Outdoor Plants
Care Tips for Hostas
April 29, 2020
Nothing beats the variety of colours, textures, and height that hostas can bring to a shade garden.
This lush, foliage dense perennial has captured the eyes of gardeners and landscape designers for many generations. The variability of hostas is endless. Their foliage will give your garden splashes of green (Royal Standard), blue (Humpback Whale), yellow (August Moon), white (Minuteman) and just about any combination of any, or all of these, on just one plant!
There are miniature versions (School Mouse, Church Mouse, Sun Mouse) which make great additions to container gardens and small spaces. There are medium-sized plants (Popcorn, Wheee!, Hudson’s Bay, Paradigm) if you are looking to fill an area under a shade tree or back corner of your yard.
Do you have a large space to fill? Try planting a specimen sized selection (Krossa Regal, Earth Angel, Wu-La-La) to fill the void.
At Sheridan Nurseries, we grow over 60 different varieties of hosta. From the tiny Pandora’s Box (which only grows to 10 cm tall) to magnificent Empress Wu (which grows to an impressive 90 cm+ tall).
CARE TIPS FOR HOSTAS
Hostas thrive in full shade to partial sun location. In mid-summer, hostas will blossom tall spikes of purple or white flowers. Select the right variety, like Guacamole or Fragrant Dream and the blooms will bring a sweet fragrance to your container or garden.
These perennials are so low maintenance, and once they are established, they become drought tolerant. They are ideal for woodland style gardens, mass plantings, container gardens, and some even tolerant being planted near black walnut trees.
As soon as the ground thaws, you can start planting hostas. Make sure you water new perennials every two to three days for two weeks and then as required. Always adjust your watering to natural rainfall and drought conditions. Add a dose of Parkwood Transplanter to minimize transplant shock and help establish healthy roots.
To keep the size of your hostas under control, you can divide them once they become dormant in fall.
To prevent slugs and snails from nibbling on leaves, you can surround the plants with crushed eggshells, use a slug repellant, and go out into the evening to pick off slugs you can see.
OUR FAVOURITE HOSTA VARIETIES
SUM & SUBSTANCE
This larger specimen hosta is best used as a focal point in your shade garden. It’s large and vibrant chartreuse leaves will brighten up any naturalized area or shade perennial border.
Image by: Walters Gardens, Inc
AUGUST MOON
Wavy, corrugated heart-shaped bright green leaves on this variety will make a statement in your borders, mass plantings, or as a focal point.
Image by: Walters Gardens, Inc
ROYAL STANDARD
We love this variety for its vigorous, fast growth. Large glossy green pointed leaves are versatile in any style of garden. Fragrant white flowers will fill your garden with a sweet floral scent in summer.
Image by: Walters Gardens, Inc
SHADOWLAND ® AUTUMN FROST PW
This medium-sized hosta is a showy mound of frosty blue foliage with extra-wide bright yellow edges. Displays creamy-white and lavender-purple flowers in summer. Great as a filler when used in a container garden.
Image by: Proven Winners
SAGAE
Frosty-green foliage is trimmed with a wavy, yellow margin which will turn to a creamy white, depending on how much sunlight is received. Lavender-purple flowers will appear in summer above the large, triangular foliage.
Image by: Walters Gardens, Inc
HALCYON
Blue-ish hued pointed foliage drapes across this hosta, giving your garden beds or containers an eclectic style. The thicker leaves on this variety give it good slug resistance.
Image by: Walters Gardens, Inc
SHARE THIS ARTICLE
