Culture in landscape design
Universal hosts are suitable for any design solution. They are planted as tapeworms or combined with other garden plants. Green bushes look beautiful as a curb planting, as well as a carpet of the site. They fill empty spaces, create flower arrangements, decorate rock gardens. Artificial reservoirs or fountains are often decorated with perennials.
Hosts are used to decorate the site
Successful neighboring cultures for him are:
- periwinkle;
- crocus;
- day-lily;
- geychera;
- mountain woman;
- astilba, etc.
Due to its unpretentiousness and ability to grow in the shade of the host, it is a fairly frequent visitor to the garden plots of Russian flower growers. The wide variety of types of these flowers allows you to create original compositions, giving their zest to any country yard.
Agrotechnics
Hosta's agricultural technology includes the usual actions: weeding, loosening, fertilizing, watering. You need to take care of it regularly. The best feeding of hosts is organic fertilizers. Autumn feeding consists of humus or compost, peat. Mulch from compost and humus can be applied at the beginning of summer, so moisture in the soil is retained. Infusion of mullein or nitrogen fertilizers help to grow leaves in early summer, and at the end you need to feed the plant with phosphorus and potassium fertilizers to increase the winter hardiness of the root system. At the beginning of the growing season, mineral complexes are introduced for flowering plants.
Top dressing with mineral and organic fertilizers
Watering the hosts should be regular, depending on the degree of soil drying. Usually 3-4 times a day is enough, in drought - every day. Water less often in the fall. The water jet should not hit the leaves. If the hosta grows, then its rhizome is divided and planted.
HOST FRANCESS WILLIAMS
HOSTA FRANCESS WILLIAMS (FRANCIS WILLIAMS) - bred by Frances Williams / Conny Williams in 1986, as sowing from hosts sieboldiana 'Elegans'. The size is large - L-G, the height of the hosta is 60 cm, the width of the bush is 150 cm. Large, dense, wrinkled leaves of blue-green color, with a wide cream border. Delenki from an adult bush.
You can see the rest of the varieties on our website Phlox Garden
Hosts are extremely popular perennials in modern gardens due to their versatility in the landscape. Their variety of shades, varied color combinations and patterns and crinkled dense leaves occupy a niche in garden design that few plants can achieve. Their large leaves provide excellent coverage for dying spring bulbous plants.
Landing place for host. Hosts thrive best in moist, well-drained, high organic matter soils with a pH of 5.5 to 7.5. Sandy loam is better than clay because it provides more aeration for the roots. Openwork shade is essential for clean, healthy plant growth. The morning sun is good for the host and can intensify the color of the leaves, but the hot midday sun is usually bad for the host.
Planting hosts FRANCIS WILLIAMS To plant a medium-sized host (S-M), you need to dig a hole of about 30 * 30 * 30 cm. Fill it with humus or compost, add ash, complex fertilizers. Mix well. If the soil is heavy, add sand and peat to the planting hole. If the soil is light, then clay can be added to retain nutrients at the roots. Stir the entire contents of the planting pit. Place the hosta roots in it so that the growth point is not deepened by more than 2 cm. Spread the roots, water, sprinkle with earth and tamp. Do not forget to sign the planted plant. When planting dwarf hosts, the pit can be reduced by 2 times.When planting large hosts, the size of the landing pit can be doubled.
Reproduction of the host FRANCIS WILLIAMS is very easy through the division of the bush. This can be done at any time during the growing season with little or no effect on the growth of the mother plant. There is no need to divide young bushes that have not yet grown. Give them a few years to grow
Host care.
Mulching. This will retain moisture at the roots of plants, relieve the host from weeding and winter damping.
Watering. Hosts love moist soil.
Fertilizer. Hosts love organic feeding.
Fighting slugs in young hosts. You need to scatter specials. preparations for slugs and be sure to remove dead foliage in the fall, because slugs and their eggs hibernate in it.
