MAINTENANCE

Water is important! We suggest five gallons per week be added per plant, when one inch of rainfall does not fall during the months of May, June, July, August, September, and October. Especially the first year or two after planting.

A side dressing of dehydrated or composted manure in early Spring will give added beauty to the Hostas.

An occasional few tablespoons of slow release Sierra Blend or Osmocote with Iron fertilizer around each Hosta in early Spring or midsummer also proves to be quite rewarding.

In Autumn, after the leaves wither and die from frosts and onset of Winter, the leaves may be trimmed off. We usually leave the bloom scapes about two inches long, so that when they are mulched (if mulching is done), the exact location of each can easily be seen.

It takes about four to five years for a young Hosta to become a mature field grown plant. So do not expect your newly planted Hosta to look like a mature plant the first year or two.

Bloom scapes should be cut to within 2 inches of the ground when blooms have finished.

We prefer fall clean up of older leaves on established clumps after full killing frosts. We like the cold winter weather to help sterilize the top of the soil and plant tips, as we feel many slugs and small insects can congregate and over winter in the dead foliage. New and very young plants need some freeze and thaw protection and we like a mulch of White Pine needles over the new crowns.

PROPER SPACING OF HOSTAS

Hostas come in a variety of sizes. Generally they are:

1. Giant 4-6' Wide Plant 4-6'Apart

2. Large 3-4' Wide Plant 3-4'Apart

3. Medium 2' Wide Plant 2'Apart

4. Small 1-2' Wide Plant 18"-2'Apart

5. Miniature 6-12" Wide Plant 15-18"Apart

6. Dwarf 3-6" Wide Plant 6-15"Apart

Our largest Hosta is Hosta ‘Sum and Substance’ and it is 9 1/2' wide and gets 5' tall, but this is because a lot of work was done in bed preparation and we do have a groundhog buried beneath it.

Generally the Giants only grow to 4' wide in five years or so..

Happy Hostaing !!