full bloom.
Can you divide hostas in the fall?
Yes, early fall works. Divide early enough that new roots can settle in before the ground freezes. By fall, hosta leaves are full size and lose water fast, so trim off some of the biggest ones to ease the strain on fewer roots. Spring is still the easier time, because the eyes are easy to see and the leaves are not yet in the way.
Tools for dividing perennials
- A sharp, flat-blade spade or a garden fork to lift the clump
- A sturdy knife, an old bread knife or a hori-hori (a Japanese digging knife) for tough crowns
- Pruners to trim broken roots and old leaves
- A tarp or wheelbarrow to work on
- A bucket of water and damp burlap or newspaper to keep roots moist
- Compost to mix into the new planting holes
- A hose or watering can
How to divide hostas and daylilies, step by step
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Water the day before
Soak the bed the day before you dig. Moist soil holds onto the roots and lifts more easily.
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Prepare the new spots first
Pick the new spots and dig holes about a spade deep and wide, with some compost mixed in. Once the pieces are in hand, widen each hole to at least twice the width of its root ball.
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Dig around the clump
Push your spade straight down in a circle a few inches outside the leaves. Go all the way around to cut the outer roots.
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Lift the clump out
Slide the spade or fork under the clump and pry it up. Set it on a tarp. Big old clumps are heavy, so roll them rather than lift them.
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Clean off the soil
Shake or hose off the loose soil. Now you can see the eyes on a hosta and the separate fans on a daylily.
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Split the clump
Pull young clumps apart with your hands. For dense, old clumps, cut down through the crown with a knife or spade. Cut between eyes or fans, never through them.
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Trim and check each piece
Snip off broken, mushy or dead roots. Throw out the woody, worn-out center of an old clump. In late summer, cut daylily leaves back to 6 to 8 inches.
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Replant at the right depth
Set hosta crowns level with the soil. Set daylily crowns about 1 inch below it. Fill in around the roots and firm the soil with your hands.
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Water deeply
Soak each new planting right away to settle the soil around the roots. Add a thin layer of mulch, kept off the crown.
How big each division should be
Bigger divisions settle in faster and look full sooner. Tiny ones survive, but they take longer to grow.
- Hostas: aim for 2 or 3 eyes per piece, each with a good wad of roots. A piece needs at least one eye to grow, but very small divisions are slow to establish, the University of Georgia Extension notes.
- Daylilies: keep 2 or 3 fans of leaves and a good root system per piece, as Iowa State University Extension advises. A fan is one fan-shaped bundle of leaves.
- For a quick, full look: leave larger pieces. For the most plants: go smaller and be patient.
Divided daylilies usually don't bloom well for a year or two while they rebuild roots, Iowa State University Extension notes. That is normal.
Keep divisions moist like bare-root plants
A fresh division with the soil shaken off is a bare-root plant. It needs the same care TN Nursery gives the bare-root, dormant plants it ships. The roots must never dry out.
- Work in shade or on a cloudy day, not in hot sun or wind.
- Wrap waiting divisions in damp burlap or wet newspaper.
- If roots look dry, dip them in a bucket of water for a few minutes before planting.
- Plant the same day if you can. If you must wait, keep the wrapped divisions cool and shaded, and plant as soon as possible.
- Giving some away? Bag the roots in damp newspaper inside a plastic bag.
Tip: The same steps work when a TN Nursery box arrives at your door. Unpack it, keep the roots moist and plant soon.
Watering after you divide
- Water thoroughly right after planting, until the soil is soaked around the roots.
- For the next few weeks, check the soil every few days. Water when the top inch feels dry.
- Keep the soil moist but not soggy. Wet, airless soil can rot new roots.
- A layer of mulch holds moisture in. Keep it a little away from the crowns.
- Fall divisions need less water once cool weather and rain arrive. Don't let them dry out before the ground freezes.
Some wilting or floppy leaves in the first week is normal. New roots will soon catch up.
Plants to add beside your divisions
Splitting a bed often leaves gaps to fill. These TN Nursery plants fit the same project:
- Orange Daylily ships bare-root. Plant it now, and divide it the same way in a few years.
- Siberian Iris is another bare-root perennial. Its clumps can be lifted and split the same way.
- Cinnamon Fern is a fern for shade, a natural neighbor for hostas.
- The 10 Shade Fern Plants Starter Pack fills a larger shady bed around your hosta divisions.
- The Shade Garden Trio is a set of shade perennials for gaps in a hosta bed.
Questions about dividing hostas and daylilies
Do hostas go into shock when transplanted?
They may wilt or droop for a week or two after you divide them. That is the plant adjusting to lost roots. Plant each piece at the right depth, water deeply and keep the soil moist but not soggy. Shade from hot afternoon sun helps too. Most hostas recover once new roots grow.
Do daylilies like to be crowded?
Daylilies put up with crowding for years, which is one reason they are so easy to grow. But a very crowded clump often blooms less and can die out in the middle. Dividing every few years gives each piece room and keeps the flowers coming, after a year or two of lighter bloom while roots rebuild.
Can I dig up daylilies and replant them?
Yes. Dig up the whole clump in early spring or late summer, and split it if you like. Replant each piece with the crown about 1 inch below the soil. Firm the soil around the roots and water deeply. Expect lighter bloom for a year or two while the roots rebuild.
Can you divide hostas without digging up the whole plant?
Yes. Push a sharp spade straight down through the edge of the clump and lift out one section with its eyes and roots. Fill the hole left behind with soil and compost, then water the mother plant well. This works best in early spring, when the eyes are easy to see.