Hosta in garden design. Hosts are plants that fit perfectly into any landscape. On a small and large plot, they will surely find their rightful place. Usually hosts are planted under trees, creating a beautiful varied cover from them. From the host, you can create a mixborder border
Large hosts look great as soloists, sitting apart from other plants, and focusing all the attention on themselves. I like to combine hosts with astilbe, daylilies, Siberian irises, buzulniks, dicenters, ferns, shrubs of yellow and purple shades of foliage, for example, with vesicles, with chubushniks
You can buy the host FRANCIS WILLIAMS by placing an order on our website.
You might be interested in Hosta Golden Meadows
Planting hosts in the garden
When to plant the host.
Before planting the host, you need to choose an area where she will be comfortable. Remember that the hosta can grow without transplanting in one place for up to twenty years, and every year it will only be more beautiful. The optimal indicators are partial shade with protection from drafts, but remember: the brighter the hosta leaf, the more white and yellow fragments on it, the more light-loving the variety. It is advisable for variegated hosts to grow in a place that is shaded at noon, but illuminated by the sun in the morning and evening. Blue varieties should only be planted in the shade, two hours of sunshine a day will be enough for them. The thicker the shadow, the slower the hosta grows, but the larger the leaves and the taller the bush.
If you are planting in spring or summer, be careful to water the first year and possibly install foot mulch to retain moisture, which promotes growth. It is also avoided growing during the winter because the soil is very heavy and the slightest gel can condemn a young subject.
Find our tips for planting trees and shrubs.
... Cooked in jars or containers, roses are grown preferably in the fall. They can also be planted in spring, but with more regular watering conditions. For roots with bare roots, only the sowing period is possible - autumn.
Hosts need soil that is moist, rich in humus, neutral or slightly acidic, with good drainage. Hostas dislike only sand and heavy loam. It is best to prepare the soil for spring planting in the fall: spread a layer of organic fertilizer 10 cm thick over the allotted area and dig up the ground to the depth of a bayonet shovel. By spring, the soil on the site will be ready for planting. Landing of hosts in the ground is carried out when the threat of frost has passed. In our latitudes, this is the end of April - mid-May.
Planting Mediterranean plants
Find our rose planting tips.
... They are preferably planted in the spring because they give them time to root before facing the first summer heat. We also plant all Mediterranean plants that are sold in a pot during the summer to provide good water in the evening in case of prolonged drought.
Planting plant plants
The best landing is also in autumn. It can also be planted in spring or summer, but always avoid periods of high temperature and watering.
The use of a primer is essential
Find our tips for planting heather plants.
... Why do we need heather soil, the other - a simple universal soil or plantation?
How to land the host.
Seedling holes are placed at a distance of 30-60 cm, depending on the type of plant being planted. For giant hosts, the distance between the bushes should be 80-100 cm. If you are planting seedlings from pots in the ground, water them several hours before planting. If you combine planting with dividing host bushes, then remove dried, rotten or damaged roots from the parcels. In the prepared holes, seedlings are placed from a pot with a lump of earth (or delenka) 2-3 cm below ground level, the hosta roots are carefully straightened, covered with earth, crushed and watered abundantly. The area around the root is mulched with crushed bark.
After a few months or years in the same environment, they suddenly change universes. When moving from a kindergarten with optimal growth conditions, they will have to adapt to their new "home"
Therefore, it is important to meet the requirements of each plant by providing it with the necessary assistance. Look for good gestures in each card to give you every chance of success on your plantation.
Neighbors for hosts
In order for your roses to bloom as best they can and produce beautiful flowers, you need to prune them regularly. The size of the rose bushes is two periods. In autumn, after flowering, and in spring, after heavy frosts. Autumn pruning, light, only serves to maintain the plant. The size of the spring, which is much more severe, allows it to liven up to give beautiful fleshy roses.
Caring for hosts after planting in open ground
Everyone who wants to acquire this crop should know what care should be when growing a hosta flower in the open ground in the garden, this will be the key to its successful cultivation. In general, the plant is considered unpretentious, but following the recommendations described below, the gardener will receive a lush, eye-pleasing bush that will not lose its decorative effect for many years.
