Same here 10 -10 -10.

How do you apply? Around each plant or lightly thru the bed?

I just put it lightly around each plant.

If you fertilize early in spring you are far more likely to experience draw-string effect in those hostas which are prone to it. I generally apply alfalfa tea later in summer.

We have had an unusually early spring and many of my hostas are up with some starting to unfurl - about 2 weeks early. I'm worried about the inevitable cold snap we will have. I did the first roll-call on my hostas yesterday. My list includes 219 hostas plus 32 in pots that are seedlings from 2019 and an unknown number in pots that are seedlings from 2020 (not as many as from 2019 though). I did not count those seedlings at this time.

Of the 219, 122 (55.7%) are up. 36 (16.4%) are definitely not. That includes all hostas in one bed which is more shaded and cooler than the others. There's another 39 (17.8%) that I'm not sure of because they are so hidden under crocus foliage or leaves or so far into the garden that I dare not get close enough to see at this time. I may not see them for a couple of weeks. I suspect maybe half have emerged but aren't yet large enough to easily see. Then there are 22 (10%) that are in pots and still buried in my veggie garden. I might start digging them out next week, but it's going to get colder later this week and they are safe where they are.

Wow, that's a lot!

Wow Ann, you must have big place.

Ann, what does the term "draw string effect" mean in Hosta language, I have never heard that term before. Thanks.

Rj,

It's when the hosta with white borders grow too fast and pucker. I have a couple Lakeside ones that do it and I don't fertilize anymore.

Thanks! Never saw that, what is the mechanism that causes that?

Thanks Rose! Found this with pictures:

https://perennialreference.com...

http://www.hostalists.org/host...

Sorry! I had it backwards. The white grows slower than the green. Thanks for posting the article.

SoCalGardenNut said:Wow Ann, you must have big place.

Not really. I've got a 60' x 100' lot plus about 15' of city easement at the front, but no sidewalk. I don't have a lot of lawn left anymore. They are mostly in my front yard but I've also got them both sides of the house and in places in the back yard - around the fringes of my veggie garden which is gradually becoming too shady for good veggies.

I see the question has been asked and answered about drawstring effect. Thanks for the answers. I find that the weather has a lot to do with it. If you've got a very rainy spring, it will show up more because the leaves grow too fast. For some reason, it doesn't seem to affect later flushes of growth as much. But it's definitely easier to keep under control if fertilizer and water are limited until the first growth is well open.

I was outside cutting some lovage, chives and garlic chives to add to a salad and I got the leaves pushed off one emerging hosta and could see a couple of others emerging in pots. So, I can add 3 to my list of hostas accounted for.

Looks great Ann!

Great looking Hosta beds. I will have to look to see if I get any with the effect since I fertilize a few weeks before they come up. I spread it around the whole garden not just by the plants .

Wow, those are inspiring beds! What is the little hosta that is in front? It looks like it is used for a border.

Interesting about the drawstring effect, never heard of it before but I have seen it.
Ann, your garden is beautiful! Yours too, SoCal!

Korean Snow

These are what I planted a few days ago, they were planted in a container for at least a month. I originally thought I would plant the 2 banana hostas in the front but now after planting them, I think I need to order more hostas, maybe they will grow and I might have to move them. But this area has ugly dirt and full of rocks.

Christmas Candy


Spring Morning


Banana Kid


Fried Banana

SoCal,

You can never have too many Hostas!😊