Hosta seed planting and outdoor care

The host is called the "queen" of shady areas and seating areas in the garden. This is a real emerald in the front garden, in any flower bed. Planting hosts and leaving in the open field will not cause much trouble for gardeners or summer residents. The flower can be propagated by division, cuttings and seeds.

When to plant a host in open ground?

Planting begins in August and ends in September. These dates may shift depending on the weather and location of the region. It is necessary to calculate the planting time so that the hosts take root before frost. With the early onset of cold weather, young plants must be covered.

Most of all, the root zone needs winter shelter, on which brushwood or other suitable material is laid.

The host is divided and planted in the spring, before the leaves bloom. A plant with a root ball, purchased in a store or donated by friends, takes root better. Hosta can be stored briefly in the basement or vegetable section of the refrigerator until planting. They are planted in open ground when the threat of late frosts has passed.

Planting in open ground with seeds

Sowing hosta seeds is an opportunity to get a lot of seedlings and seedlings for landscaping a large area. The laborious procedure requires certain knowledge and skills. Unfortunately, seed-grown hosts do not always inherit the characteristics of the parent plant. This is especially true for variegated varieties.

Sowing procedure description:

1. Seed propagation is carried out in early spring.
2. Use a container, pot, or plastic box for germination.
3. Drainage is poured at the bottom, the container is filled with a light fertile substrate.
4. Water, spread the seeds, sprinkle on top with a layer of soil 0.5 cm thick.
5. Cover with glass or foil, germinate in the shade, at a temperature of 20-23 ° C.
6. The soil is often sprayed with water from a spray bottle.

Germination time varies from 7 days to 3 weeks. Usually shoots appear in 2 weeks. Seedlings are dived into other containers, quenched in the fresh air, but protected from direct sunlight. Seedlings develop slowly at first, acquire the characteristics of the variety only after 3-4 years.

Propagation by cuttings and dividing the bush

The most common methods for obtaining new plants are used when there is at least one bush at the age of 3-5 years. Propagation by cuttings and division is not recommended 1-2 years after planting. During this period, they give the opportunity to strengthen the underground and aboveground organs.

Dividing the bush and grafting allows you to get hosts of the same variety as the mother plant.

The best time for vegetative reproduction is in the spring, when shoots appear. The mother plant is carefully dug up, large lumps of soil are shaken off the rhizome, old and decayed parts are cut off. Cut the hosta with a shovel or sharp knife. Parts of a split bush must have buds and pieces of root.

Tips and Warnings:

• Only healthy plants are divided for planting.
• In the first few weeks, water is often watered, but without stagnant water.
• Hosts grow slowly after transplantation, especially variegated varieties.
• Young leaves in most cases have a solid green color.
• The characteristics of the variety are fully manifested after 2 years.

Cutting - the separation of a part with buds and a piece of rhizome - can be carried out from spring to autumn. Sometimes the procedure is unsuccessful, almost no roots remain, but there are buds, or there is no rosette, but there is a rhizome. Even such defective planting material is not thrown away. The cuttings are planted in the shade, covered with a cut plastic bottle. The missing organs gradually grow back, and full-fledged leaves are formed.

Proper care of a shade-loving plant

The hosta flower, in its homeland in Asia, is found in meadows, along the banks of rivers and lakes, on the shady edges of humid forests. It is recommended to create conditions for plants in the garden and in the flower bed that resemble their natural habitat.

Requirements for soil and location

You need a well-drained soil rich in moisture and nutrients. There are no special requirements for pH, moderately acidic and alkaline substrates are suitable. Variegated forms require shading at midday. Colored stripes and spots disappear in direct sunlight. Varieties with blue foliage also change color. Only monochromatic green forms retain their characteristics in the sun, but subject to good soil moisture.

Watering and fertilizing

The plant does not need frequent watering with sufficient rainfall and placement in a shady place. In the dry season it is necessary to water 2 times a week. The soil under the hosts should not dry out even in winter. In summer, you can pamper the leaves with an evening shower. Top dressing is also best done in the evening.

A young plant needs more care and nutrients, so fertilize it 2-3 times. In the spring, top dressing is carried out at the very beginning of the growing season. The next time they fertilize the soil during flowering. The third feeding is needed for plants after flowering. It is advisable to alternate the introduction of compost and complex fertilizers. Be sure to mulch the soil immediately after watering and feeding, but only without damaging the lower leaves of the plant.

Loosening, pruning, replanting

Hosta rhizome is located in the upper loose soil layer. Loosening is performed carefully so as not to damage the roots. Sometimes it is replaced by mulching after watering, then the soil retains moisture for a long time.

Peduncles are usually removed, but in beautifully flowering varieties, they are left and cut before the seeds ripen (if there are no hostas in the seed reproduction plans). Dry and damaged leaves are pruned throughout the season. Experienced growers recommend leaving the foliage in the fall to protect the roots from frost.

