Hosta patriot planting and care in the open field

Ornamental deciduous crops have long won the love of gardeners along with flowering ones. Beautiful lush leaves of different colors decorate gardens, flower beds, terraces. One of the most beautiful representatives of such plants is the hosta. Its diversity amazes even the most experienced landscape designers. But the host has won the love of gardeners and amateur flower growers with its unpretentiousness. It can withstand various adverse conditions. But if you please her a little, then the plant will delight you with its greenery for a whole season.

Content

• 1 Description of the flower
• 2 Types and varieties of hosts with photos
  • 2.1 Albomarginate
  • 2.2 White feathers
  • 2.3 Blue host
  • 2.4 Antiochus
  • 2.5 Aureomarginate
  • 2.6 Hosta Patriot
  • 2.7 Media Variety
  • 2.8 Gold standard
  • 2.9 Elegance
  • 2.10 Canadian Blue
• 3 Buying hosts - how to choose (how to save a host before landing)
• 4 When to plant - in spring or autumn
• 5 Landing
• 6 Caring for hosts
  • 6.1 Host Care: Video
• 7 Diseases and pests
• 8 Reproduction
  • 8.1 Division
  • 8.2 Growing from seed
  • 8.3 Reproduction of hosts by seeds: video
  • 8.4 Vegetative method
• 9 Preparing for winter
  • 9.1 Preparing hosts for winter: video

Description of the flower

The host has other names as well. In the old days it was called funky. And in English-speaking countries, for the similarity with the well-known plantain to all of us, hosts are popularly called "plantain lily".

This plant has been known since the 18th century. Hosts were constantly improved by breeders, due to which today there are many species and hybrids. The host can grow up to 50 cm in height. Depending on the species, the color of its leaves comes in a variety of shades of green and light green. Many varieties are characterized by a combination of different colors on one sheet. They also differ in shape and size. Different varieties have leaves from 5 to 40 cm. They are smooth and textured, shiny, matte.

Hosta flowers are not so valued, but they are quite beautiful too. Peduncles are often knocked out high - up to 120 cm. Flowers are bell-shaped and funnel-shaped. As a rule, they have purple, lilac, lilac shades.

The main advantage of the plant is its unpretentiousness. Indeed, for more than ten years the host is able to grow in one place, even in the shade. At the same time, it perfectly tolerates frost, is resistant to hot weather. Very rarely, the hosta suffers from pests, most often it is attacked only by slugs, which like the shade and moisture under its spreading and wide leaves.

Types and varieties of hosts with photos

The number of host species reaches 4 dozen. On their basis, a huge number of hybrids have been bred. It is even believed that it will no longer be possible to breed new varieties, since all the plant's breeding capabilities have been used.

Existing varieties and species are divided according to different principles: size, color, etc.

Albomarginate

Albomarginate grade

Albomarginata is a variety taken out of the wavy host species. This plant reaches 50-60 cm. It tolerates hot sunny weather well. The leaves grow up to 45 cm, and the peduncles are very tall - up to 90 cm. The shade of the leaves is dark green, and a light cream border is placed along the edge. This host variety blooms in the middle of summer with delicate purple small flowers.

White feathers

Variety White feathers

White feathers are a unique variety. Having seen him once, you will not be able to forget such beauty. It is planted, as a rule, in shady areas, where it will stand out brightly against the background of greenery. Young leaves are light almost white in color and about 15 cm in size. Over time, green paths appear on them, filling the entire leaf. The optimal height of the bushes of this variety is 40-55 cm. From mid-summer to autumn, the hosta blooms with delicate lavender flowers.

Blue host

Blue hosta variety

The blue hosta includes many varieties of the plant. They are united by the color of the leaves - green with a bluish, blue tint. Their shape is heart-shaped, and their size is large enough. Such varieties bloom with pale flowers collected in inflorescences.

Antiochus

Antioch grade

Antioch is a white-bordered host variety. The bushes have a dense structure, grow up to 50 cm in height. They can be up to 120 cm wide. Leaves are oval, of medium width. They have a pointed tip and wavy edges. The rich green color of the leaves is set off by a light strip of cream, and later white.

Aureomarginate

Aureomarginata variety

Aureomarginata is another beautiful host variety. Its leaves are graceful, have an elongated shape, a sharp top. On a green background of shiny leaves, a feather-shaped border of a yellow hue is visible. The leaves of the bush are large, and its height reaches half a meter.

Hosta Patriot

Variety Patriot

Hosta Patriot belongs to the large varieties. It grows up to 70 cm. The leaves have a jagged border and white. Their shape is wavy. The variety blooms in the second half of summer, has small lilac flowers.

Mediovariety

Variety of Mediovariegat

Mediovariety is another type of wavy host. Its leaves have an oblong ovoid shape and a curled tip. On the light green leaves, a bright white uneven stripe is visible in the middle. Blooms earlier than other host, grows up to 50-70 cm.

Gold standard

Gold standard grade

The Gold Standard is a hosta whose leaves have a golden hue. A dark green path flanks them. The host grows up to 70 cm, and can be more than a meter wide. Leaves are cordate, have a pointed tip.

Elegans

Elegance variety

Host Elegance is characterized by tall bushes, up to 90 cm. They have a delicate green color with a bluish tinge. The leaves reach a size of 30x25 cm. Flowers on medium peduncles, have a delicate white color.

Canadian Blue

Variety Canadian Blue

Another blue host variety is Canadian Blue. Her leaves are heart-shaped. They have like a wax coating on the surface. Their shade is very beautiful - gray-blue. The bushes reach 40-50 cm in height, and 80-90 cm in width.