Location. Before planting the hosta, it will be correct to consider that most forms grow well in the shade and partial shade, but there are varieties for bright, sunny places. Therefore, before choosing a site for this plant, you should familiarize yourself with its features and preferences. If it is not possible to find such information, you can focus on the color of the foliage of the hosts. So, varieties with a light central part of the leaves prefer to grow in open areas with an abundance of sunlight. The lighter the leaves, the greater the need for bright lighting. The site must be protected from drafts. Having decided to create optimal conditions for growing the hosta, it is worth considering that the northern side of the garden or the lowland near the reservoir will be an excellent place for her. Variegated forms need sun, blue varieties thrive in shade.
The soil. The plant prefers well-fertilized, slightly acidic, loose, well-moisturized soils. When planting on poor soils, you must first apply fertilizer.
Top dressing. Top dressing with organic and mineral fertilizers is applied 3 times per season. For the first time in mid-April during the active growth of the hosts, the second time in May, the third time in July during the flowering period.
Watering and other care. When caring for plants by hosts, you need to remember that all species need a lot of moisture. Watering is required abundantly and as often as possible, from this the perennial will feel good and develop faster. Better to water the bushes in the morning. The condition of the earthen coma should be closely monitored. It should always be moist, but not waterlogged. From excess moisture, the plant can infect various fungal diseases. After watering, it is required to loosen the area around the bush to ensure the flow of oxygen to the roots. You need to loosen very carefully so as not to damage the roots of the plant lying close to the soil surface.To retain moisture in the soil, cover the place near the bush with dry foliage or sawdust. Mulching replaces loosening.
Shelter for the winter. When preparing the plant for wintering, the peduncles are cut off, and the leaves are left. The area around the bush is covered with dry leaves or sawdust. Since all species have good frost resistance, dense shelter is not necessary.
Miniature varieties
In terms of cultivation and breeding, miniature hosta varieties are not simple crops. They are planted in the ground after the seedling has developed a good root system. Before the onset of winter, the soil is not mulched like ordinary hosts, but sprinkled with a thin layer of compost or peat. They are sensitive to excess or lack of moisture in the soil.
In addition, it is important to protect small hosts from slugs and viruses, which can instantly destroy plants due to their small stature. The most popular varieties of miniature hosts
Gold Drop
It has leaves 5x3cm in size, with a dense texture. The color of the leaves is greenish-yellow, and by the middle of summer they become golden in color. If a Gold host is dropped on a sunny area, it will constantly be yellow. The variety belongs to medium and fast growing, therefore it grows quickly, which makes it possible to use Gold Drop hosts as borders for flower beds.
Pandora`s Box
Its leaves are green and white in the center. There are lilac flowers on white peduncles. This variety prefers well-drained soil and areas with partial shade. If Pandora`s Box produces pure green leaves, they must be removed. The height of an adult plant barely reaches 10 cm, the diameter of the bush is 25 cm. The root system develops slowly.
Cameo
The size of the leaves reaches 5x6 cm, they are round, creamy yellow. The center of the leaves is colored green-blue, irregularly bordered. Prefers partial shade. The plant produces purple flowers.
Itsy Bitsy Spider
The smallest variety of hostovy: its height rarely exceeds 5 cm. Itsy Bitsy Spider is a novelty of recent years, bred by breeders. This is a very delicate and capricious plant, resembling a miniature agave in its appearance.
How to properly grow hosta from seeds
Inexperienced gardeners often wonder how to propagate the host so that this work is successful, which method to choose. Reproduction of this plant is carried out using seeds, cuttings and cuttings, which are usually obtained when the plant is transplanted.
When choosing a sowing method, you should take into account that the germination of seeds is not very high, so first they must be placed in a growth stimulator for half an hour, for example, Kornevin, Epin and others. It is recommended to stratify the seed within a month by placing it in a cold place for this time.
Not everyone knows how to grow hosta from seeds, meanwhile, the soil mixture plays an important role in how successful the work on growing seedlings will be. It is best to purchase it in a specialized store, then there will be a guarantee that there are pathogenic bacteria in it. Composing the mixture yourself, it is worth including perlite, vermiculite and peat in the composition.