The best material for transplanting is plants with 2-3 buds and well-developed roots 10 cm long. The planting pit is made wide, because underground organs grow in a horizontal direction. The depth should be at least 30 cm. A mixture of compost, garden soil, peat and sand is poured onto the bottom. Can be sprinkled with a handful of wood ash to normalize pH and disinfect.

The planting hole is filled with a substrate at 70% of the height, and abundantly moistened.The host is positioned so that the roots are on the surface of the moist soil, the growth buds are at ground level. Sprinkle with soil, compact and watered again. In conclusion, a layer of mulch up to 2 cm high is poured. Peat or sawdust is used as a mulching material.

Care at different times of the year

During the summer, the hosta is regularly watered, dry parts are cut off, weeds are weeded. In the fall, after the first frost, the leaves begin to wither. You do not need to cut or pluck them. The foliage protects the soil above the roots from freezing. Additionally, you can cover the plant with agrofibre. In the spring, the remaining leaves must be removed (plucked).

Growing hosts in the garden - diseases and pests

The plant is little susceptible to disease, but it becomes infected from horticultural crops with phyllostictosis (brown spot). A heavily affected hosta must be destroyed, the soil must be disinfected with a fungicide. Against pathogens of fungal and bacterial diseases, they are sprayed with biopesticides.

Slugs gnaw holes in the leaves, they become less decorative. Regular inspection of plants and removal of pests is recommended. If you can't fight, then you can find planting material of resistant varieties in nurseries or flower shops. Slugs prefer soft tissues and are less likely to attack hosts with leathery foliage. Another option for fighting is to cover the soil around the hosta with fine gravel or crushed shell rock. With good care, the plant remains healthy and attractive for 10 years.

Hosta in landscape design

A shade-tolerant plant with beautiful leaves helps out in those cases when it is necessary to decorate the resting corners in the garden, the entrance to the gazebo. Blooming annuals and perennials look great against the background of lush greenery: bells, primroses, phlox. Varieties with bicolor and tricolor leaves are especially appreciated in landscape design. It is advisable to place such plants singly on the lawns, in small groups along the paths.

It is better to start growing hosts with varieties that have green foliage. They are less demanding in terms of conditions and care, they are easier to tolerate bright lighting and transplantation.

The host is great for mobile landscaping of the entrance to the house, terraces, gazebos. Plants in pots and containers are watered more often because the soil heats up and dries out faster. In the fall, remove old leaves and cover the container. At the beginning of spring, the protective layer is removed, the container is installed against the wall of the house.

Any use of hosts in landscape design should be considered in terms of the conditions that will be created for the plant. With proper care, the "queen" of the shade will not disappoint her fans, she will attract attention with a magnificent view of leaves and bell-shaped flowers.

Hosta (Hosta), the second name - Funkiya, belongs to herbaceous perennials. It represents the Asparagus family, although until recently it belonged to the Liliaceae family. The culture owes its first name to the physician and botanist of Austrian origin Nikolaus Hosta, and the second to the German botanist Heinrich Christian Funk.

Scientists have described up to 40 species of this plant. The hosta originates from East Asia. It is very hygrophilous, therefore, in the wild, it is found near streams and along river banks. For the Japanese, this flower is considered sacred, and the stalks are a local delicacy. When the host was brought to England, the inhabitants of Foggy Albion were not impressed by it. The Americans reacted to it in a completely different way, who made it one of the most popular in the New World.

Hosta from seeds at home

How to propagate hostu Photo of seeds

The host is grown in a garden and flower pot. Regardless of where you will plant the resulting seedlings, it is worth learning the tricks of sowing hosts with seeds. The disadvantage of this method lies in the poor germination of seeds, which is only 70-80%. Therefore, to take advantage of this propagation method, the seeds should be treated with a growth promoter before planting.By placing them for only half an hour in such products as Kornevin, Aloe juice, Zircon or Elin, you can achieve an increase in the percentage of germination.

Among gardeners, there is also the practice of stratification of seeds to increase the percentage of germination, when the seeds are placed in a cold place (for example, the vegetable section of the refrigerator), kept there for 1 month.

An important factor is the sterility of the prepared soil substrate. Various microorganisms, fungi contained in the soil, severely harm seedlings, causing diseases and death of young shoots. That is why it is recommended to purchase the substrate in specialized stores. It contains a balanced mixture of vermiculite, perlite and peat.

How to grow hosta from seeds Photo of seedlings

When to sow the host for seedlings? In the spring, at the end of February-March, pots are prepared by treating them with medical ethyl alcohol or a weak concentration of potassium permanganate. Drainage is placed at the bottom of the pot, supplemented with a substrate and moistened. Leave for a while so that the soil is well saturated with water, and only then sow the host, as rarely as possible spreading rather large seeds over the surface of the substrate.

