About Hostas

The Plants: Hostas are hardy perennial plants - grown mainly for their beautiful foliage which provides colourful interest for six months of the year - and are very easy to maintain. Leaves may be plain or variegated, dark blue to silvery blue to darkest green to gold to cream, and colour combinations of any of these as well as white or gold variegated centrally or marginally. The size of mature leaves can vary from pencil to dinner plate and the texture can be smooth or very corrugated, shiny or matt.

Hostas: Hostas rose to fame as the best plants for shade and damp places, but they are also ideal plants for any garden border or container though preferring not to be in full sun all day in a dry situation. Their foliage is excellent for flower arrangements and as a foil to other plants in the garden. Their flowers range from white to deep purple and this year we have many  available with fragrance.

Cultivation: Although hostas tolerate poor soil we recommend thorough preparation of the ground incorporating plenty of compost or manure. Spread the roots out and plant so that the growth buds are just at ground level. Keep new plants well watered during the first season so that they quickly get well established. Subsequently a mulch in the Autumn and a sprinkling of fertilizer in the Spring will be of great benefit. The plants can be left undisturbed for many years, but if you wish to divide them, the early Spring is the best time. Some Gardeners find that the thicker-leaved hostas are less attacked by the main enemies, slugs and snails. A mulch of sharp stone or rough bark is a deterent. If they are always a problem, start your attack with organic or chemical pesticides or traps, in February. This helps prevent the early holes in leaves, and slows down the rapid Springtime increase of mollusc population. Repeat before necessary.

Container Growing: This continues to increase in popularity. This helps to deter slugs and snails too. If you grow your hostas in containers follow the same general lines but note that you will need to repot most varieties after two or three years. The plants outdoors in containers will come to no harm during winter, but your container may need frost protection.

Hostas make excellent presents at any time. They parade before the gardener from March/April through to October without any fuss or special treatment, then they die down, only to re-appear bigger and better the following Spring, and last for years and years.