I find that as bulbs age and grow, the necks get sucessively narrower and tall. This (at least at my house) restricts the scapes from emerging. By trimming the bulb down so that the neck is not narrow, it allow scapes to emerge without being pinched and the bulb doesn't split (the bulb doesn't always split, sometimes the scape can't get out so it just withers and rots in the bulb). Sorry Hans-Werner, but I'm not sure what an insecticide has to do with the structure of the bulb, but do agree that it is good practice! I trim up bulbs as part of the fall maintenance and dust the cut surface with Captan. I do use a good systemic insecticide and saw no signs of mites or insects. Since I overwinter in a protected environment (the pop-up greenhouse) and the bulbs get no water during the winter, I don't have to worry about water getting into the bulb. Maybe this is all just my preference, but as we all know with Hippeastrum hybrids, what works for one may not work for another. It's standard practice for me and prevents aborting of scapes and bulb injury. Respectfully, Kristi

YOU ARE KIDDING RIGHT ... LEAVE THEM LAY ... oopps ... its how its done in nature... you will have less weeds ... better soil.. cooler soil.. more water retention .... but perhaps more slugs.. but we can take care of those without back breaking labor ... might snap a pic for you later ... just to horrify the lot of you .. lol ... i went from an anal retentive suburban garden [cleaner than my house]... to 5 acres... without a crew of about 20 peeps.. i could not 'clean' my garden like i used to ... so what.. the hosta wont care ... and frankly.. over the years.. its the compost you are now paying money to ship in .... when you get a little zen about it ... you will wonder why you worked so hard all those years .... the time has come.. to enjoy the garden the way it is.. instead of doing all that hard work you used too ... and frankly.. you will enjoy it more.. for the lack of worrying about how to deal with it all good luck ken

Tx. ahelaumakani. Unfortunately my kitchen sink (which is near the back door to the garden) doesn't have a normal faucet....only a hose...so I can't hook up a garden hose to it. I finally decided to try the basement sink, sending the hose out the back window and under the deck to the yard. But alas, it seems the small window in the basement has the kind of screen that doesn't pop out. So frustrating! So I finally sent a note to my LL, telling him that for years I've had to haul buckets, and couldn't he figure somethihng out for me so I can get water out back? We'll see what he says.... :-(

Leave them alone. They are still helping the roots to grow. Don't expect anything this year. It is all about ROOTS, so if you got a lotsa them you will have a nice hosta next year. If you got lotsa tops and few roots, you will still have a nice hosta next year, only smaller leaves. HOWEVER, years ago when someone would transplant a hosta, they cut it back to look like celery and plopped it into the ground. Those did just fine the next year too!!!! If it had been taped with masking tape when divided, (ala Ken's advice) it might have stayed more erect, but once flopped, it probably won't come back upright this year. Look for good things next Spring! -Babka