Buying hosts - how to choose (how to save a host before landing)

You can buy hosts in a specialized store or on the market. In any case, you need to choose good plants. For this, it is important to pay attention to the roots of the host. They must be strong and healthy. The leaf bud should be prominent and well developed. If the leaves have already unfolded, then the plants are not worth buying. Its rhizomes are weaker, so the hosta will develop poorly after planting. Even plants that are sold in pots are not worth buying. Yes, the colors of the host are clearly visible on them, but it is much more difficult for them to take root.

After purchasing such a dormant seedling, you must save it until planting. To do this, the plant must be placed in a dark and cool place. The easiest option, which suits most, is to put the plant in the refrigerator, namely in the fruit compartment.A glazed loggia and a cellar are also suitable. A basement is fine too, if not too warm. You can even bury it in the snow on the site. For this, plants are placed deep in a snowdrift, near the very ground. They are sprinkled with sawdust, peat or sand. A large snowdrift is poured from above. But this is only suitable for plants whose buds are still dormant.

Roots should be inspected for rot before storing. It is eliminated, the cut-off points need to be treated with brilliant green. You can put the hosts in a pot and put them in the house. But in this case, the plant will turn out to be too pampered when it comes time to plant it in the garden. It can be hardened before disembarkation. To do this, in the morning the plant is placed in the sun, and in the evening - in the shade.

Immediately before planting, the rhizomes are treated with potassium permanganate.

When to plant - in spring or autumn

Many gardeners, after meeting the hosts, want to plant them at home, but do not know when to do it right. Both autumn and spring are suitable for planting this culture. In the first case, it is necessary to plant in early autumn. It is very important that the plant has time to take root, to take root before the cold comes. The end of August or the beginning of September is most suitable.

As for the springtime, the early period is also more suitable for planting the host. We have to wait until the frost has passed. But the plant should not yet bloom when planting.

Landing

The host is planted in soil with humus. Its structure does not play a big role. The main thing is to avoid sands and heavy loams. Before planting, the soil is dug deep enough with organic fertilizers.

The landing time in the Urals and in the Moscow region depends on the air temperature. The main rule is that frosts should not appear by this time. And all other landing conditions are no different for all regions.

It is important to know that different host varieties react differently to sunlight. So hosts with thin leaves are more fond of shade. And varieties with denser leaves prefer a little more light. Golden hosts like to grow in places where the sun shines a little in the mornings and evenings, and the shade remains during the day.

If the hosta grows in a place that does not suit her, then the leaves lose their decorative features - they become paler, their colors are less pronounced.

For planting, the host digs a wide hole so that the roots can grow horizontally. You can add some sand to the hole, as well as peat and manure or compost soil. All this is mixed and covered by 2/3, then the landing site is watered. When planting, the roots must be well spread. The kidney should not be below the level of the site, it should not be deepened. After planting, the soil is watered and mulched about 1-2 cm with peat.

When choosing a place for a host, it should be borne in mind that she can grow on it for many years. It does not need to be carried or excavated. Over time, the bushes become more beautiful, larger. Shaded wet areas are great for this plant.

Host care

Taking care of hosts is a pleasure. And all because the bushes practically do not require attention to themselves. To understand what this plant loves, you need to know where it grows in the wild. At home, these plants love to settle on the banks of rivers. They like moisture in both soil and air. This is what the hosts should try to provide.

Watering must be timely. But you need to know when to stop. If you overdo it, the roots can rot. Moderate evening watering is best.

Hostas can be fed three times during the season.

• The first time in the spring, when growth is just beginning.
• The second - during flowering
• The third is when it ends.

You need to feed it in turn with mineral fertilizers and organic. The dosage is suitable as indicated on the packaging. As for loosening the soil, this procedure must be carried out very carefully. Host roots are located close to the surface and are very easy to damage.Loosening can be replaced by mulching. By the way, it helps to keep moisture better. And weeds usually do not interfere with this plant, the hosta does not leave them room for growth.

Host care: video

Diseases and pests

The host practically does not suffer from diseases. But sometimes some pests interfere with the life of this beautiful deciduous plant. Most often, the hosts are attacked by the only enemy - a slug. Such creatures are considered quite harmless - slow and defenseless. But this is only at first glance. The slugs' appetites are immense. And the young leaves of the hosta are very much to their taste.

If these pests have appeared near the bushes, mulching will help again. But it is not peat that needs to be poured under the bush, something more unpleasant. For example, you can use crushed shell rock, wood chips or fine gravel. Slugs won't want to crawl on such a surface.

Reproduction

Hosts can be propagated in several ways:

• By division;
• Seeds;
• In a vegetative way.

Division

Which method to choose depends on the type of plant. For example, not all species tolerate fission well. Some of them, after such a procedure, cannot grow and develop normally for about 2 years. But if you divide the host bushes, then you should do it in the spring or at the end of summer. The bushes are separated using tools such as a sharp knife, shovel or pitchfork. By the way, the latter helps to injure the root system less.

In order for the cuttings to take root faster, the leaves on them should be cut in half.

Growing from seeds

Not all host varieties grow well from seeds. The weather also affects seedlings. This method is bad because with it young plants do not retain all the specific features of the variety. This is good only for breeders who benefit from a variety of seed offspring. Hosta can be sown in spring after cold stratification or before winter. Seedlings develop for a very long time. They will be able to achieve a decorative appearance only after 4-5 years of life.

Reproduction of hosts by seeds: video

Vegetative way

Vegetative propagation is the most efficient way in the case of a host. Most often it is used on a large industrial scale. The hosts are grown in test tubes. This technique is presented in several ways. In the first, a kidney placed in an artificial environment grows at a certain temperature, humidity and light. Plants grow and after a couple of weeks they can already serve as mother plants for the separation of new buds.

