Hosts planting and care in the open field in the urals

If you decide to revive your personal plot, giving it nobility, then better plant than hosta, you will not find.

In total, there are more than 200 varieties and about 40 types of funkia (the second name is hosts).

This perennial gained popularity among gardeners thanks to unpretentiousness, ease of care, and, of course, unusual appearance... Hosta does not produce flowers every year, but the bush itself is very decorative.

Description of hosts, varieties and varieties

Hosta - herbaceous perennial, belonging to the Asparagus family. It got its name in honor of the famous Austrian botanist N. Host.

The homeland of the funkia is Sakhalin, the Kuriles, the Far East (southern part), as well as the East Asian regions (Japan, China).

Hosta came to Europe only at the end of the 19th century. and at first it was grown in botanical gardens, but soon gardeners also became interested in it.

The beauty of this magnificent plant lies not in the flowers, but in the leaves, which, depending on the variety, can have different shapes and shades: from heart-shaped to round and long, from green to white and golden.

By color, the following groups of host flowers are distinguished:

Yellow;
blue with a shade of gray;
variegata (this group includes funky, bordered with light stripes, as well as variegated);
green;
mediovariety (have light leaves with green edges).

In addition, gardeners who grow this plant in the open field classify varieties according to size:

Giant - grow up to 70 cm;
large - up to 55-7 cm;
medium - up to 30-50 cm (the largest group);
small up to 16-25 cm;
miniature - up to 10-15 cm;
dwarf - up to 10 cm.

The main species used, including for selection

Wavy... In appearance it resembles a ball of white-green color, densely covered with wavy leaves.
Bloated... It has light green round leaves lined with stripes. This type of hosta looks most striking in landscape design.
High... It has large green leaves. Reaches a height of 90 cm.
Curly... The leaves are wide, with a white border.
Plantain... It grows up to 50 cm, has glossy bright green leaves.

In one place, the function can grow for about 25 years, while its beauty only intensifies. Therefore, once planting this plant in your garden and spending a little effort, in the future you can simply provide the host with the opportunity to grow and develop independently. In addition, this lush perennial has the ability to displace less vigorous plants, which means there will be no weeds on your site.

Using hosts

All varieties and varieties of the plant are ideal for creating flower arrangements, as their unusual bright large leaves retain their freshness for a long time and look beautiful in a bouquet.

Another interesting feature of the plant is its maximum resistance to damage by garden pests. Only slugs can cause damage to the funkia, and even then only if a perennial is placed in a damp, shaded place. Such pests should be dealt with mechanically, that is, simply collect them and destroy them.

Hosta: planting and care in the open field

Growing hosts and caring for the plant includes several stages.

Purchase of planting material

Here, too, there are some nuances that a gardener needs to know about:

When purchasing planting material in a specialized store, pay attention to the condition of the root system: the rhizomes should be healthy, strong, with a normally developed leaf bud.
It is not recommended to buy plants with pre-existing foliage, as this weakens the root system and the plant develops worse afterwards.
Of course, on sale there are sometimes ready-made seedlings that have several leaves, but in practice such hosts are more difficult to take root. Therefore, it is still better to acquire rhizomes.
Planting a plant ordered on the Internet is also somewhat difficult: sometimes already overgrown material comes by mail. It is not worth storing such a host, it is better to immediately plant it at least in a pot, if the soil on the site is not ready.
Rhizomes with an unopened bud can be refrigerated until planting.

At the second stage, we choose a landing site.

Host locations

Since the plant does not like excessive light, it is recommended to plant it in partial shade or shade.

Some species can grow in the open sun, however, at the same time, they have a change in the color of the leaves, and variegated funky with a white pattern can suffer from burns. It should also be borne in mind that this perennial grows best in wet areas. If the soil dries up quickly, the plant needs to be watered more often.

Landing hosts

Host, landing and caring for which requires compliance with the following rules:

To begin with, we prepare a pit, the size of which is determined by the volume of the rhizome. The hole should be spacious to provide free space for the roots. Peat must be added to the soil removed from the pit, and then mixed well.
Hosta is a moisture-loving plant, therefore, before planting the rhizome in the hole, it is recommended to water the soil well. Then the seedling is placed in the hole, carefully straightening the roots. Now all that remains is to sprinkle the plant with earth, crushing it a little during the planting process.
It is not necessary to deepen the plant too much, however, it is necessary to ensure that the roots do not remain on top.
In the case of transplanting a funkia from a pot, it is necessary to plant it at the same depth as before.
At the end of the process, pour the hosta again and, if necessary, add the sagging soil.

Mulching

Be sure to mulch the soil in the root area using sawdust or chopped bark.