The same ready-made substrate is used as a powder on top. Its thickness should not exceed 5-7 mm. To ensure the preservation of moisture, a plastic wrap is stretched over the pot or covered with glass. Make sure that the temperature of the soil at the time of germination is between +18 and 25 ° C.

Compliance with all recommendations allows you to expect the first shoots of a week in two or three. It is important to remember that direct sunlight, excessive watering and excess condensation on plastic wrap are detrimental to plants. It is best to keep the pots indoors with light shade. And only when the first shoots appear, it will be necessary to provide them with good lighting.

Growing a host from seeds Photo of seedlings

With the formation of the first two true leaves, a pick begins. Seedlings dive into separate pots, the soil in which consists of a quarter of sand. These pots are placed in a tray filled with water in order to provide bottom watering.

Until the water moistens the top layer of the soil, the pots cannot be removed from the pan. At the next stage, the cut seedlings are hardened. To do this, remove the film and expose the host to the air, the temperature of which should be above +18 ° C. Seedlings with this type of propagation grow slowly and almost always lose the characteristics of the variety.

Landing hosts in open ground

How to choose a landing place for hosts... Choosing a seat is the main thing to pay attention to when landing hosts. Having planted a flower in one place, you can enjoy its beauty for twenty years, even without transplanting. The choice of location is significantly influenced by the color of the hosta leaves. For varieties with bright leaves containing white and yellow blotches, areas that are more illuminated are chosen, since they belong to light-loving plants.

Hosta with variegated leaves is very important that shade falls on it at noon, while in the morning and evening it needs good lighting. As for the blue varieties, they grow only in shaded places and almost do not need the presence of the sun. The size of the flower leaves directly depends on the shade. The more intense the shading, the larger the leaf blade and the higher the bush. But at the same time the host grows very slowly.

The only thing that no flower variety likes is drafts. The soil for planting should be loose, well-drained, nutritious and have a high degree of moisture. Its pH is neutral or slightly acidic.

If the hosta is planted in the spring, then the land is prepared in the fall. For this, the site is covered with a ten centimeter layer of organic matter and dug up. Over the winter, everything will grind and after the spring frosts, somewhere in early or mid-May, it will be possible to plant the plant in the ground.

How to put the host on, watch the video:

Hosta boarding rules

The distance between the holes depends on what type of plant is planted in the ground.

• For hosts from a small and medium-sized group, it is enough to make holes at a distance of 0.3-0.5 m.
• The giants require an increase in distance of up to 0.8-1.0 m.

In order for the transplant to be successful, the seedlings in pots are watered in advance. They move it into the ground along with a lump of earth from the pot. Sprinkle with soil on top and compact it around the plant so that the ground level in this place is a couple of centimeters lower. If the hostas are planted by dividing the bush, then dry leaves and spoiled roots are removed from each cut, adding mulch in the form of crushed bark to the root section.

Reproduction of hosts by dividing the bush

Reproduction of hosts by dividing the bush photo

They begin to divide the hosts after the flowering period or before the start of active growth. To do this, you should dig in the bush well so that there is enough space around the root. They pry the root from below with a shovel and take out a bush. They are divided into several parts with growth points, the leaves are cut off at a height of 10-15 cm so that only petioles remain, and planted as independent plants. You can leave 2-3 leaves for vegetation control.

Rooting of hosts takes approximately four weeks. The shrubs of the bush in 2-3 years will become full-fledged bushes. They are planted, adhering to the gap between the bushes of 20-30 cm. The pits are made wider during planting, since the growth of the roots is in the horizontal plane. Planting depth is not changed. At the end of the work, the host is thoroughly moistened. Planting is finished no later than mid-September so that the autumn cold does not interfere with the rooting of the transplanted plants.

How to share the host, look at the video:

How to properly care for a host

Garden maintenance work is kept to a minimum. If during planting all the rules for preparing the soil were observed, then for the first three to four years the host can not be fed at all. In subsequent years, humus or compost is applied every autumn under the bushes. Mineral granules can be sprinkled once a season over the area after rain. Until mid-summer, liquid fertilizers are applied under each bush.

A longer feeding time leads to the growth of hosta leaves, and not to preparing it for winter. In the summer, the soil around the hosts is constantly moistened. If the tips of the leaf blade begin to darken, then the plant does not have enough moisture. When watering, do not spray water over the hosta, this will damage the leaves. It is better to water for a long time in the early morning. Direct a quiet jet at the root.

To make the bush look attractive and not fall apart, remove the peduncles in time. The hosta needs to loosen the earth and weed from weeds only in the first period, until it gets stronger and grows. The flower is separated every 3-4 years. To do this, they dig it up and separate the young cuttings from the root so that the flower does not grow much.

Diseases of hosts

Americans associate the occurrence of diseases in hosts with a large number of varieties in one area. In frostbitten bushes, a fungal disease phyllosticosis often occurs, which looks like brown-yellow spots on the leaf blade.