Preparing for winter

Some gardeners believe that the hosta does not need winter preparation. But it is possible to leave it to its own devices only in the southern regions. But in the middle lane it is already worth worrying about this plant. Sometimes, with spring frosts, the roots often die when the last snow melted. Also, slugs often eat only the buds that have broken through.

To avoid such troubles, you need to pay a little attention to the bushes at the end of the season. First, the stem is cut immediately after flowering. Thus, the hosta does not waste energy on ripening the seeds. It is important to mulch the soil under the hosts using grass, peat or sawdust. In spring, mulch will act as an organic fertilizer. And if you also pour it with phytosporin or add tobacco dust, then the slugs will not bother the plant.

Dying leaves do not need to be removed. Hosta will winter better, covered with its leaves. From above, the bushes can still be covered with branches from old spruces, pines. So the host will not be lost if the winter is snowless. It is impossible to cover the hosts with roofing material and polyethylene, they will not be able to breathe. In addition, pests like to settle under such shelters.

Preparing hosts for winter: video

The host does not require any special investment of effort, time or money. All she needs is a good place to grow and a little care in the spring and fall. But in gratitude, you can get beautiful bushes - beautiful, lush and healthy.

Source

Spectacular hosta (funkiya) - decoration of shady corners of the garden - is loved by gardeners for the variety of varieties and varieties capable of creating a picturesque composition in a country house or city flower bed without the participation of other plants. Planting the hosta in open ground, reproducing and caring for it is very simple, which only adds to the popularity of the adorable plant.

Variety of host species

All the beauty of a plant is in its leaves. Tall stalks with flowers of various shades only complement the exquisite beauty of the funkia.

The color of the leaves is the most diverse, according to the color characteristic, the plants are divided into 5 groups:

• green;
• blue (foliage is covered with a gray waxy bloom);
• yellow;
• variegated, including variegated and with a light border;
• medio-variegated - with a green edging of leaves.

By size, the functions are divided into:

• dwarf - up to 10 cm high;
• miniature - from 10 to 15 cm in height;
• small - up to 25 cm;
• medium (the largest group) - up to 50 cm;
• large - from 55 to 75 cm;
• gigantic, whose height exceeds 75 cm.

In domestic horticulture, several species are widespread, which have become the basis for the development of new varieties.

Hosta wavy

Originally from Japan, it is a spherical bush with dense wavy elliptical leaves. Their length is about 20 cm, the color is green or white-green, determined by the variety.

The following varieties of wavy hosts are popular.

• Erromena is a cultivar of rare unpretentiousness to growing conditions, requires minimal maintenance. The height of the bush, formed by light green leaves, is 30-50 cm, diameter is up to 80 cm. It blooms from July to the end of August with lavender flowers.
• Univitata is a variety that grows well in the shade. This hosta is interesting for the color of the leaves - they are white with light green stripes in the center, bordered by a bright green stripe. Height - up to 45 cm, width - up to 90 cm. It blooms in June-July with purple-lilac flowers.

The host is bloated

A newcomer from the northeastern regions of China forms large bushes and tall (up to 120 cm) peduncles. The leaves are corrugated, one- and two-colored. The species requires regular moisture and good drainage.

Of particular interest is the Aureum Maculata variety. The cultivar attracts with the color of the leaves: the yellowish-green center is dotted with cream, yellow-green and light green stripes, the edges are dark green. As autumn approaches, the color of the leaves evens out to green. The variety is grown in well-lit places, in the shade, the color of the leaves is smoothed out. Bushes about half a meter high and up to 80 cm in diameter produce flower stalks with lilac flowers from July to August.

Khosta curly (white-bordered)

Also native to Japan, with wide green leaves with white edging. Prefers partial shade and light soils. Frost resistant. Compact bush - up to 30 cm in width and height. Dark purple (less commonly white) flowers complement the natural beauty from July to August.

Khosta plantain

Natural region of habitation - China and Japan. Leaves are thin, bright green, with shine. From the middle of summer, it produces peduncles up to 45 cm long with large white flowers. On the basis of this species, hybrids have been created, interesting by the aroma of flowers, reminiscent of violets and lilacs at the same time.

Varieties of plantain funkia:

• Honey Bell is a large bush (up to 90 cm), lilac flowers open in September, prefers partial shade;
• Royal Standard - up to 70 cm in size, late September flowering.

Hosta hybrid

A large group that unites cultivars of different sizes, differing in a more spectacular color of the leaves. When choosing a hybrid host, pay attention to the flowering time and the degree of shade tolerance. A bright representative is the hosta White Feathers, or white. Its young leaves are painted in a milky white color, against the background of which bright green stripes gradually appear, when the leaves grow up to 15 cm. Closer to autumn, the leaf plate becomes completely green.

Hosta Patriot differs from the sisters in the amazing bright color of the leaves - dark green with a bright white edging - which persists until the last days of autumn. Pale lavender flowers open from mid-July. Equally decorative in the shade and in sunny places.

Landing

The function does not apply to capricious plants, but when planting, some of its features must be taken into account.

When purchasing bushes or hosta roots in specialized stores or on the market, the first step is to check the roots: rotting ones must be removed immediately.

Optimal dates for planting in open ground:

• mid or late spring, when the weather is finally warm;
• autumn, starting in the last days of August.

They complete the autumn planting in such a way that the seedlings have time to fully take root before the onset of cold weather.

In the Urals and Siberia, the hosta is planted, transplanted and divided only in the spring.

The place for the funkia is chosen protected from drafts, half-shaded, especially for varieties with variegated colored leaves: in sunny areas, their color evens out, acquiring an even green or yellow-green color. Species with monochromatic light-colored leaves are grown without shading.

The soil is needed fertile, with good moisture and drainage. Acidity does not play a special role - it is suitable from moderately acidic to moderately alkaline.