In our case, mulch performs a double function: firstly, it protects a young plant from snails and slugs, and secondly, it helps to preserve the necessary moisture in the soil. Coarse mulch is an insurmountable barrier to soft-bodied pests.

Reproduction hosts

This perennial beauty can be propagated in the following ways:

Seeds... This method is used very rarely due to its low efficiency: young bushes are formed within four years, moreover, the plants do not retain their varietal qualities.
Dividing the bushbut.
Cuttings.

Cuttings are separated from the main plant in the spring-summer period, that is, from May to August. For this purpose, select young shoots with a heel, which have small leaves. To reduce evaporation, these leaves are immediately pruned by 1/3. Cuttings are planted in a shaded place.

It so happens that after planting, the plant shows signs of wilting and disease. Do not be afraid, because it is possible that after 2-3 days the situation will improve. Care for young bushes consists in their regular watering and spraying.

The division is carried out in early autumn (September) or early spring. Each section should contain 1-2 leaf rosettes.

Planting is carried out in abundantly watered pits, the depth of which is 0.2 m, the distance between the seedlings is about 30-35 cm.

Hosta care

Despite the well-known unpretentiousness, the host still needs some care.

It is very important to water the plant in a timely manner, carry out feeding and pruning.

Watering

Water the hosta abundantly and often. It is advisable to do this in the morning, before the onset of heat. For irrigation, use settled water.

Keep the soil in the root area always moist. However, stagnation should not be allowed, as this can cause the development of a fungal infection.

Caring for hosts in regions with changeable climatic conditions, including the Urals, implies mandatory control of soil moisture. The bushes are watered only after the topsoil has dried, otherwise the root system may rot.

Top dressing

In principle, the hosta does not need additional nutrition, except when it is growing on poor, poor soil. As a fertilizer, an infusion of mullein, mixed with a small amount of potassium sulfate, superphosphate and ammonium nitrate, is ideal. Fertilizer is applied 3 times / season: mid-April, late May and late July (after flowering).

Mineral fertilizers in granules are applied after abundant watering or past rain. This contributes to the better digestibility of the feeding. Spread the fertilizer with extreme care, making sure that the granules do not fall on the foliage and cause burns.

From mid-July, feeding is stopped, since this can provoke the active growth of new leaves, as a result of which the plant will not have time to prepare for winter and may freeze out.

Pruning

Pruning of plants is carried out before the onset of frost (in autumn). The procedure consists only in removing the peduncles. Leaves preserve for the winter. All rotten parts of the plant (roots and leaves) are removed in the spring.

Preparing hosts for winter

Many gardeners, especially beginners, make a big mistake trying to cover the hosta with fallen leaves for the winter.

On the one hand, it seems convenient, because the dead plant remains will serve as a good mulching material, as well as an excellent fertilizer. However, few people think that at the same time, foci of development of diseases and possible pests remain under the bushes.

It is best to cover the host with spruce branches, and with the onset of spring, carefully treat the soil under the overwintered plant in order to prevent the development of egg-laying of a garden slug.

The main task of the grower is the complete preservation of the bushes until the next season. As soon as the hosta ends the flowering period, all flower stalks should be removed, which will make it easier for the plant to endure the winter and save strength for the next season.

Ignoring this rule can lead to the formation of unnecessary seeds, as a result of which the plant is weakened.

As already mentioned, you should not feed the plant before wintering. The last time fertilization is applied in July-mid-August. At the same time, mulching of the soil with organic matter is allowed from mid-October, which will protect the roots from freezing.

Dry grass and sawdust, peat are most often used as a covering material. Mulching components are first processed from possible diseases or pests, or sterilized.

For processing, you can use the following tools:

Tabaca dust - is the main enemy for host-loving slugs.
Fitosporin-M... The drug protects plants from fungal and bacterial infections.

Diseases and pests

Hosta is rarely exposed to diseasehowever, very often the plant is attacked by stem nematodes and slugs. The latter actively eat foliage, which poses a serious danger to hosta bushes.

To combat the pest, you can use shallow bowls of beer placed around the plants or purchase a ready-made bait (Thunderstorm remedy).These traps are set in the root area at night and in the morning they collect the slugs that have got there.

Pests can be avoided by sprinkling shells or crushed shells around the hosta.

Stem nematodes also infect the leaves of the plant, leaving behind wide stripes of brown. Noticing such traces, it is necessary to urgently remove all the affected leaves, and transplant the bush itself to another place, having previously treated the rhizome with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

Despite the fact that the hosta is a moisture-loving plant, an excess of moisture can lead to the development of diseases such as phylosticosis, root and gray rot. When affected by gray rot, rotting of the tips of the leaves is observed. All diseased leaves are removed, and the host itself is treated with a solution of Bordeaux liquid.