Peduncles are threatened by fungal infection Phyllosticta aspidistrae Oud... To combat it, one method is used: complete removal of the bush, followed by its burning and disinfection of the soil.

Among the diseases are gray rot - Botrys cinerea, which affects the leaves, and sclerotinia - Sclerotinia, which envelops the root collar.like cottony white mold and destroys it. Fungicides are used against gray rot, and Dichloran is used against sclerotinia. The main pests of the flower.

Slug is one of the main pests of hosts... Traces of its vital activity, and these are holes in the leaves, become visible immediately and reduce the visual attractiveness of the plant. To combat this pest, small flat containers are used, into which beer is poured. Slugs love these places, where they are collected and then destroyed.

The host can be infected by stem nematodes... If spreading yellow necrotic spots, which are the product of the vital activity of these parasites, are visible through the veins of the leaf, then a simple test will help to detect them. The crushed leaves of the affected hosta are placed in a glass of water and they look, if after 1/2 hour floating worms appear in the water, then the disease is obvious. They remove not only the affected plant, but also all the bushes in the area of ​​two meters, because it is possible to fight against a nematode with chemicals, but it is very difficult to deal with laid eggs.

With the advent of a new vegetative period, larvae will hatch from the eggs and the radius of damage to plants will increase. The invasion of insects such as caterpillars and grasshoppers cannot be avoided, for which one night is enough to turn a healthy plant into an unsightly bush. Only pesticide treatment can help cope with this scourge.

Hosta after flowering Preparing for winter

If the peduncles were left, then after flowering, the hosts remove them. At the very beginning of autumn, they begin to prepare the plant for winter. To do this, the site with the hosta is abundantly moistened, the bushes that have grown over the summer are dug out and divided, leaving one or several rosettes of leaves on each part.

To insulate a plot of land with hosts for the winter, they mulch it with leafy soil. This primarily applies to those flowers that grow under large trees. This action solves several tasks at once, such as warming the host and feeding it. Mulching helps to raise the level of the flower garden, which has a positive effect on soil drainage.

Description of hosts Photo compositions in garden design

Host in landscape design photo

Hosta serves as a wonderful backdrop for other flowers and is able to decorate any garden arrangement. The plant has very remarkable leaves: they are large and, depending on the variety, have an original color.

What flowers are combined with the hosts of Heucher and the host of the photo mixborder

It grows very quickly, forms whole plantations and after four years of growth reaches the peak of its attractiveness. Absolutely all types of culture do not have a stem and have a herbaceous structure.

Hosts in garden design photo Combination of hosts hydrangea garden balsam in a flower bed

Its rhizome is compactly thickened and has many branches in the form of laces, which allow the plant to hold firmly in the ground.

Hosta flowers photo in the garden Combination with astilba

On a long, non-leafed peduncle, which rises high above the rosette of leaves, there are flowers collected in neat brushes. They can be white, bluish, pink, purple, plain or terry.

What colors do the hosts combine with? Hosta buzulnik hydrangea actinidia

Usually, the flowers of shade-loving plants do not have external attractiveness, but with hosta flowers, everything is exactly the opposite. They are truly beautiful, collected in one-sided racemose inflorescences and have a funnel-bell-shaped or funnel-shaped appearance.

Hosts in garden design landscape tricks Hosta combined with hydrangea photo

The fruit is a leathery triangular capsule containing numerous seeds. The main advantage of the plant is its leaves. They are basal, lanceolate or heart-shaped, smoothly turning into a sharp point at the tip of the leaf.

Garden design by hosts Hosts in the garden photo composition

Veins are clearly visible along its entire length. The color of the leaves deserves a separate topic of discussion. It fully depends on the variety, varies and can be with a shade of green, white, yellow and even blue.

Hosts in garden design with what colors to combine Hosts of mukdeniya karasuba fern tenacious ayuga

Several colors can be combined on one sheet in the form of spots, strokes, stripes. In texture, the leaves can be crinkled and waxy, glossy and matte, with a metallic sheen and simply wrinkled.

Hosta and astilba in landscape design photo

What is the size of the host?

The average height of the hosts is 55 - 80 cm, although dwarfs, up to 15 cm in height, and giants, which reach 1.2 meters, are also cultivated.

Varieties and types of hosts with photos and names

Let's briefly present the host varieties with photos and names. The culture is widely used in the design of the landscape area, due to the variety of species. The breeding work has borne fruit. Now there are more than 4 thousand hybrid hosta varieties. Several species were taken as a basis, which laid the foundation for varietal diversity.

Bloated host Hosta ventricosa

Bloated Hosta Ventricosa photo in the garden

Up to 0.5 m high, the leaves are pointed at the end, for example, the Thomas Hogg variety.

Wavy host Hosta undulata

Hosta undulata wavy in landscape design photo

Reaches 75 cm in height, its leaf blade has a wavy edge, a white center and a green border, as if applied by strokes. An example is the host Undulata Mediovariegata.