On sandy soils, the hosta develops very slowly; when planting in such areas, mineral complexes and humus are added to the planting pit.

Landing algorithm

1. The site is dug onto a shovel bayonet. At the same time, mineral fertilizers are applied - a mixture of potassium sulfate, ammonium nitrate (15 g each) and superphosphate (20 g) for each seat.
2. The holes are dug a little larger than an earthen coma. If planted with rhizomes, the size of the hole is determined by the size of the future bush: the larger it is, the larger the hole. The depth is made taking into account the drainage layer.
3. The distance between the holes also depends on the size of the bushes - from 30 cm for dwarf forms to 1 m for tall and spreading ones.
4. Drainage is laid out in the dug hole, a small mound is formed on it from the excavated soil.
5. The seedling or rhizome is placed on a mound so that the roots are distributed over the slopes. In this case, the kidneys should be strictly at ground level. If necessary, add earth to the bottom (or remove excess).
6. The hole is covered with earth, tamping a little, then watered abundantly. The land around the bush is mulched with peat or tree bark.

It should be remembered that the first year after planting the host, especially with highly decorative leaves, grows very slowly. The variegated color of the leaves is fully manifested in the 3-year-old plant.

Care

Wide leaf plates are an excellent polygon for moisture evaporation, excluding species and varieties with bluish and shiny leaves. Watering is required every 3-4 days, in dry weather - daily. This is especially true for plants planted in sunny areas. It is useful to combine watering with sprinkling in hot summer. The procedure is carried out only after sunset.

In the Urals, hosts are watered only when the topsoil is completely dry.

The soil under the flower is regularly weeded, loosened and mulched, since mulch is a source of organic matter that hosts need throughout the growing season. The exception is dwarf and miniature varieties.

Top dressing is applied three times per season:

• at the beginning of the growing season - mineral complexes for flowering plants and organic matter;
• at the beginning of flowering - potash and phosphorus fertilizers;
• at the end of flowering - humus or compost.

Pruning is a regular procedure that removes old, yellowed leaves and flower stalks that have completed flowering.

Most hosts can handle frost well without shelter. However, the winters of recent years are replete with weather surprises, experienced gardeners recommend not to cut off the leaves of the hosts in the fall, and also not to clean them from the foliage that has fallen from the trees.

Be sure to cover first-year plants, especially those planted in the fall. Spruce branches, dry foliage, agrofibre are used for this.

Pests and diseases

The main pest of the hosta is a slug that gnaws at leaves. The fight against it involves the use of highly toxic drugs. It is easier to set traps or mulch the approaches with chopping mulch - fine gravel, pine needles, cracked eggshells.

The function is resistant to diseases, but it can become infected from neighbors with brown spot and other fungal infections. Infected plants are sprayed with fungicides. With severe lesions, they are dug up and destroyed. As a prophylaxis, spraying with boipreparations is used.

Reproduction

Hosta can be propagated in three ways - by dividing the bush, by cuttings, by seeds. Each option is interesting in its own way, has its own characteristics.

How to split a bush?

The easiest way to guarantee one hundred percent repetition of the varietal characteristics of the new plant. Apply it in spring or autumn, combined with a transplant. Experienced gardeners playfully solve the problem throughout the growing season, sometimes in winter.

For division, choose healthy plants at least 3 years old.

In the spring, the procedure is carried out when young shoots appear. You don't have to dig the mother bush, just separate a small part using any tool - a shovel, a pitchfork, a knife with a wide blade. Delenki are immediately planted in prepared places without changing the planting depth. If some shoots have broken off, but a piece of rhizome is preserved on them, they are planted in a greenhouse or in a shaded place, covered with a jar.

During transplanting, the dug out bush is shaken off from large clods of earth, old and dried sections of roots are cut off, and the bush is divided into parts with a sharp tool.

Delenki are not planted in their old place - so they will take root for a very long time, often they simply die.

Cuttings

A more complicated process, since in many varieties, young shoots grow in a dense mass. Hosta stalk is a young shoot with a piece of root, "heel". Perfect cuttings are not always obtained by experienced flower growers, but even substandard planting material can be tried to root by planting it in the shade and covering it with a cap.

How to plant a hosta from seeds?

Growing hosts from seeds is a laborious process that does not guarantee the preservation of varietal traits if the seeds are harvested on their own. The germination rate of hosta seeds is within 70%, young plants acquire the decorative effect inherent in the variety in the 5-6th year.

The seed sowing technology is quite laborious.

1. Stratification within a month. At optimal sowing dates (March, less often April), seeds are placed in the refrigerator in February.
2. Before sowing, the seeds are soaked in a stimulator for 30 minutes. Aloe juice, chalk water, "Zircon" or "Epin" solution will do.
3. The soil for sowing is selected neutral, loose, light. Purchased soil must contain peat, perlite, vermiculite.
4. Sowing containers and substrate are disinfected.
5. A drainage layer is poured onto the bottom of the seedling box, the soil is laid out, and moistened.
6. Seeds are spread over the surface, covered with a layer of substrate (5-6 mm), slightly compacted. The container is tightened with foil or covered with glass.
7. Keep a container with crops on a warm windowsill at a temperature of 18-25 ° C, in partial shade. Water sparingly, preventing the soil from drying out.
8. Sprouts appear in 2-3 weeks. The seedling container is immediately transferred to a place with good lighting. When 1-3 leaves are formed, young plants are seated in separate cups with drainage holes and a thick layer of sand (up to a quarter of the height of the container).
9. The seedlings are kept in a mini-greenhouse for another 7-10 days, airing daily. Watering - bottom, cups are placed in a pan with water.
10. Hardening of seedlings begins two weeks after transplanting, the outside temperature should not be lower than + 18 ° C.