To get rid of root rot, it is necessary to dig out a bush, cut off the affected areas of the rhizome and transplant the host to a new place, having first lowered the roots for a short time into a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

If you notice red-brown spots on the leaves of the plant, it means that phyllostikosis has struck the funkia. Treatment with Abiga-Peak or Vectra, as well as colloidal sulfur, will help here.

Hosts look great in group plantings, near water bodies and in rock gardens. Compliance with all the rules and recommendations for planting hosts and caring for her will give you an excellent opportunity to admire the beauty and splendor of the hosts both in the garden or in the country, and when using this beauty as a decoration for borders. And some dwarf species of funky are even able to decorate your windowsill.

Every owner of a garden plot dreams of making it attractive and unique. Hosts can help with this, planting and caring for which in the open field does not require serious skills and knowledge. This plant is considered unpretentious. It can grow with equal success in the shade and in sunny places. Its colorful, eye-catching leaves bring uniqueness to any flower garden. In order for the plants to fully develop and please the eye, it is necessary to follow a few simple recommendations.

How to fit the host correctly?

Correct planting plays a key role in the intensity of plant growth and development. In this case, several main factors must be taken into account:

Location of the host.
Soil composition.
Landing rules.

Only when all these aspects are taken into account will it be possible to plant the plant so that it will delight the owners for more than one year. To create a beautiful flower garden, it should also be taken into account that different host varieties can grow in different ways. Therefore, before planting, be sure to familiarize yourself with the features of the variety you have chosen.

Choosing the best place

Planting hosts in the spring in the ground is allowed both in dark and sunny places. This is largely determined by the plant variety. The main rule in this case is not to plant hosts in the shade of dense tree crowns. In such a place, they stop growing and lose the intensity of the color of the leaves. You can choose a site based on color:

Plants with dark foliage are best planted near apple trees, pears, or other trees with a small crown.
If golden or white streaks are present in the color of the leaf plate, then they should be placed on the east side under low plantings. With a lack of light, they can lose their decorative effect.

After you decide on the choice of a site for planting, it must be cleaned of dirt and dug up. Try to completely get rid of weeds that will take away nutrients.

Planting a host in open ground in Siberia should be carried out exclusively in the spring. In other regions, autumn planting is also allowed.

Soil preparation

Hosts are not demanding on the quality of the soil. For full development, they need a minimum of nutrients.If sand predominates in the soil, a small amount of peat will be required. It will help eliminate the leaching of salts and minerals.

When the soil is too poor, mineral fertilization is necessary. Today, a wide range of specialized preparations is on sale. When using them, you must follow the instructions and do not exceed the dosage.

Basic landing rules

The method of planting and caring for hosts in the open field will also depend on the type of planting material. It is best to choose instances with a closed root system. It is enough to carefully remove them from the container without damaging the rhizome and plant them in a previously prepared hole.

Plants with an open root system take root less well. When choosing such a planting material, it is necessary to carefully examine the root system. It should be alive, with no signs of decay. After planting such a host in the hole, it is watered. In this case, the plant must be placed so that the bud is above the ground.

Basic rules of care

Hosts that are planted and cared for outdoors require care. It will consist in following simple recommendations:

If you applied fertilizers to the soil before planting, then fertilizing can be omitted for three years.
In the summer months, watering is carried out regularly as the topsoil dries out. I reduce the frequency of watering in the fall. Water must be poured at the root, avoiding contact with the leaves.
Particular attention should be paid to preparation for winter after planting in the ground. To prevent the plant from freezing, it is mulched with dried sawdust, peat or humus. To prevent slugs from eating the young leaves in early spring, add tobacco dust to the mulch. It is better to cut the leaves for the winter and cover the bush with non-woven material.
The host grows greatly with good care, so it must be periodically divided. To do this, dug it out and carefully cut the rhizome into several parts, which are seated separately.
After the end of flowering, the plant is cleaned of peduncles. This will help him accumulate more strength for wintering.

Planting a host in open ground in the Urals and other regions with a changeable climate requires monitoring soil moisture. Watering can only be done when the top layer of the soil dries out. Otherwise, the root system can rot.

Diseases and pests

An important aspect in the matter of planting and caring for hosts in the open field is the fight against diseases and pests. The most common problems are:

Phylostictosis is a fungal infection. It manifests itself in the form of spots on the leaves of a brown color. Damaged foliage should be destroyed as soon as possible and the plant should be sprayed with special preparations.
Botrytis. With this disease, the leaves quickly dry out and fall off. It can be dealt with only with the help of chemicals.
Damage by garden slugs. These insects are considered the main host pests. To combat them, drugs are also used. In addition, slugs can be hand-picked and destroyed.

With proper care, the host will grow and develop rapidly. It will be a wonderful decoration for any garden.

All about hosts - video