Yes , inquiring minds want to know , what is the secret?

Hi fellow hostaholics. My local society had a fundraiser and enrolled all our members in the American Hosta Society. Nice perk huh.

Ok inquiring minds, this is what I learned and did. I didn't have a regular watering schedule in the past. Hosta are like balloons. When they first emerge until they fully leaf out give them plenty of water and they become bigger, better, stronger. When you buy a hosta that is a big full pot, never divide for the first full year, and if you buy the really big hosta and want them to get humungous never divide them.

This is what I did....the second I saw the hosta emerge I began to water my hosta every other day unless it rained really hard. The first week of april (no more threat of frost) I threw a handful of Osmocote slow release fertilizer 14-14-14 on each hosta. I will definately follow up with some water soluable fertilizer. If you follow the water regiment, all but the blue hosta can take a lot more sun than I realized. I pruned a few branches to let in more sun and planted some more hosta in full morning sun/afternoon shade. So far they look better, stronger and healthier and I finally have achieved success in my hosta beds. I have been adding two inches of compost and mulch in the beds for the last 15 years. You will smother roots and sacrafice the health of your trees by piling on too much at once. I do not have deer (hosta = deer candy) There are very effective but expensive products you can use but you must follow the directions and never miss an application or the deer will feast.

Read the tips from this link and go to the home page. There will be more tips under links side bar, read those also http://www.hostahosta.com/tips...

Just So great to find you

We're glad you did, Susan.

Hi Susan, I thought I had welcomed you but it appears that I just thought about it. I'm also glad you found us.

Hi Susan ... and WELCOME!!

Thanks so much for the tips!

1. Water every other day.... check
2. Slow release fertilizer (14-14-14) after threat of frost..... check
3. Do not divide from purchased pot... check
4. Mulch 2 inches... check
5 ENJOY!!!!!

I think I can handle that!!!

Christine hope it works as well for you as it did for me. It's so exciting after years of killing hosta to have big beautiful hosta. In the past I tried alfalfa and tomatoe fertilizer but they weren't nearly as effective as the gardens of people who recommended them. Don't know, just didn't work for me. This year I bought Sagae, June, and Lemon Lime. Next year I would like to add some nice companion plants. Does anybody have a favorite fern that doesn't spread? What are your favorite deep shade plants to coordinate with hosta?

Susan -
I have Lady Ferns in my garden and those seem to do the best in Zone 4... I have tried Burgundy Lace and the Christmas Fern with no luck up here.

Now on to my favorite deep shade plants... I have very little sunny if any after the leaves pop and I just found these plants below that are the best!!

--- Yellow Archangel 'Variegatum' -- yellow blooms in the spring and very pretty leave (a leaf like Jack Frost) btu it grown in a 12-18inch clump. Very Hardy in FULL shade.
--- Varigated Soloman's Seal - very Hardy
--- Bugbane
--- Japanese Spurge is interesting
--- Turtlehead 'hotlips' (blooms in the fall - pink - more like a bush I guess but mine is only 4 years old and has only gotten about 24 inches tall)
--- Corral Bells ( I love the variety - I have about 10 different varieties).

Enjoy!!!

I like Pulminaria, Ligularia and Snakeroot in with mine...

Hosta are like balloons. When they first emerge until they fully leaf out give them plenty of water and they become bigger, better, stronger.

I don't disagree, but I don't fully agree either. If a hosta has a white margin and green centre to the leaves, and thus is possibly prone to drawstring effect, they will be better if you don't over water them too early in the season. The white margin will not grow as fast as the green centre and will look like a drawstring has been pulled up around the leaf and will eventually split. They are not as badly affected if both watering and fertilizing are put off until the plant unfurls.

Ann

Thanks for the tip Ann -- not too much water for the Green with White margin. I gravitate towards the blues and greens with a "cream/yellow" margin... is the not too much water rule apply to those kinds of hostas? (ie: Sweet Innocence)

I've not had any problem with 'Sweet Innocence' nor have I limited the water although I'm not so sure the plant is gonna last in my garden. it's just not doing much of anything.

hmmm - so far mine is doing well - however, I only got it last year. I only have dapple sun light at best and it seemed to do okay last year. It's just peaking thru this year.... I suppose I should track how many buds appear each year to see how much it grows from year to year... ahhh something else to add to my tracking list!

I already lost everything green with white to alfalfa compost, tomatoe fertilizer and poor and inconsistant watering habits. Recommended by someone with gorgeous hosta (except for the watering part) but that combo didn't work for me.

Do you mean you lost the plants completely - or did they drawstring or what? If the latter, the second flush of leaves might be better. I know that I recommend all of the above except the inconsistent watering habits, but I don't use tomato fertilizer very strong, not do I use it throughout the season. It IS useful with seedlings when they need something to supplement what is in the growing medium or when transplanting.

I quit tracking buds once I've got 15-20 on each plant.

Patriots, White Christmas and any other green and whites are no longer in my garden, not even a trace. Greens, Blues, Chartruece, & Yellows hosta doing great. I seem to also do better with large hosta than with the medium and small border hosta but not really sure why.

That's really strange. Have you had a plant napper?

Might have been my hosta pulling, I mean weed pulling weedwacking husband.

My hubby took the weed wacker out last weekend and wacked about 4 corral bells I had planted in the back yard in the "grass".... he thought they were some new nasty weed (LOL)

Christine27360 said:My hubby took the weed wacker out last weekend and wacked about 4 corral bells I had planted in the back yard in the "grass".... he thought they were some new nasty weed (LOL)

I wouldn't be laughing--I'd be threatening bodily harm with a trowel.