Unpretentious hosta is easy to grow. Novice gardeners who are not confident in their abilities are advised to start by planting monochrome varieties.After making sure that caring for the plant is not burdensome, and the return is great, you can safely diversify the decorative compositions in the garden with colorful cultivars. With proper care, the host will confirm her title of queen of the shadow.

The host genus belongs to the Asparagus family. These are perennials with overall decorative foliage of various colors, effectively merging with garden compositions formed by decorative flowering plants. In nature, there are about 40 host species, but their hybrid forms and varieties are most in demand in horticulture.

The highest degree of popularity of the host is determined not only by the beauty of their leaves, but also by their longevity - individual bushes are able to decorate a garden or flower garden for 25 years, and moreover, their splendor and beauty increase with age.

Host varieties and species

One of the most commonly used species in horticulture is host Siebold from the island of Honshu (Japan). This plant is characterized by dense, broadly cordate-ovate leaves, covered with a waxy, bluish bloom. Their length is no more than 35 cm, and their width is up to 25. Flowers in the form of white funnels, 5-6 cm long are located on rather long (up to 40 cm) peduncles.

Old Japanese hybrids of this species are often found in gardens, especially the variety hosta aureomarginate with leaves bordered by a wide dark yellow edging.

Another popular type is hosta wavy - has a garden origin, bred in the Land of the Rising Sun. Its leaves are oblong-ovate, elongate 20 cm in length and 13 in width. The edges of the foliage are characterized by strong waviness, and the central part is a combination of white and green areas (the center may be completely white). The shape of the flowers is funnel-bell-shaped, the color is light purple, the length is up to 5 cm. The peduncles of this species rise by as much as 80 cm and have several small leaves.

Variety hosta wavy album belongs to the group of medium size, develops normally in high light conditions. Its dark green leaves are 19 cm long and 9 cm wide with a thin creamy white border. The color of the flowers is dark purple, they are located on even higher (up to 90 cm) peduncles.

Sort hosts

Along with the species and varieties presented above, varietal hosts are widespread, of which today there are more than 3000! Given this number and variety, it is customary in culture to divide them into several garden groups.

For example, according to the color of the leaves, hosts are classified as blue, yellow, light-bordered (white or yellow edging), and so on.

• Separately taken hosta blue (like any other), at the same time, falls under the size classification - variety hosta blue cadet belongs to the low.

• Hosta halcyonas mentioned earlier hosta wavy album, to the average.

• White-bordered varieties include a dwarf variety hosta stiletto and middle hosta patriot.

• Hosta Golden Tiara - medium yellow bordered.

• Low hosta june has a yellow-cream center and blue-green edges.

• Hosta Striptease looks very original - the center of a wide dark green leaf is highlighted with a yellow spot with a thin white border.

• Hosta Golden Meadows considered one of the most beautiful due to the corrugated edges of the sheets.

• Hosta guacamole with rounded foliage may have yellow stripes on it.

• Hosta first frost is so popular that in 2010 it earned the title “Host of the Year”- medium in height (up to 35 cm), spreading (up to 90 cm in width), changing the bluish color of the foliage to green.

• Hosta albopicta - medium, very persistent, changes the shade of leaves from yellow with bluish-green edging to 2-tone green.

• Hosta Big Daddy - blue, large, with waffle-textured sheets, exudes a light aroma.

• Hosta Hybrid Jeepsie Rose has foliage with a golden yellow central part and dark green edging.

• Hosta cherry berry - undersized (up to 30 cm in height), with creamy white, dark green at the edges, strewn with light green strokes of leaves.

• Hosta Rainbows End - dwarf, with glossy bright yellow foliage with a wide green frame.

• Hosta Wide Brim with heart-shaped foliage, painted in an emerald green tone, bright yellow at the edges, rather spreading - its height is 60 cm, and its width is 90.

Hosts for our climate

Of all the host varieties that exist today, the most suitable for growing in our climatic conditions are the following:

• Above grade hosta blue cadet... Its bush is about 15 cm high and up to 50 wide.

• Hosta Brim Cap... Variegated, with green foliage and white edging. Height - up to 30 cm, width - up to 38. It is best to plant in the shade and where there is light for half the day.

• Hosta gold standard... The foliage is ovoid, dark green, golden in the center. Strong growth is characteristic.

• Hosta patriot... The foliage is green with distinct stripes 1–2 cm wide, changing color from creamy yellow in May to white during the growing season.

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Hosta planting and care in the open field

Unpretentious hosta grows well almost anywhere on the site, next to the roots and tree trunk, on damp lowlands, dry slopes. The location is chosen based on the color of the foliage - for varieties with dark green leaves, shading is great throughout the day, since they can develop and bloom even in semi-darkness, while the prevailing majority of varieties are recommended for artificial shade (under fruit trees).

Yellow, lime and light green hosts grow well in areas shaded only during the hottest season. The same is true for the blue group. If there is simply no shade on the site, and it is completely illuminated by the sun, then it is better to plant the host from the west or north side of other large flowers, or water it intensively and mulch the rhizomes with compost.

It is very important to adhere to the recommended depth when planting: the root collar of a large hosta should be deepened by 4-5 cm, and a miniature or dwarf one - by 1-2. Departures from these norms can be fraught with rotting of the root collar on one side and pushing the plant to the surface of the soil on the other.

Rhododendron can serve as a legend of bright colors compositions with hosts and other plants, although it is rather moody, but it is worth it. When planting and nursing in the open field, rhododendron requires compliance with the rules, you can find recommendations for growing in this article.

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Watering hosts

Hosts, like other plants with large and numerous leaves, tend to evaporate moisture in large volumes, especially in hot weather. The increased moisture content of the soil has a positive effect on the size of the leaves of this plant, and therefore it is recommended to maintain it this way all the time, paying special attention to the areas where young growth is growing.

