I'm no expert but it has been my experience that under most conditions, hosta is virtually indestructible so it might be preferable to move that rather than the goatsbeard.

Normally it isn't advisable to dig & move things during the heat of the summer--spring or fall are generally the best times to dig/divide/move things. Digging/dividing in fall allows the plant to establish roots prior to winter dormancy. Doing so in spring means the plant is trying to establish roots and break dormancy at the same time.

Good luck, whatever you decide.

this link to the Hosta forum will help you to move the Krossa. i used the method to move a huge clump of Siberian iris, and it worked great!
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/hosta/msg0614155422721.html

Here is a link that might be useful: moving large hosta

that link is brilliant.. lol ....

KR is a large hosta.. you can retard its size if improperly moved ...

otherwise.. do what the link tells you ....

though in my experience the other perennial would be less work .. lol ... the root mass on the KR could be spine bending ...

ken

I moved 4 goats beard clumps this spring. They did not seem to experience any set back and it went quite smoothly. I'd move that and maybe even take some divisions in the spring or fall.

Gl whatever you end up doing.

I would love to have a division of the goatsbeard. I am not good at dividing plants normally (except daylilies), I always feel like IâÂÂm mutilating them: but if itâÂÂs out of the ground anyway, IâÂÂll look and see if there is enough there to divide in half. I wanted one on the opposite side of the (symmetrical, more or less) bed anyway. I think since IâÂÂd like another, that tips the scale in favor of moving the goatsbeard.

Troves of trilliumsâ¦.I assume you did not have to cut back the leaves, since you moved it in spring? IâÂÂm just not sure how IâÂÂd move it in the fall if I kept all the stems intact. When I want to move some tall plants, like asters, I just chop them off halfway. They never miss a beat. But I donâÂÂt know enough about goatsbeard. IâÂÂd say IâÂÂll wait til next spring, but this last spring I DID plan to move it, and the season got away from me and soon it was too big.

Yes, I used KenâÂÂs hosta moving tips a few years ago! I was having a front patio installed in late July. It was a very hot July, too. My husband thought it looked like too much trouble to do. But the patio installation guys were definitely taking notes. They were moved to a holding bed, then moved back to the front yard again a month later. They took the move well.

Hi there,
I reduced some Goatsbeard (Aruncus dioicus) in spring on sandy soil. The original clump was just too big, so I hacked off smallish bits ( about3-4inches across) with a spade and replanted. The owners did some watering afterwards and it started ok, the biggest risk it dying in the summer draught.
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It is a European species, so it can produce roots as long as the soil is warm-ish. (in contrast to warm season plants like some prairie grasses).

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I wold transplant in early fall (is that late August/ September in your region?). And in general when transplanting perennials in summer it is best to cut off most of the stems almost to ground level, the roots growing on and the next years buds as well. Unpruned you risk that the chopped off roots can`t supply the foliage with enough water so it could die of dehydration.

Add some leaf mulch or something for winter and it should be fine.

Hope that helps. bye, lin