How To Grow Hosta Bulbs

 

Hostas is America's most popular perennial garden plant. This plant is one of the few plants that thrive in shade. Hostas plants are very easy to care for and to propagate. This plant is a low-growing, clump-forming perennial plants that is mostly grown for is lovely foliage. The plant produces blooms on long stalks that really extend well above the clumping foliage in late spring or summer, although the foliage is the main attraction. Below is the basic information about Hostas plant.

The botanical name: The botanical name is Hosta spp.

The common name: The common names are plantain lily, Hosta.

The plant type:   The plant is herbaceous perennial.

The mature size: The mature size is about six to forty-eight inches tall, ten inches to six feet wide.

The sun exposure: Hostas plant prefers full shade to part sun.

The soil type: This plant does well in rich, fertile, well-drained soil.

The soil pH: This is between 6.0 to 6.5

Hostas blooming time: Hostas blooming time is summer.

The flower color: The flower colors are pink, white, lavender.

Plant hardiness Zones: USDA hardiness zones 3 to 9

The native area: Hostas are native to    Korea, China, Japan, and Russia.

Plant toxicity:     Toxic to horses, dogs, cats.

 

Furthermore, this plant variety includes fast, medium, and slow-growing plants. The Hostas smaller varieties tend to grow faster and they can reach their mature size in 3 to 5 years. The Hostas larger varieties may take 5 to 7 years. This plant can be planted in early spring or as soon as the heat of summer ends in early fall. Hostas plant can also be grown indoors with just a little extra care.

Hostas varieties

There are different varieties of Hostas. The following are the different varieties of Hostas;

-         Hosta 'Blue Mouse Ears' variety: The Hosta 'Blue Mouse Ears' is a tiny hosta plant that can grow to about six to twelve inches high with round heart-shaped blue-green leaves.

-         Hosta 'Golden Tiara' variety: This particular type of hosta has light green leaves with yellow edging. The Hosta 'Golden Tiara' can grow to about sixteen inches tall and thirty-eight inches wide.

-         Hosta tardiana Halcyon’ variety: This particular variety has a Pale, spade-shaped leaves that are gray-blue in color. The Hosta tardiana Halcyon’ can grow to about eighteen to twenty-four inches tall in clumps and up to three feet wide.

-         Hosta 'Frances Williams' variety: The Hosta 'Frances Williams' has large puckered leaves that are twelve inches wide, it also has dark green with light-green veining. This variety can grow to about two feet tall and up to five feet spread.

-         Hosta Patriot variety: Hosta Patriot has medium-size green leaves with white margins. This particular variety can grow up to eighteen inches tall with thirty inch spread.

-         Hosta Sum and Substance variety: This particular variety can grow to about thirty inches tall and five feet spread. The Hosta Sum and Substance has large leaves and they are heart-shaped.

-         Hosta sieboldiana 'Elegans' variety: The Hosta sieboldiana 'Elegans' can grow to about thirty inches tall with four foot spread. This particular variety has large leaves and they are heart-shaped.

How to grow Hostas

These plants are normally planted as potted transplants or as bare root divisions. Hostas plants are most often used in shade gardens, where their ornamental foliage can brightens dim places. Hostas plants really work very well in groups or in masses and they are also good as background plants or specimens in woodland gardens or shady borders. The yellow-leaved varieties of Hostas plants are somewhat more tolerant of sun, although no hostas plants will actually thrive in perpetually hot, sunny places.

This plant actually needs a minimum of 6 weeks of weather below forty-two degrees Fahrenheit to go dormant during the winter. Growing Hostas outdoors, this occurs naturally in most areas, although it is a notable challenge of growing hostas plants indoors. The Indoor pots can be stored in a basement, garage, or crawlspace (even in a refrigerator) in other to ensure dormancy. The temperatures must be between thirty-three and forty-one degrees Fahrenheit so the Hostas plants do not freeze.

Light requirement

These plants are true shade garden plants that can really survive in full shade. On the other hand many of the varieties grow best when they receive dappled sun for a few hours each day. If the plants have green and yellow variegated leaves, exposing them to morning sun will help to enhance the yellow coloring. Make sure you check the specific light requirements of your hosta plant variety. If the leaves of the plant develop brown tips and they have faded areas or their color is very dull, it means the Hostas plant is getting too much sun.