When watering, maintain a moderate stream of water to avoid strong soil compaction. Moisture should saturate the ground to a depth of 10-15 cm. Moistening procedures are recommended to be performed in the morning or evening, on sandy soil - every day. If the host does not have enough moisture, it will signal this by darkening at the tips of the leaves.

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Soil for hosts

For growing hosts, nutritious neutral or slightly acidic soils are preferred. A very heavy clay soil requires the addition of sand and compost, and a poor and dry sandy soil requires leaf humus and peat.

Low and dwarf hosts are extremely sensitive to high groundwater, so they are planted in loose light soil, after mixing sand, fine bark and gravel into it.

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Transplant hosts

Frequent transplants can harm adult specimens, which grow well on a permanent site for more than 10 years. If such a need arises, the procedure is performed in the spring or at the end of August - the first half of September. Spring division of the bush and transplanting is not recommended only for the Siebold hosts, her hybrids and Tokudama hosts.

Before planting in a new area (20-30 minutes), it should be watered. Low and medium hosts should be planted within a radius of 20-30 cm from each other, and varieties with large leaves - 30-40. Watering after planting should be daily for at least 14 days.

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Top dressing hosts

Hosts, which are mostly large plants, require good organic fertilizers such as humus and compost to maintain a high decorative effect. The second is fertilized with the soil in the pit during planting, sometimes with the addition of complex mineral fertilizers. Dolomite flour or ash should be added to acidic soil.

Regarding mulching, it is worth noting that in the spring it is better to perform it using, for example, humus, mowed grass or semi-decomposed sawdust, and in the fall it will be convenient to repeat it to protect the plant from frost during snowless cold periods.

Mineral fertilizers for host are selected on the basis of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (the store mix on the package contains the designation “NPK”) in an equal ratio or 1: 2: 1. For the first application, the time of the beginning of leaf regrowth is chosen, often in April, the second mineral dressing is carried out 6 weeks later - at the end of May, and the final third - in July.

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Pruning hosts

To keep the hosta always well-groomed, you need to break off its young flower arrows. Their appearance leads to the fact that the foliage diverges to the sides, as a result of which the symmetry inherent in the plant before flowering decreases.

But for some species and varieties, the approach in this aspect of care should be different, since, for example, the plantain hosta, its forms and varieties have special flowers - large, white and fragrant. Their peduncles should not be touched until the end of flowering, after which they can be removed.

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Hosta preparing for winter

The preparation of a garden beauty for winter is determined by some of the previously indicated actions, namely, by cutting the peduncles at the end of the flowering period, observing the feeding regime (fertilization should not be applied after July), autumn mulching (it does not hurt to add tobacco dust to the mulch layer, which snails are afraid of and slugs), as well as treatment with fungicides (phytosporin protects well against fungi and bacteria). In addition, you can provide a shelter from dry branches.

The use of polyethylene film, roofing felt and other materials impervious to water / air for these purposes is not permissible! Immediately after the end of winter, you should not count on the emergence of seedlings - the host will not rush to appear from the ground, waiting for the constancy of heat. This can lead to some confusion for a novice gardener, who may decide that the plant has not survived the cold times, but hosts often emerge late, after which they pleasantly surprise with rapid and rapid growth.

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Growing a host from seeds

Reproduction of hostas by seeds is not recommended, since the development of seedlings in this case is slow - only after 4 years new plants become decorative. Better to use the division of the bush or cuttings.

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Reproduction of hosts by dividing the bush

Hosts belong to those rare species of perennial plants, the rhizome of which can be successfully divided throughout the season, but, again, as indicated in the description of the transplant procedure, it is optimal to do this in spring and early autumn. In the course of division, the foliage is partially removed in order to reduce evaporation.

The separated element is planted in the soil at the same level as it was before, and watered abundantly.Young leaves should appear soon. It is not recommended to divide highly decorative hosts that have not reached the age of 5-7 years, since they do not have time to fully consolidate on the site and fully manifest their varietal potential (all the subtleties of coloring).

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Hosta propagation by cuttings

Reproduction is also possible using stem cuttings, of which a lot is formed in the process of dividing the bush. Parts of rhizomes with buds are planted in a greenhouse, and, in a fairly short time, they become young bushes.

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Diseases and pests

The host is usually not amazed by almost anything, except, perhaps, slugs, which are dangerous for varieties with thin delicate foliage. These molluscs sprinkle holes in the sheets of sheets overnight, and to prevent this, specialized agents, such as a slug eater or a thunderstorm, are scattered over the surface of the earth.

Rarely, but still, the host can be attacked black weevil... In this case, there is yellowing and wilting of foliage... Similar symptoms accompany infection with X or HVX viruses (yellow ring-shaped spots are formed). In both cases, diseased plants must be removed from the site.

If hosta has stopped growingand her leaves brighten and die off, then we are talking about rot of the root collar. The very first signs of the disease indicate the need to dig up the affected bushes and cut out the damaged tissue. The wounds formed on the rhizome should be sprinkled with fungicides, and the cured bush should be planted in another area. It is also recommended to replace the soil in the old place.

The hosts can dry foliage due to illness rust... This ailment is more characteristic of the yellow-bordered host. It is a consequence of dehydration of leaf tissues in hot and dry weather, therefore host varieties of this group are planted only in shaded areas and watered abundantly in dry times.

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Ornamental deciduous crops have long won the love of gardeners along with flowering ones. Beautiful lush leaves of different colors decorate gardens, flower beds, terraces. One of the most beautiful representatives of such plants is the hosta. Its diversity amazes even the most experienced landscape designers. But the host has won the love of gardeners and amateur flower growers with its unpretentiousness. It can withstand various adverse conditions. But if you please her a little, then the plant will delight you with its greenery for a whole season.

