How do you plant hostas?

What is the best time of year to plant hostas?

The best time of year to plant hostas is in early spring or early fall (as soon as summer heat breaks), and before the rainy season if your area has one. Hosta varieties come in different sizes. To determine the right spacing in the garden, check the plant tag.

How many hostas can you plant together?

Ideally, if two hostas are close together, one should complement the other. A simple design trick is to use a solid-colored hosta to echo a color in a variegated one. For instance, you might place a gold hosta next to a gold-variegated hosta or a green hosta next to a green-and-white-variegated hosta.

Do hostas have to be planted in the ground?

Once established, they can take the summer heat and withstand mild droughts. Hostas prefer soil that is well-draining and fertile (amend soil with compost or rotted manure if your soil is poor). They do not like to sit in wet soil, so plant in a raised area or where soil doesn't stay saturated (especially in winter).

How far do you plant hostas apart?

Soil Conditions: Hostas can survive in a wide range of soils but prefer a rich, moist soil, high in organic matter. Correct Spacing: Depending the variety, space plants 1 to 4 feet apart. Planting closer with allow the plants to fill in faster creating a ground cover of hosta.

How to plant Hosta

Do hostas spread out?

Versatile and easy to grow, most hosta varieties spread readily once they are established. They grow from rhizomes that spread just below soil level, and healthy clumps of hostas can be divided into smaller clumps every few years to share with friends, family and neighbors.

What happens if you plant hostas too close together?

If hostas are planted too close together their roots will be competeing for moisture in the surrounding soil. If hostas do not have access to enough moisture they not grow to their full potential and their leaves can look misshapen.

How do you prepare soil for hostas?

Hostas require soil rich in nutrients. Larger hosta varieties require a fertilizer in the Spring to reach their full size. Amend garden soil with compost, leaf mould or well rotted manure before planting to a depth of around 16 inches to accommodate the root system of a mature hosta.

Do hostas like sun or shade?

HOSTAS FOR SHADE

It's for good reason—hostas absolutely love shade. Indeed, they languish in the hot afternoon sun so your shady landscape will provide them just the right conditions.

Do hostas come back every year?

Hostas are perennials, which means they will come back bigger and better every year. Most hostas grow well in Zones 3 to 9. These versatile shade plants form a mound of leaves but vary greatly by variety, offering differences in plant size, leaf shape, and leaf color.

How quickly do hostas spread?

So, How Fast Do Hostas Grow? I found that, after sprouting, hosta plants will grow at about 1/2 inch per day and reach full growth in about 30 to 35 days.

Should I put mulch around my hostas?

Mulching. Apply a layer of mulch to your hostas and your shade garden in spring and fall if it is getting thin. Choose a mulch that will decompose and add humus to the soil and therefore nutrients for your plants. Examples include: compost, peat, shredded bark, pine needles, or shredded leaves.

Is it OK to plant hostas under trees?

Hostas can be grown in a sunny area, but by July, they'll take on a fried look, shrivel up and die back. Placed on the north or east side of a home or in a tree-shaded area, hostas typically thrive. Lakowske does have one caveat about placing a hosta under a shade tree: “Don't put them under maple trees.

Are hostas good for full sun?

Hosta varieties with extensive white coloration or with thin leaves are likely to burn in full sun. In general, blue-leaf hostas require shade, while those with fragrant flowers, gold or yellow foliage or slight white variegation can tolerate more sun.

How often do you water hostas?

Hostas are drought tolerant, yet like moist well drained soil. If the weather is hotter, increase the watering to three times per week. Large hostas should be watered two times per week and daily during hot weather, especially if it gets more sun. Hostas growing in pots will require more frequent watering.

How long do hostas last?

Hostas bloom for about three weeks, usually somewhere between May and September, depending on the variety. Each plant sends up several long stalks, called scapes, with flower buds along its length. Each flower only lasts a day when it opens.

Do I need to cut back my hostas in the fall?

As a general rule, hostas should be cut back in the late fall. Start with leaves that have wilted or turned brown. Healthy leaves can stay a bit longer to help the roots store needed energy. If 25% or more of the hostas is dying, you will know it is time to cut it back.

Do hostas and hydrangeas go together?

With the right planning, hostas (Hosta spp.) and hydrangeas (Hydrangea spp.) are perfect partners. Both thrive in part shade, while hostas even tolerate the deeper shade cast by the taller shrubs.

Can I plant hostas in pots?

When growing hostas in pots, use a standard potting soil (never garden soil) and water the plant in. Some growers recommend a soil that is fast draining. Set the container outside in a part-sun or shady spot. While some hostas can take deep shade, most prefer dappled shade or a bit of morning sun.

What is the best fertilizer for hostas?

Best Fertilizer For Hostas

The best hosta plant food is a slow release NPK 10-10-10 fertilizer. Those three numbers stand for the amount of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium in the fertilizer. Slow release fertilizers feed the plant each time it rains or the plant is watered.

What does Epsom salt do for hostas?

Application of Epsom salt in hostas reduces the stunted growth, makes their leaves greener and thicker as it boosts chlorophyll levels. It also facilitates bushier plant growth and their resistance to diseases and pests.

Do hostas like wet or dry soil?

Among other foliage plants for the bog garden, one would think hostas appropriate, since they like consistently moist soil, but they thrive only where drainage is good. The solution is to plant them upslope a bit from the real boggy areas. Ferns are a natural choice for damp soils.

Can you transplant hostas anytime?

Wondering when to transplant hostas? The ideal times are in spring or early autumn. In most regions, if you can time it right, plan to transplant hostas before seasonal rains arrive. That way, the rains can keep soil moist and help new plants get established more quickly.

Are hostas poisonous to dogs?

Hosta (pictured above): Its leaves, flowers and roots are poisonous to cats and dogs, so make sure your pet does not take a fancy to them. If they do, expect to see signs of depression, followed by vomiting and diarrhoea.

When should I transplant hostas?

Hostas should be divided every four to five years. Spring is the best time to divide or transplant hostas. Wait until plants are just starting to emerge (they're easier to spot this way), then dig up, divide and replant.