I returned to Lowe's and purchased 'Guacamole' today because it grows fast and will fill its space quickly.

Lowe's has a 1 year guarantee so they will replace any Hosta I purchased from them for free if they don't make it through the winter. It had just a touch of sun scorch on one leaf.

Guacamole had 3 young shoots coming up.
I think these are called "eyes". So I paid $7 dollars for 1 section and 3 eyes. (4 divisions) and it comes with a guarantee.

I am in a hurry to fill that beautiful shady slope down by the creek. This is a place that is full sprinkled shade all morning and mid day then solid shade all evening. I placed two Moonstruck Hosta there right now.




It's a gentle slope above a rock cove with a picnic table.





These moonstruck Hosta have two plants. We're 4 inch pots and price marked. $4.99

Betsy, congratulations on your new gardening focus. It looks like you have some nice planting areas for your hostas.
I have a number of hostas. While far from being expert, I am familiar with some of the varieties you mentioned. Liberty is a beautiful hosta. In my yard it's a slower grower than some of my others, but well worth the effort.
Diana Remembered grows well for me. It's also a beautiful hosta, and it has fragrant flowers.
Hostas with white centered leaves sometimes tend to be slower growers than some of the other varieties, so don't get too concerned if it takes yours a little longer to get going.

Kat

Honestly I'm not sure which Hosta would look the best together.

I read somewhere that I am not supposed to put a few very striking ones together because they detract from each other but instead to accent them with less flashy colors.

SpringGreenThumb said:Honestly I'm not sure which Hosta would look the best together.

I read somewhere that I am not supposed to put a few very striking ones together because they detract from each other but instead to accent them with less flashy colors.

I do whatever I want because it's my garden! I don't plant to please anybody but me. I have my more unusual ones planted in groups where I can see them better, towards the front of the beds. I guess because I like them I don't notice one being more distracting than another! The only thing I try to pay attention to is the size... I don't want to lose the view of the smaller ones by planting big varieties in front.

I took the advise and potted 'Loyslidt' I moved the pot to a location where it only gets first morning sunlight. The scorching seems to have stopped.




But then I read somewhere that the best way to kill a Hosta is to put a small Hodta in a big pot. So I picked up another "Loyalist" to help full the pot and prevent crown rot. (Not sure how that works.)

This larger 'Loyalist' that I added to the pot is a freak, it is exactly in half with its coloring.

Exactly half of the plant is variagated and exactly half is solid green.

I figured this plant might be stronger because it can make more chlorophyll.

You will need to separate out that green part or it will take over and crowd out the proper 'Loyalist' because it will grow much faster.

As far as placement, you are the final judge. But bear in mind the ultimate size of the hosta and the shape of the mound. For instance, you probably don't want a host with an upright habit (vase shaped) right at the edge of the garden. And you don't want minis in a place where they will get lost under larger hostas.

Think of the colours in the leaves and plant colours that compliment each other. I like these together because the largest one, 'Sara' gets more yellow during the season, the one in front, 'Janet' gets white during the season and the one in back, 'So Sweet' has yellow margins.


I like 'June' and 'Bulletproof' together as the blue in 'Bulletproof' has a yellow cast at times and both colours compliment 'June'.


'Loyalist' is a sport of 'Patriot' and the colours are reversed. Others in the family would look good with these too.


'Aristocrat' and 'Remember Me' are roughly reversed colours and look nice together.


Include some solid colour hostas to give the eye a rest. And finally, remember that nobody gets it right all the time. And plants don't always grow at the rate you expect them to. Study the effect during the season and in late summer or early autumn, move them around to places where they work. (Do take pictures after you move them and title those pictures; so that the following spring you will know where to look for them). Don't forget to enjoy them!

I cannot separate the green part out of Hosta "Loyalist" it is the same crown.

How do I separate it?

Oh dear. I hadn't noticed that. It's probably a bit of a crap shoot as to what colour it will be next year. Anyone else have any ideas?

I would have to cut the leaf right down the center.

I have carefully watched and watered my new Hosta EVERY day. This morning I found heat scorch on the tip of one of my Diana Remembered.

This Hosta is receiving 4 hours sunlight between 11:30 am and 3:30 pm.

Too hot!!!

I immediately moved it to a shady location.
Lesson for Utah. "Sun tolerant Hosta" means it's sun tolerant in cooler, damp, misty regions like New Hampshire and Canada.

"Sun tolerant" does NOT mean UTAH. I believe there is no such thing as a sun tolerant Hosta in Utah.
The Utah dry sunlight is just too fierce. So far every Hosta I have NOT put in sprinkled sunlight or 2 hours morning sunlight only has been scorched.
I won't be trying that any more... even sun tolerant Hosta are shade plants.

That's likely the case, but if it's only NEW hostas that are getting scorched, bear in mind that they are probably reacting to a change of environment. It's quite possible that they might get scorched this year when they are new but be OK next year.

ViolaAnn said:That's likely the case, but if it's only NEW hostas that are getting scorched, bear in mind that they are probably reacting to a change of environment. It's quite possible that they might get scorched this year when they are new but be OK next year.

I have considered that. I figured I should move them to a more gentle location and let them establish for the coming winter and after they have adjusted and hardened to the climate change... (It usually takes 2 years for a plant to become truly established.) Then I will can better test their limits.

I don't want to push them and lose them.

They are all new except that first one I posted. That one has always had a few hours afternoon sun and never scorched.

The earth will be shifting in October... then some of them will get a little more sunlight but it will be cooler sunlight.

I put time release fertilizer stakes in the ground near their them today.

I hope the fertilizer stakes won't harm them.

Instructions say they prefer rich soil.

I found this info on how to fertilize Hosta.

http://www.gardenguides.com/77...

People around here swear by Milorganite. Smells bad - might discourage bunnies et al.

It's also a good idea to mix up a batch of alfalfa tea in mid-early summer. And I generally put a handful of alfalfa pellets in the hole.

For seedlings and very little hostas, I sometimes add water soluble tomato food.

SpringGreenThumb said:

• Hosta 'Loyalist'
• Uploaded by SpringGreenThumb

So now I'm going to compare the progress of Ivory Queen and Loyalist with a picture so I can see for myself what is going on with them over the last 15 days...





Ivory Queen is definitely showing growth longer stems...

Loyalist lost it's original three largest leaves to scorch but the remaining leaves are definitely growing.

I have hope for them. Yay!!

Earth Angel comparison above is 15 days ago and below is this morning. Wow!! She really is growing good. I notice those two leaves in the foreground have increased in size and switched growth direction. Amazing. I would not have known she was growing this good if I were not taking pictures....





The most if me expected them to not make any progress this year. Just to stay at the same size... and possibly even struggle more. They are taking off!

I'm not a Hosta failure!! (So far)