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Hosta
Are
you looking for a bold, dramatic effect for a shaded area of your landscape?
Hosta may be just what you are
looking for. Use hosta under those trees where the grass won't grow.
Hosta varies in size from very
small to giant sized making it easy to find a Hosta just right for your
garden.
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you can find some nice varieties at your local nursery but if they
are lacking in selection check and see what Wayside Gardens has. |
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Leaf color is also varied, from yellow and gold, pale green to dark
green and blue. Many hosta leaves have irregular patterns of white,
cream, yellow, or sea-green. The flowers appear on tall spikes and are
purple, lavender or white.
Hummingbirds are attracted to these flowers so I hope you leave them
on until the flowers are finished. I've had people tell me they cut
them off. I guess they only want the leafy part of the hosta. But in
removing the flowers they are missing out watching the hummingbirds.
Hostas are tough and versatile, adapt to different situations but are
most happy in evenly moist, humus-rich soil in light to full shade.
It is hard finding shady spots around our landscape so we have to be
a little creative so that we can have a few. One thing we try
is to find partially shaded areas around our larger shrubs and tuck
them in.
Hostas are disease resistant but watch out for those slugs. There are
numerous remedies for keeping control of slugs, a saucer of beer to
name one. Place a shallow saucer of beer buried level in the ground
so the slugs can get in easily. Strain the beer everyday to remove the
drowned slugs. You can also lay a board down and every morning remove
the slugs that are hiding under it.
Slugs aren't the only ones who love hosta. Deer find it to be a really
tasty salad green. They are a big problem for us.
One
thing I found that keeps them from munching is the black netting that
is used in vegetable gardens. Cut it to size making sure you give a
little room for growth. You will need to pin it to the ground because
the deer will still try a couple times to eat the hosta and they will
pull the netting off. The netting is practically invisible.
There are other controls like sprays you can try if deer are a problem
in your area.
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