| Growing hostas is a sure bet for fabulous, | | | | soaked in tepid water for about a half hour |
| foolproof foliage that will enhance any garden. | | | | before planting. If you're dividing a large hosta or |
| Their food and water requirements are minimal, | | | | relocating a hosta to another part of your garden, |
| and they repay even even modest care with | | | | water it well both before you start digging and |
| stunning beauty. | | | | after it has been planted. |
| Hostas are the most popular perennial in the US | | | | Hostas do best when they're evenly moist, so |
| and it's easy to see why - these undemanding, | | | | avoid the drought/flood syndrome. Good drainage |
| easy-to-grow plants will thrive almost anywhere | | | | is important - avoid standing water. |
| with a minimum of care. | | | | - Signs of inadequate water: drooping, pale foliage, |
| Water Requirements: | | | | and burning on the tips of the leaves |
| Hostas like to be moist, but they don't like to be | | | | - When to water: watering early in the day is |
| soggy. As a general guideline, think in terms of a | | | | good for most plants, including hostas. |
| minimum of an inch of water per week, but be | | | | Fertilizer Requirements: |
| prepared to adjust according to temperature and | | | | Hostas aren't heavy feeders, so a good feeding in |
| conditions. | | | | early spring (before they break ground) is |
| When the temperatures are high, hostas will need | | | | generally enough to keep them happy. A balanced |
| more water. If you're growing your hostas in | | | | slow release fertilizer such as 13-13-13 is both |
| sandy soil water will drain quickly, so you may | | | | safe and effective for hostas. If you like to |
| need to increase the amount of water you | | | | fertilize during the season, use a weak mixture of |
| provide. | | | | a 20-20-20 fertilizer. |
| Deep watering is important to ensure good root | | | | Growing hostas in containers is possible, but |
| development. Keeping the roots moist is | | | | requires more attention to food and water needs. |
| particularly important when planting a new hosta | | | | Check potted hostas daily to make sure the soil is |
| or transplanting an older one, so take extra | | | | evenly moist, and feed with a weak 20-20-20 |
| precautions. Mail-order hostas, which are | | | | fertilizer mix about once a month through the |
| frequently shipped with bare roots, should be | | | | growing season. |