Description of the flower

The host has other names as well. In the old days it was called funky. And in English-speaking countries, for the similarity with the well-known plantain to all of us, hosts are popularly called "plantain lily".

This plant has been known since the 18th century. Hosts were constantly improved by breeders, due to which today there are many species and hybrids. The host can grow up to 50 cm in height. Depending on the species, the color of its leaves comes in a variety of shades of green and light green. Many varieties are characterized by a combination of different colors on one sheet. They also differ in shape and size. Different varieties have leaves from 5 to 40 cm. They are smooth and textured, shiny, matte.

Hosta flowers are not so valued, but they are quite beautiful too. Peduncles are often knocked out high - up to 120 cm. Flowers are bell-shaped and funnel-shaped. As a rule, they have purple, lilac, lilac shades.

The main advantage of the plant is its unpretentiousness. Indeed, for more than ten years the host is able to grow in one place, even in the shade. At the same time, it perfectly tolerates frost, is resistant to hot weather. Very rarely, the hosta suffers from pests, most often it is attacked only by slugs, which like the shade and moisture under its spreading and wide leaves.

Types and varieties of hosts with photos

The number of host species reaches 4 dozen. On their basis, a huge number of hybrids have been bred.It is even believed that it will no longer be possible to breed new varieties, since all the plant's breeding capabilities have been used.

Existing varieties and species are divided according to different principles: size, color, etc.

Albomarginate

Albomarginate grade

Albomarginata is a variety taken out of the wavy host species. This plant reaches 50-60 cm. It tolerates hot sunny weather well. The leaves grow up to 45 cm, and the peduncles are very tall - up to 90 cm. The shade of the leaves is dark green, and a light cream border is placed along the edge. This host variety blooms in the middle of summer with delicate purple small flowers.

White feathers

Variety White feathers

White feathers are a unique variety. Having seen him once, you will not be able to forget such beauty. It is planted, as a rule, in shady areas, where it will stand out brightly against the background of greenery. Young leaves are light almost white in color and about 15 cm in size. Over time, green paths appear on them, filling the entire leaf. The optimal height of the bushes of this variety is 40-55 cm. From mid-summer to autumn, the hosta blooms with delicate lavender flowers.

Blue host

Blue hosta variety

The blue hosta includes many varieties of the plant. They are united by the color of the leaves - green with a bluish, blue tint. Their shape is heart-shaped, and their size is large enough. Such varieties bloom with pale flowers collected in inflorescences.

Antiochus

Antioch grade

Antioch is a white-bordered host variety. The bushes have a dense structure, grow up to 50 cm in height. They can be up to 120 cm wide. Leaves are oval, of medium width. They have a pointed tip and wavy edges. The rich green color of the leaves is set off by a light strip of cream, and later white.

Aureomarginate

Aureomarginata variety

Aureomarginata is another beautiful host variety. Its leaves are graceful, have an elongated shape, a sharp top. On a green background of shiny leaves, a feather-shaped border of a yellow hue is visible. The leaves of the bush are large, and its height reaches half a meter.

Hosta Patriot

Variety Patriot

Hosta Patriot belongs to the large varieties. It grows up to 70 cm. The leaves have a jagged border and white. Their shape is wavy. The variety blooms in the second half of summer, has small lilac flowers.

Mediovariety

Variety of Mediovariegat

Mediovariety is another type of wavy host. Its leaves have an oblong ovoid shape and a curled tip. On the light green leaves, a bright white uneven stripe is visible in the middle. Blooms earlier than other host, grows up to 50-70 cm.

Gold standard

Gold standard grade

The Gold Standard is a hosta whose leaves have a golden hue. A dark green path flanks them. The host grows up to 70 cm, and can be more than a meter wide. Leaves are cordate, have a pointed tip.

Elegans

Elegance variety

Host Elegance is characterized by tall bushes, up to 90 cm. They have a delicate green color with a bluish tinge. The leaves reach a size of 30x25 cm. Flowers on medium peduncles, have a delicate white color.

Canadian Blue

Variety Canadian Blue

Another blue host variety is Canadian Blue. Her leaves are heart-shaped. They have like a wax coating on the surface. Their shade is very beautiful - gray-blue. The bushes reach 40-50 cm in height, and 80-90 cm in width.

Buying hosts - how to choose (how to save a host before landing)

You can buy hosts in a specialized store or on the market. In any case, you need to choose good plants. For this, it is important to pay attention to the roots of the host. They must be strong and healthy. The leaf bud should be prominent and well developed. If the leaves have already unfolded, then the plants are not worth buying. Its rhizomes are weaker, so the hosta will develop poorly after planting. Even plants that are sold in pots are not worth buying. Yes, the colors of the host are clearly visible on them, but it is much more difficult for them to take root.

After purchasing such a dormant seedling, you must save it until planting.To do this, the plant must be placed in a dark and cool place. The easiest option, which suits most, is to put the plant in the refrigerator, namely in the fruit compartment. A glazed loggia and a cellar are also suitable. A basement is fine too, if not too warm. You can even bury it in the snow on the site. For this, plants are placed deep in a snowdrift, near the very ground. They are sprinkled with sawdust, peat or sand. A large snowdrift is poured from above. But this is only suitable for plants whose buds are still dormant.

Roots should be inspected for rot before storing. It is eliminated, the cut-off points need to be treated with brilliant green. You can put the hosts in a pot and put them in the house. But in this case, the plant will turn out to be too pampered when it comes time to plant it in the garden. It can be hardened before disembarkation. To do this, in the morning the plant is placed in the sun, and in the evening - in the shade.

Immediately before planting, the rhizomes are treated with potassium permanganate.