Seedlings are planted in mid - late spring. For growing hosts, they take small pots from seeds, put a small layer of drainage on the bottom and fill them with a prepared soil mixture. Then watered. The seeds are evenly scattered on the soil surface and covered with a layer of sand. From above, the pots are covered with foil or glass and placed in a warm place with a temperature of 19 - 26 degrees. After planting the seeds of the hosts, you need to provide care for them, then, in good conditions, the seedlings will sprout in 2 - 3 weeks. Caring for young plants should consist of daily ventilation, irrigation, shading from direct sunlight.Grown bushes with one full pair of leaves dive into separate containers filled with soil and a small amount of sand from above. Before planting seedlings in open ground, they are hardened. To do this, they are taken out on the street every day, leaving for several hours, gradually increasing the time the plants are in the open air. The hardening site must be protected from drafts and possible precipitation. It is best to store the seedlings under a roof or shed.
Correct landing is carried out by the transshipment method. Moisten the soil with the plant, remove it together with the earthen clod and place it in the planting pit. Then the hole is filled with soil and the area around the bush is tamped. The host is watered, the space near it is sprinkled with mulch.
Diseases
Until recently, the culture was considered resistant to diseases, but it turned out that the plant can be affected by viruses from other plants (mosaic, ring spot, etc.). But the most common and dangerous of these is the HVX host virus, which is transmitted by the sap of an infected bush during procedures such as dividing or pruning.
Symptoms of the disease caused by the virus: the appearance of spots, transparent specks, lines or streaks, uneven foliage color, a change in its texture, compression. The disease covers the entire bush, causing foliage to fall and growth retardation. There is no cure, therefore, to prevent the spread of the virus at the first symptoms, it is necessary to dig up and burn the plant. The hosts can be put in the old place in three weeks.
Scientists, after conducting research, have established that a fairly large number of Siebold's host hybrids are resistant to the HVX viral disease.
Landing giant host
Planting of giant varieties can be carried out both in April-May and September-October. Giant hosts are placed at a distance of 55 cm to 1 m to neighboring plants, leaving about 1.5-2 m of area for each bush for free growth.
Despite the size of the seedling, already at the stage of site preparation, it is worth remembering what size giant hosts will reach in the future. They need very large landing pits, about 50 cm deep and more than 1 m in diameter.
Giant hosts are placed at a distance of 55 cm to 1 m to neighboring plants.
The need to create a maximum feeding area for the hosta growing to incredible sizes involves deep digging, the introduction of organic matter and full of mineral fertilizers (1 bucket of compost and 50 g of mineral mixtures).
The seedlings are placed vertically at a depth of 5 to 10 cm after abundant watering, tamping the soil very carefully. You need to mulch the plants immediately with any available materials (layer - from 5 cm).
Giant hosts take root very slowly and adapt poorly. If it is possible to purchase seedlings with a closed root system, rather than bare sections of rhizomes, it is better to use it. But in any case, for giants, it will take about 4 weeks to start full-fledged rooting. And at this time, the hosts need to be provided with regular watering (in drought - daily), if necessary - additional shading and spraying in the heat.
Reproduction
Growing hosts from seeds
Seed breeding is a rare method. Hosta seeds have poor germination (70-80%), therefore it is recommended to treat them with a growth stimulant: Kornevin, Zircon, Elin, Aloe juice. Gardeners also use stratification - the method of cooling seeds in the lower sector of the refrigerator for 1 month.
Important! The soil substrate must be sterile, so it is best to purchase it in specialized stores. It has a balanced composition containing vermiculite, peat, perlite
Sowing seeds begins from the last days of February, early March. The pots must be disinfected with a solution of potassium permanganate or ethyl alcohol. The bottom is filled with a layer of drainage, a substrate is poured on top, the temperature of which should be + 18-25 degrees.The host is sown in well-moistened soil. Sprinkle the seeds on top with a layer of substrate (5-7 mm). The containers are covered with foil or glass to prevent the soil from drying out and placed in partial shade.