High Hosta Hosta elata Hylanger

High Hosta Nosta elata Hylanger photo

It grows up to 0.9-1 meter, its rather large glossy leaves cast a dark green color. A typical representative is the Tom Schmid cultivar.

Hosta Siebold Hosta sieboldiana

Hosta Siebold Hosta sieboldiana variety Elegans photo

60 centimeters high, has deep veins. Elegans variety.

Curly Hosta Hosta crispula

Curled hosta Hosta crispula cultivar 'Thomas-Hoog' photo

Rarely exceeds 0.5-0.6 m in height, with wide dark green leaves bordered by a white stripe. An example is the Dream Weaver cultivar.

Plantain hosta Hosta plantaginea

Plantain hosta Hosta plantaginea photo

Half a meter in height, has bright glossy green leaves. Royal Standard grade.

Hosta fortunei

Hosta Fortunei Hosta ‘Fortunei Aureomarginata’ photo

Also, it does not grow more than 0.5 meters, it has green leaves with a cream edging. For example, the host variety albopict.

The classification of varieties is also based on:

• color of the sheet;
• sheet size.

Depending on the color of the leaf plate, the varieties are conventionally divided into 5 groups:

1. Blue hosta (blue hosta (B)) - its leaves with a bluish-gray tint.
2. Yellow host (Go) - yellow-leaved.
3. Green Host (Gr) - Combined all green-leaved host.
4. Hosta variegata (V) - varieties with variegated leaves and all those that have a white border.
5. Hosta media variety (MV) - light-leaved varieties with a green border around the edge.

By plant height (size), the division goes into the following 6 groups:

1. Dwarf group Draft (D), unites all species below 10 cm, such as Blue Mouse Ears with bluish leaves resembling mouse ears.
2. Hosta is miniature, Miniature (Mini), its height is within 10-15 cm, for example, La Donna variety with bluish-yellow-green leaves.
3. Small Hosta Small (S) with a maximum height of 16-25 cm, examples are Gold Tone with green leaves and stripes of white or yellow, and Headsmen Blue with bluish green leaves.
4. Medium hosta Medium (M, Med), growing up to 30-50 cm in height, its representatives are the following varieties: Night Before Christmas, with a white middle and a dark green wide stripe along the edge, So Sweet, its green leaves are bordered white and cream stripe, White Feather is a unique host of white color, which changes its color to green after a certain amount of time.
5. A group of large hosts Large (L), reaching a height of 0.5-0.7 m, is represented by varieties: Alvatine Taylor, in which a yellow-green border runs along its bluish-green leaves, Golden Meadows with crushed rounded golden leaves in the middle, dotted with pale green strokes and bordered by a wide green stripe.
6. Giant hosts Giant (G), over 70 cm tall, for example, Blue Vision with greenish-bluish leaves and Sum of All, which has a green center of the leaf and a wide, golden border.

Liven up your garden with colorful greenery, and take a host as your assistant. It is unpretentious in planting, care and cultivation. This plant is popular in landscape design, because its leaves have different shapes and colors, depending on the variety.

Description, varieties and varieties

The beauty of this plant is in the leaves, not the flowers. From green to gold and white, from long to rounded and heart-shaped - this is what the hosta is.Planting and caring for it in the open field is very simple - another reason to pay attention to this perennial.

Hosta will be a wonderful garden decoration from early spring to late autumn.

Having decided to start growing hosta, see how it looks in the photo. Choose from about 3000 varieties of your choice. According to the colors of the foliage, they are combined into 5 groups:

• green;
• blue (with a bluish tint);
• yellow;
• variegated (this includes hosts motley and bordered with light color);
• mediovariegata (leaves are light, with green edges).

There is a huge variety of hostas.

For those who grow hostu in the open field, the classification of varieties by size is also familiar:

• dwarf (up to 10 cm);
• miniature (10-15 cm);
• small (16-25 cm);
• medium (30-50 cm), the most numerous group;
• large (55-70 cm);
• giant (from 70 cm).

The main species, which are also used for breeding:

1. Wavy. It looks like a ball of dense wavy green-white leaves.

   Hosta wavy

2. Bloated. Looks especially good in garden landscaping. Light green round leaves are lined with stripes.

   The host is bloated

3. High. It grows up to 90 cm. It has large green leaves.

   Hosta high

4. Curly. Its leaves are wide, with a white edge.

   Khosta curly

5. Plantain. Up to half a meter high, the leaves are bright green, glossy.

   Khosta plantain

Among the host, there are chameleon varieties that change color during the summer season. Some species of this plant are difficult to classify because their leaves are blurred in color. And foreign breeders have bred tricolor hybrids. There are plenty to choose from!

Landing hosts

The optimal time for planting hosts in the open field is early spring or late August or early September. It is not worth postponing to a later time. Choose the material for planting carefully. The roots should be elastic, 10-12 cm long. It is best if the sprout has 2-3 buds.