Soil requirement

Hostas plants are tolerant of most types of soil as long as the soil is well-drained. Hostas plants do not actually do well in clay soil which holds too much moisture. The plants also like their soil to be rich and fertile and full of organic matter. For container Hostas plants you can use a standard commercial potting soil that is well-drained.

Water requirement

You need to water the hostas plants as needed to keep the soil moist but not wet. Once the plant is established, the Hostas plant will tolerate occasional dry soil, although the plant will not survive long periods of drought unless the plants are regularly watered. The watering of the hostas is best done near the base of the plant, under the leaves, rather than overhead watering, which can easily attract slugs and snails. If you are growing the hostas indoors make sure you maintain a regular watering schedule to keep the soil moist.

Temperature and humidity requirement

These plants are not fussy about temperature or humidity and they can grow in a wide range of climates. It is actually best to plant the hostas in a location that is protected from strong winds. Actually a comfortable indoor temperature is good for hosta houseplants.

Fertilizer requirement

Actually one of the best and the easiest ways to feed hostas plants is by adding a healthy layer of compost to the soil in the spring. This will help to feed nutrients to the soil and also help to promote the soil food web. The hostas can also be feed with a well-balanced organic fertilizer, you can apply after planting or when the hostas plants begin to come up in spring. Make sure you are very careful not to get the fertilizer granules trapped in the leaves, this can burn the plant.

Furthermore, Fertilizing hostas plants in containers is a bit more involved, since the higher frequency of watering actually strips the soil of nutrients relatively quickly. You can feed the potted plants at the start of the growing season with a slow-release fertilizer. You can Feed them biweekly (once every 2 weeks) with water-soluble fertilizer throughout the growing season. You can actually stop feeding 4 months prior to the winter dormancy period to gradually harden off the hostas plant.

Hostas propagation

The hostas plants can be divide in early spring or in the fall by digging up the root ball. They can be divide into small clumps of roots and leaves, and then replant. This also works in containers as well. Hostas propagate very easily, but it will take some hard work to divide the tough root clumps. This plant can also be grown from seeds in pots.

Pest and disease control

Hostas plants are like any other plants that also face some pest and disease challenges. The following are the pest and diseases that attack Hostas plants;

-         Nematodes in Hostas: Actually foliar nematodes cause leaf necrosis which can easily lead to holes in the Hostas plant leaves. Also root knot nematodes are known to infest the Hostas plants causing stunting and wilting of the Hostas plants. You can easily control this by using non-infected planting materials. Make sure you remove and destroy infected leaves, this will help in controlling the infestation.

-         Slugs and Snails in Hostas: Another problem of Hostas plants is slug and snails. These pests are another group of destructive pests. What they do is that they defoliate the Hostas plants normally during the night causing a small hole in the leaves of the Hostas plants. You can control these pests through the use of beer traps which can kill the slugs.

-         Anthracnose of Hostas: This particular disease is a fungal disease and is one of the most common diseases affecting the Hostas plants. Actually the infection of this disease is supported by warm and wet environments. Although the disease may not be totally destructive to the Hostas plant, however the effects the disease cause can lead to the reversal of the synthetic value of the Hostas plant. This particular disease can lead to the development of pale brown spots, tattered appearances of the plant and tiny black splotches. One of the ways to actually manage this disease is the use of fungicides and also using the correct spacing when planting the Hostas plants in other to prevent spread. Make sure the infected leaves are removed, this will reduce the effects of the fungi.

-         Virus X: This particular disease is a viral disease that causes Hostas coloration problems. This disease may also lead to withering and death of the plant leaves. Just make sure the infected plants are destroyed to contain the infection. 

  - Fusarium root and crown rot of Hostas: This particular disease is caused by the Fusarium hostae fungi. This disease can cause stunting and late emergence of the Hostas plants. What you will observe on the plants is Leaf chlorosis followed by browning and eventual necrosis occurs. The plant stems will decay at the soil line. One the ways to manage this disease is by taking care not to injure the Hostas plants during transplanting. Make sure you remove and destroy infected plants.

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