The sprouts appear in 2-3 weeks. At this time, the seedlings should be provided with good lighting. As soon as the first pair of leaves appears, they begin to pick into separate containers. The soil is diluted by a quarter with sand. The pots should be in a pan with water. With the help of bottom irrigation, the water should reach the top layer of the soil. Then you need to harden the seedlings. Plants freed from the film are kept outdoors at temperatures above +18 degrees. Although the hosta is capable of propagating by seed, growing a plant with this method leads to slow growth and degeneration of the variety. The decorative effect occurs only in the 5th year of the plant's life.
Cuttings
How to grow a host with cuttings? The grafting method is used on young hosts. It is carried out by separating cuttings from the main plant in the spring-summer period (from May to August). The stalk is a young shoot with a root particle, the so-called "heel", and leaves. Rosette shoots can be used for reproduction.
Sometimes this method is difficult, since the shoots can adhere very tightly to each other. It is advisable to cut the leaves by a third to reduce evaporation. The planting site should be slightly shaded; after planting, the seedling is covered with a plastic bottle. If after planting the plant looks a little wilted, you need to wait 3 days, the hosta can recover.
Division
The division of the bush is carried out in the spring and at the end of summer. Do not use a young hostu for division, as its growth will slow down. After the emergence of young shoots, the dug hosta is divided with a pitchfork or a knife. Each of the parts should have 1-2 leaf rosettes. The plots are placed in pits, keeping a distance of 30-40 cm between them, covered with soil and watered. After 4 weeks, they take root. After 2-3 years, full-fledged hosts grow out of them.
Hosta varieties
There are a lot of plant species, but we will tell you about the most unusual and most common ones:
- White-bordered host;
- Curly;
- Plantain;
- Straight-leaved;
- Wavy;
- Bloated;
- Siebold.
We can make out all these varieties in more detail.
The white-bordered hosta has an average size (up to 30 cm). It blooms in the middle of summer and pleases the hostess with white or purple-lilac flowers. Its "evergreen leaves" add elegance to any flower bed with its greenish-light green color with a white border.
Curly hosta in color is very similar to white-bordered, but the leaves have a different shape - long and heart-shaped when unfolded. It will bloom only with small lavender bells at the end of summer.
Plantain is perhaps the most common in the world. It looks bright due to its large glossy green leaves. It also blooms in late summer, and somewhere in early autumn. The flower is large enough to resemble a large bell. Unlike the rest of the host, this species has a pronounced pleasant smell.
The erect-leaved hosta prefers to grow in partial shade. Pleases the owners with large purple flowers (like those of Podorozhnikova). The leaves are directed upwards in an oblong shape. The leaf color is dark green or green. This species blooms in mid-summer and until mid-autumn changes flowers to fresher ones.
The wavy hosta refreshes the flower garden very well, since the color of the leaves can be light green with white spots in the center, or white turning into green. The shape of the leaf is twisted at the tip and this gives the feeling of a wave on the leaf. It will bloom in the middle of summer, like most other species, with small bells of light purple color.
The bloated hosta blooms in late summer with small blue or purple flowers. The leaves are wide, dark green, bright in color with a pointed tip.
Siebold is a very unusual host.She is one of the few who, when pollinating flowers, can bring herself to a different variety. It's just some kind of magic. The leaves of this species are large and wide, greenish-blue in color. Blooms in mid-summer in small, but dense inflorescences of white with a shade of purple, pink and even blue.
Sum and Substance
The leaves of this variety are cupped and have a long tip and deep lobes. They are distinguished by a large rosette and high density, due to which they are protected from the effects of pests - snails and slugs. Flowering begins in mid-summer, the flowers are light purple.
In the sun, the hosta gradually changes its color from light green to golden yellow. For good growth, the plant must receive a large amount of sunlight and moisture. In this case, it grows up to 1 m, and reaches 1.5 m in diameter.
In extreme heat, it is recommended to shade even the most sun-loving hosts.
Host varieties for sunny locations
A detailed description with a photo of a host who loves or is able to tolerate the sun.