Advice. If you bought a hosta, but it is too early to plant it, store the sprouts in a cool and dark place at t + 5-10 ° C. A basement, a lower shelf of a refrigerator, or an insulated balcony will do.

Hosta is traditionally considered a shade-loving perennial. But there is a pattern: the lighter the foliage, the more sun the plant needs. Dark green and blue varieties must be planted in the shade. For growing light hosts, partial shade or even a sunny place is suitable. Make sure that the plant is not in direct light, otherwise burns on the leaves cannot be avoided.

The host can be planted in the shade or partial shade

Light, well-drained, moist soil is good for planting and propagating outdoors. The holes should be made wide, about 30 cm deep. The distance between them should be from 30 to 100 cm (depending on the size of the plant).

Fill each hole about 2/3 with compost, peat, form a mound. Place the roots of the seedlings on it, but so that there are no empty spaces. Spread them out, cover them with fertile soil, compact. Finish planting with abundant watering. Mulch the roots with chopped bark or peat. This will help retain moisture. Repeat the watering procedure several more times every 3-4 days.

Advice. The buds of the plant during planting should be at ground level. If necessary, add additional soil under the root.

Plant care

Although not a demanding host, planting and caring for her requires adherence to the rules.

1. Weed and periodically loosen the soil.
2. Remove old leaves and young flower arrows. This will make the bush look neater. The exception is well-flowering varieties.

   If you remove the flower arrows, the hosta bush will be more luxuriant.

3. The host loves moisture, so it needs regular watering, about 2 times a week.
4. This perennial is frost-resistant. But if the winter is too cold, take extra care by covering the plant with, for example, agrofibre.
5. In one place the host can grow up to 20 years. However, after 3-4 years, young daughter roots should be separated from the bush so that it does not grow too much.

Fertilizing and feeding hosts

How the plants look in your garden depends on the care, including the intensity of fertilization. The hosta looks more decorative, which is fed 3 times per season:

• during the growth period;
• during flowering;
• after him.

The host needs feeding several times a season.

For these purposes, fertilizers with nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus are most often used. Compost and humus are also useful for hosts. It is better to bring them in in the fall. Organic fertilizers are preferable to mineral fertilizers. The "golden rule" of leaving is not to overdo it. Too frequent or abundant feeding can provoke a burn.

Plant propagation

There are 3 ways to propagate hosts:

• division;
• cuttings;
• growing from seeds.

The bushes are usually divided in May or late summer. The smaller the split off part is, the longer it will take for it to grow. Another method of propagation, cuttings, involves the separation of a sprout with a part of the rhizome from an adult bush. Cuttings are planted in open ground immediately, watered and shaded.

Dividing the hosta bush

Growing hosts from seeds is a laborious and time-consuming process. The germination rate of the material is 70-80%, therefore, before sowing, it must be treated with growth stimulants. Another way is to keep the seeds in the cold for 30 days. It is also important to ensure that the soil and planting containers are sterile. Before sowing the hosts, the pots must be disinfected with potassium permanganate or alcohol.

Seed propagation should start in April or May. Pour drainage into containers, then soil mixture, water it. Spread the seeds, sprinkle them with soil on top (layer thickness - 5-7 mm). Slightly press it, cover the container with glass or film and place in a shady place. Hosta germination temperature is + 18-25º C. In such conditions, seedlings appear in 2-3 weeks.

Hosta seeds

At this time, caring for young seedlings consists in moderate watering and removing condensation. Keep the sprouts in a lighted place, away from direct sunlight. When the first pair of leaves appears, dive the seedlings. The soil in new containers should be ¼ covered with sand. For watering, place the pots in a deep bowl and wait until the top layer is damp. Temper the sprouts: temporarily remove the glass or film, and after about a week, remove them altogether.

If the air temperature is already above + 18º C, leave the seedling containers in the fresh air for a short time. Experienced gardeners warn: despite proper care, the hosta develops very slowly. In addition, she often loses the characteristics of the variety.

Diseases and pests hosts

Khosta rarely gets sick, but one of the most typical ailments for her is phyllostictosis. Yellow-brown spots appear on the leaves. Affected plants need to be burned and the soil disinfected. If you notice gray rot or sclerotinia on the leaves, apply fungicides.

Phylostictosis hosts

Pests that make large holes in the beautiful foliage of hosts are slugs. To scare them away, cover the soil with something caustic: rubble or broken shells. Beer baits also help. Place containers with this drink around the bushes, and every other day, select slugs from them. Use insecticides to control insects (caterpillars, grasshoppers).

Hosta: Combination with other plants

Hosta leaves create harmonious combinations with brunner, heuchera and ferns. These plants look advantageous against the background of conifers. Also try compositions with primrose, geraniums, hornbeam. Make a beautiful landscape with lungwort, anemone, foxglove, astilba.

