Dividing H. Thunderbolt

jobranch · Post by **jobranch** » Apr 04, 2008 8:25 am

Do you divide H. Thunderbolt the same way as other hostas? I have one I want to divide, but I see one eye with a smaller second one forming very close to the base of the first. If I separate the two, I feel I will do too much damage.

Jeff

newtohosta-no more · Post by **newtohosta-no more** » Apr 04, 2008 8:37 am

Personally I would wait until it has two very distinctive separate eyes before dividing it. But keep in mind that I have been known to mutilate hostas when I divide them.

Pieter · Post by **Pieter** » Apr 04, 2008 9:39 am

Jeff, personally I would hold off dividing until the roots are actively growing, which is when the second flush of leaves starts to appear. For me here on the Left Coast that means mid/late May, early June and that is typically when I do mine. The argument about when to divide can become a heated one with some very strong convictions. I know there are lots of people who will divide when the shoots are a couple of inches above ground, but I feel you give your division the best chance to establish itself when the roots are actively growing. Remember, when you are doing a division you severely damage the root system, wouldn't you want to do that when it has the quickest and therefor best chance for recovery, like when the roots are growing? Some people will do their divisions much later in the year, like up to 6 weeks before the first frost date, the roots are still actively growing at that point.

Back to your original question, why divide such a small plant, it hasn't really established itself as yet, wait until it is much bigger, like a couple of years from now, what's the rush?

jgh · Post by **jgh** » Apr 04, 2008 9:42 am

Thunderbolt has been a pretty slow grower for me. I haven't gotten it large enough for me to consider dividing it.

Some hostas respond to dividing by getting very vigorous, almost like a defensive response. Obviously, I can't say by experience, but I just can't imagine this is one of those. I'd expect this to be one that is set back by division. I expect you have a wait to get this plant into the specimen you'd like - I wouldn't touch it.

John · Post by **John** » Apr 04, 2008 10:01 am

Jeff, you could do it with a sharp knife and surgical precision, but why divide it already? It would make a much more impressive double-eyed plant than two singles...

Linda P · Post by **Linda P** » Apr 04, 2008 11:56 am

I can't get this one to grow at all. If I had one growing, I'd never touch it. I had a nice 3-eyed one that disappeared. Then DD got a huge multi-eye pot, divided it and gave me a good sized piece, and both hers and mine disappeared in a couple of years.
So, I would not touch it at all if it's growing.
Linda P

tsbccowboy · Post by **tsbccowboy** » Apr 04, 2008 11:56 am

Thunderbolt on the far right, 7/15/04, one big eye
Diana & I stopped at Paul Henjum's Hardy Plants & bought these on the way home from a bike ride.

Thunderbolt
7/1/07, may have two eyes now.

With my small sampling, I would say it is a slow multiplier,
Cowboy

renaldo75 · Post by **renaldo75** » Apr 04, 2008 12:47 pm

I'd leave it be.

I had both Thunderbolt & Dream Weaver. Both purchased in the spring of 2003. Planted in different beds, and they did fine the 1st 2 years. Then in the 3rd year Thunderbolt didn't emerge until about mid-June & it was a tiny tiny TC sized plant. Not surprisingly it didn't show up the next year. Dream Weaver has just kept getting bigger & is now all the way up to 5 [maybe 6] divisions last year. I'll never move it & dividing it will never happen either.

Izzy · Post by **Izzy** » Apr 04, 2008 12:59 pm

I would have to agree with Pieter; I personnaly wouldn't divide the plant yet.
Unless you are planning on having two seperate plants I would leave it.
Typically I loosen waist bands, to give them more room, but I gennerally don't make a habit of dividing unless it needs it!
But then again, that's just my opinion.
Izzy

Pieter · Post by **Pieter** » Apr 04, 2008 2:52 pm

Hey Reldon,

Nice to see you again on the forum, welcome back! Where ya bin, too busy with work matters?

renaldo75 · Post by **renaldo75** » Apr 04, 2008 3:02 pm

Thanks, Pieter.

Yea - it started out that way. Didn't have time to do much but work and sleep/regenerate. And once I was out of the habit of checking in here, I didn't....

Post by **Chris_W** » Apr 04, 2008 3:33 pm

Nice to see you Reldon

Jeff, I have to chime in and say that I too would not advise dividing Thunderbolt. It is such a slow grower that dividing it could really set each piece back as if you were starting over. If it is growing enough to be a dividable size I would leave it be and enjoy it all you can

jobranch · Post by **jobranch** » Apr 04, 2008 4:31 pm

Great! That's what I like about this forum, a lot of good advise. I will wait and it is a young plant - purchased last year. I had one last year and it did the strangest thing - one day I came home from work and one of the leafs had started to turn brown in a big way and no amount of water kept the rest of the plant from doing the same. But it looks like it may be coming up, so I appreciate everyone advise.

Jeff