It's hard not to be hasty when choosing plants, but hostas need to fit in the space. Most hosta plants seem alike in pots but different in the ground! Some grow to a foot, while others reach waist height with an equal spread.
Hostas don't need to be divided until they outgrow their space and crowd neighbors. Read the label and consider how the mature plants will fill the space. If you choose huge varieties or plant them too close together, you'll need to divide and transplant.
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Many thousands of hosta cultivars are registered. Many varieties feature variegated leaves with white or gold margins, splotches, streaks, or splashes.
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Hosta cultivars number in the thousands. Variegated leaves have white or gold margins, splotches, streaks, or splashes and come in green, chartreuse, gold, and dusky blue.
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Hostas are planted for their foliage, but most cultivars bloom between mid-June and September. Hosta flower spikes stand above foliage and have tubular blooms that open slowly. Some variants feature pink or white flowers, although most have pale lavender.
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Hummingbirds like most hosta flowers, which are not showy. Some gardeners remove flower spikes because they detract from the plant. No harm is done, but bees and hummingbirds that eat nectar will be disappointed.
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All hosta cultivars thrive in shade tree dappled light or 4–5 hours of morning light. Light makes leaf colors brighter and more variegated.
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Southern gardeners must be careful where they grow hostas. Low humidity and too much sun can destroy vegetation. If leaves have burned edges or brown tips, transfer the plants to a shaded, damp spot.
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Give your hostas an inch of water per week to keep them luxuriant. Natural precipitation may not be enough depending on weather and location. The initial few years of plant establishment require consistent moisture.
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Hostas may not work in your yard if you have slugs and snails. Slimy pests eat sensitive hosta shoots and leaves throughout the season. Slug bait and beer traps help, but thicker-leafed hostas work best.
The “slug resistant” cultivars are less enticing to slugs. See Blue Angel, Sum and Substance, June, Halcyon. Deer will go out of their way to eat hostas. Scent deterrents work if you spray before the plants emerge and weekly and after heavy rain. Deer repellent pellets are available.
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Low-growing hostas look great under bushes or along a shady walkway. Add daffodils and alliums for early spring color. The hostas will gladly disguise their fading leaves as the bulbs flower early.
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