Hosta on a flower bed

There is an opinion that it is not necessary to combine the cultivation of roses and hosts. This is explained by the fact that they have different lighting requirements. However, in landscape design, this combination is quite common.In these cases, gardeners recommend planting the host on the north side of the bush.

Hosta in landscape design

There are many options for using this perennial in landscape design. First of all, the hosta is a ground cover plant for shady places. She creates coziness in gardens, stylized as nature. If you still decide to combine the cultivation of roses and hosts, decorate with them, for example, the shore of a reservoir.

Hosta in landscape design

Use this plant to decorate garden paths, lawns framing. When growing hosta in pots, decorate your patio or gazebo with it. It is also good for vertical flower beds. Phlox or daylilies will be a good addition in this case.

Whichever way you choose to decorate your garden is unlikely to be disappointed by the host. Rather, on the contrary: seriously and for a long time will conquer with its charm and unpretentiousness.

Growing hosts: video

Varieties of hosts: photo

Hosta is a type of herbaceous perennial plants of the asparagus group, although before that it was considered a lily family. The plant is named after the botanist N. Host. There are about 50 varieties of this flower in total. The host's historical habitat is the Kuril Islands, the Far East and Asia.

Description of the hosta plant

The plant of this flower has many faces. Therefore, it will be able to fit into any garden design. This ornamental shrub can quickly grow into real plantations... The main decorative property of the hosta is its large leaves, which exist in various varieties, taking into account the type and variety of the plant. Hosta is drought-resistant and frost-resistant, unpretentious and versatile, it grows well in the shade and is an excellent background for other flowers. The host reaches its maximum beauty in five years of its growth.

Despite the variety of varieties and hybrids, all these plants are herbaceous, stemless, thickened small and short-branched roots have many filamentous processes that allow hosts to securely anchor themselves in the ground.

White, blue, purple and pink terry flowers of the plant are combined in brushes, beautifully rise on large peduncles. Unlike other shade-loving bushes, host flowers are truly beautiful: funnel-shaped, located in racemose one-sided inflorescences. Flower fruit presents a leathery box with many seeds that remain viable for up to one year.

Host leaves, cordate, lanceolate and basal, pointed, long-petiolate, with visible veins and striking a variety of colors, are still considered their main advantage.

The colors of the leaves can vary according to the type of plant: from any shade of green, all shades of blue, to white and red. At the same time, there are also a huge variety of color combinations on one bush: strokes, blotches, lines, etc. The texture of the leaves is also striking in its variety: wrinkled, compressed, waxy, with a steel shade, matte or usual glossy. The height of the bush is approximately 60-70 cm, but there are also miniature species that are no more than 17 cm, and giants are more than 130 cm.

How to grow a host?

Cultivation of the host and its reproduction, possibly in the following ways:

• using cuttings;
• seeds;
• dividing the bush.

Those who prefer growing by seeds in the open field need to know that reproduction in this way will depend on the pre-sowing preparation of raw materials with growth activators, since the germination rate of the seeds of this plant is low - 65-70%. Many gardeners recommend using method of stratification.

The next important factor of success is the sterility of the earthen mixture, where there should be no fungi and other harmful organisms, otherwise the seedlings may grow sick, therefore it is advisable to purchase the land in stores. The land must include:

• Vermiculite;
• Peat;
• Perlite.

In the middle of spring, a drainage layer is laid in a pre-treated container with alcohol or potassium permanganate, the earth is poured and thoroughly moistened. After the seeds are scattered on top, they are covered with a soil layer of 4-6 mm, slightly sealed and, in order to save moisture, close the container with polyethylene. In the process of germination, the temperature of the earth must be 19-24C, in this case, seedlings are formed in a month. Protect seeds from direct sunlight, organize moderate watering, and remove condensation in a timely manner. Seeds do not need bright light, so store them in partial shade until shoots form, but then place them in a lighted place.

It is necessary to dive the seedlings into separate containers after the formation of several leaves: the seedlings are transferred to the ground, 1/4 covered with a layer of sand. To moisten the seedlings, you need to use the bottom watering: the hosta in a glass is placed in a deep container with water and is in it until the top layer of the earth is moistened. Then the seedlings must be hardened: remove the polyethylene for a couple of hours. After 7 days, remove the cover completely, and put the host on the street for a short time on the condition that temperature not less than + 17C... Do not forget that seedlings develop rather slowly, and by and large, any host that is grown from seeds often loses its varietal characteristics.

Disembarkation hosts

Before planting the host, it is necessary to select an area where the plant will be comfortable. Do not forget that the hosta will be able to grow on the site for up to 20 years without transplanting, and every year it will only get prettier. The ideal place is partial shade without drafts, but keep in mind: the more colorful the leaf of the plant, the more different patterns, the more light-loving the host.