When to plant - in spring or autumn

Many gardeners, after meeting the hosts, want to plant them at home, but do not know when to do it right. Both autumn and spring are suitable for planting this culture. In the first case, it is necessary to plant in early autumn. It is very important that the plant has time to take root, to take root before the cold comes. The end of August or the beginning of September is most suitable.

As for the springtime, the early period is also more suitable for planting the host. We have to wait until the frost has passed. But when planting, the plant should not yet bloom.

Landing

The host is planted in soil with humus. Its structure does not play a big role. The main thing is to avoid sands and heavy loams. Before planting, the soil is dug deep enough with organic fertilizers.

The landing time in the Urals and in the Moscow region depends on the air temperature. The main rule is that frosts should not appear by this time. And all other landing conditions are no different for all regions.

It is important to know that different host varieties react differently to sunlight. So hosts with thin leaves are more fond of shade. And varieties with denser leaves prefer a little more light. Golden hosts like to grow in places where the sun shines a little in the mornings and evenings, and the shade remains during the day.

If the hosta grows in a place that does not suit her, then the leaves lose their decorative features - they become paler, their colors are less pronounced.

For planting, the host digs a wide hole so that the roots can grow horizontally. You can add some sand to the hole, as well as peat and manure or compost soil. All this is mixed and filled up by 2/3, then the landing site is watered. When planting, the roots must be well spread. The kidney should not be below the level of the site, it should not be deepened. After planting, the soil is watered and mulched about 1-2 cm with peat.

When choosing a place for a host, it should be borne in mind that she can grow on it for many years. It does not need to be carried or excavated. Over time, the bushes become more beautiful, larger. Shaded wet areas are great for this plant.

Osteospermum: growing from seeds at home

Host care

Taking care of hosts is a pleasure. And all because the bushes practically do not require attention to themselves. To understand what this plant loves, you need to know where it grows in the wild. At home, these plants love to settle on the banks of rivers. They like moisture in both soil and air. This is what the hosts should try to provide.

Watering must be timely. But you need to know when to stop. If you overdo it, the roots can rot. Moderate evening watering is best.

Hostas can be fed three times during the season.

1. The first time in the spring, when growth is just beginning.
2. The second - during flowering
3. The third is when it ends.

You need to feed it in turn with mineral fertilizers and organic. The dosage is suitable as indicated on the packaging. As for loosening the soil, this procedure must be carried out very carefully. Host roots are located close to the surface and are very easy to damage. Loosening can be replaced by mulching. By the way, it helps to keep moisture better. And weeds usually do not interfere with this plant, the hosta does not leave them room for growth.

Nemesia: growing from seed, when to plant

Host care: video

Diseases and pests

The host practically does not suffer from diseases. But sometimes some pests interfere with the life of this beautiful deciduous plant. Most often, the hosts are attacked by the only enemy - a slug. Such creatures are considered quite harmless - slow and defenseless. But this is only at first glance. The slugs' appetites are immense. And the young leaves of the hosta are very much to their taste.

If these pests have appeared near the bushes, mulching will help again. But it is not peat that needs to be poured under the bush, something more unpleasant. For example, you can use crushed shell rock, wood chips or fine gravel. Slugs won't want to crawl on such a surface.

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Reproduction

Hosts can be propagated in several ways:

• By division;
• Seeds;
• In a vegetative way.

Division

Which method to choose depends on the type of plant. For example, not all species tolerate fission well. Some of them, after such a procedure, cannot grow and develop normally for about 2 years. But if you divide the host bushes, then you should do it in the spring or at the end of summer. The bushes are separated using tools such as a sharp knife, shovel or pitchfork. By the way, the latter helps to less traumatize the root system.

In order for the cuttings to take root faster, the leaves on them should be cut in half.

Growing from seeds

Not all host varieties grow well from seeds. The weather also affects seedlings. This method is bad in that with it young plants do not retain all the specific characteristics of the variety. This is good only for breeders who benefit from a variety of seed offspring. Hosta can be sown in spring after cold stratification or before winter. Seedlings develop for a very long time. They will be able to achieve a decorative appearance only after 4-5 years of life.

Reproduction of hosts by seeds: video

Vegetative way

Vegetative propagation is the most efficient way in the case of a host. Most often it is used on a large industrial scale. The hosts are grown in test tubes. This technique is presented in several ways. In the first, a kidney placed in an artificial environment grows at a certain temperature, humidity and light. Plants grow and after a couple of weeks they can already serve as mother plants for the separation of new buds.

Amaranth - growing from seed, when to plant

Preparing for winter

Some gardeners believe that the hosta does not need winter preparation. But it is possible to leave it to its own devices only in the southern regions. But in the middle lane it is already worth worrying about this plant. Sometimes, with spring frosts, the roots often die when the last snow melted. Also, slugs often eat only the buds that have broken through.

To avoid such troubles, you need to pay a little attention to the bushes at the end of the season. First, the stem is cut immediately after flowering. Thus, the hosta does not waste energy on ripening the seeds. It is important to mulch the soil under the hosts using grass, peat or sawdust. In spring, mulch will act as an organic fertilizer. And if you also pour it with phytosporin or add tobacco dust, then the slugs will not bother the plant.

Dying leaves do not need to be removed. Hosta will winter better, covered with its leaves. From above, the bushes can still be covered with branches from old spruces and pines. So the host will not be lost if the winter is snowless.It is impossible to cover the hosts with roofing material and polyethylene, they will not be able to breathe. In addition, pests like to settle under such shelters.

Preparing hosts for winter: video

The host does not require any special investment of effort, time or money. All she needs is a good place to grow and a little care in the spring and fall. But in gratitude, you can get beautiful bushes - beautiful, lush and healthy.