It is best for bright hosts to grow in an area where there is shade at noon and sun in the evening. Blue species it is necessary to plant only in the shade, they have enough sun for several hours a day. The larger the shade, the longer the plant grows, but the larger the leaves and hosta.

Plants need soil rich in minerals, moist, with excellent drainage, slightly acidic or neutral. Only loam and sand does not like shrubs. It is advisable to prepare the ground for planting in the spring, even in the fall: spread organic additives over the selected area with a layer of 12 cm and dig up the ground to a depth of "bayonet". By the spring, the land will be ready for landing. The landing of hosts in the ground is carried out when the threat of frost passes.

How to drop off the host?

Seedling holes are made with a distance of 40-50 cm, taking into account the plant variety. For large bushes the distance is chosen 70-90 cm... If you are planting seedlings from pots in the ground, then water them a couple of hours before planting. If you combine the planting with the division of the bushes, then remove the dried, rotten or deformed roots from the divisions. Seedlings are placed in the pits from a pot with an earthen lump a few centimeters below ground level, the hosta roots are leveled, sprinkled with earth, tamped and watered well. The area near the root system is mulched with ground bark.

Hosta care

When the hosta is in fertile soil, then you can not feed it for 3-4 years. The main bait for plants is manure and humus, they are added in the fall in the form of mulch. You should not get carried away with mineral additives, but if you think that they are required when leaving, pour granular additives near the host after watering. Liquid additives hosts are fed every 14 days August, and then stop, otherwise the bush will continue to grow leaves and will not be able to prepare for wintering.

The ground near the bushes must be constantly moistened, especially near young plants, therefore it is necessary to water the flowers in a timely manner, while watering is done under the rhizome, and not on the foliage, which rots from water. In addition, after planting and when leaving, the jet should be weak so that the earth does not ram, but can absorb water as deeply as possible.A signal that there is not enough water in the host is the darkening of the edges of the leaves.

If you want the bush to look neat, then you will need to break out new flower stalks, otherwise the plant will "fall apart" after flowering. It is necessary to weed and loosen the soil only in the first stages, when the bush grows, the weed is no longer afraid of it. 3-4 years later the bush needs to be divided, as it will grow significantly. Dig up the plant and remove young shoots from the main root.

Diseases of hosts

The hosts are unpretentious, but gardeners say that the more species of this shrub you have in your collection, the greater the chance of getting an infected shrub. Plants that are often weak or strongly cooled by spring frosts are infected with the following diseases:

• Phylosticosis is a fungal infection that manifests itself in the form of yellowish merging blotches on the leaves.
• Sclerotinia is a fungus that negatively affects the root system.
• Gray rot - infects leaves.

These diseases removed by fungicides and dichlorane.

Insects

The main pest of hosts is a slug. A sign that the plant has attracted these pests is huge holes in the foliage. Fighting slugs is very easy: place containers with beer near the host, and the next day, walk around and collect the pests that have crawled onto the bait.

In addition to slugs, nematodes are not indifferent to this plant. Signs of their life can be identified by visible yellow spots spreading between leaf veins. Identify nematodes A simple test can help: put finely chopped hosta leaves in a plastic cup, add water and leave for 30 minutes, and then examine the contents under the light. If nematodes are present, you will see worms floating in the water. It will not be possible to remove the nematodes, since no drugs will destroy the eggs of the worm, and they will again give new offspring. Bushes will need to be destroyed within a radius of several meters from the infected hosts.

Caterpillars have a danger, appearing unexpectedly, they can completely destroy the bush overnight, as well as various bugs, after which the leaves look like Dutch cheese. Only insecticides can remove insects.

Hosts after flowering

Then when the flowers wither peduncles need to be removed... At the beginning of autumn, the plants are prepared for dormancy. At the same time, you need to plant the bushes. First, 30 minutes before planting, you must thoroughly water the area where you will need to work. Then the bushes are dug up and separated so that all parts have at least one deciduous rosette. They are planted with a distance of 20-30 cm between themselves, digging in to the same depth at which the plant was originally.

The host's root system grows horizontally, so the pits need to be made wide before planting. After planting, the plants must first be watered abundantly. It is necessary to complete the separation and planting of the host before the beginning of October, so that new plants have time to take root before the arrival of the autumn frosts. To take root, new hosts will one month is needed... With the onset of spring, these "splittings" will grow rather quickly: after a few years they will be full-grown and full-fledged bushes.

In the fall, they carry out work on warming the territory. Why a place with hosts is mulched with leaf humus. Moreover, it is necessary for the plants that are under the trees: due to the mulch, the pieces will not have a lack of nutrients that are absorbed by the roots of the tree. In addition, mulch raises the level of the flower bed, which improves the drainage system.

Hosta is a long-lived, colorful and undemanding plant for lazy growers. There are no difficulties in breeding and growing hosts from seeds. Cultivating hosts in this way, it is an opportunity to organize the original decor of the personal plot with your own hands.

Planting and caring for the host