In this article, we will focus on the care of hosta plants, how to plant them in container pots or in the ground, and our tips for all-season growing.
Hosta is a large genus of shade-loving perennial plants loved for their incredible elegance and colorful leaves.
Hostas range in size from mini to giant – giving you a ton of options!
Hostas are easy to grow, low maintenance, and long-lived, making them an excellent addition to any shade garden design.
Plant small hosta varieties along a walkway, use them as a border, or fill in gaps beneath taller perennials within your shade garden landscape. Plant giant hosta varieties to fill in large gaps in the landscape or to give a towering design effect.
QUICK LOOK FACTS: HOSTA
What Are Hostas?
Hostas, also known as plantain lilies can be the highlight feature of your shade garden. Plant hostas in containers, shady borders, under large trees or shrubs, and along walkways – the sky is the limit.
But their dazzling foliage coloring and texture are unlike many plants! Hostas grow as an open mound of horizontal, thick, bulky-weight leaves that are almost always round and heart-shaped.
Therefore, the leaves are what make this perennial plant so special, with colors varying from shades of green to blue-green, gold, and even variegated.
Also, many small hosta varieties do produce attractive spike-like heads of bell-trumpet-shaped flowers. These pale pink or white flowers often attract hummingbirds, and bees and even have a fragrance.
Hostas emerge from the ground in mid-spring as whimsical, spiraled spikes that uncurl as they leaf out.
All hostas, including the mini, small, and large varieties, will remain vibrant in your garden until late fall.
When & How Long Do Hostas Bloom?
You can expect to enjoy the peak bloom period in mid-summer. Hosta blooms are not the longest-lasting and do tend to fade. If your hosta plant gets too much sun, the blooms will fade and die much faster. Therefore, if planted in shade you can expect hosta blooms to last around 2-3 weeks.
However, while blooming you can enjoy gorgeous, statement flower spikes, the hummingbirds, and butterflies that they attract, and with some varieties, even enjoy a fragrance.
How & Where to Plant Hosta
Hosta plants will grow great when planted directly in the ground of your garden, but will also thrive in containers or potted arrangements on your deck, patio, or entryway.
They look best grown in combination with other plants that too have visual interest. Some recommended plants to pair are heuchera, fuchsias, astilbe, and fern varieties.
Container Planting
These hostas look wonderful in containers!
The key is to start with the right container or pot, good soil mix, and water.
- Select your container – the deeper the pot and bigger around the better, and it must have drainage holes in the bottom. Any type or shape of container will work, just know that long, shallow pots will dry out very quickly.
- Next, choose the best location for your container based on the shade requirements
- Select your hosta plants
- Then, add well-draining potting mix soil. Add organic material such as a compost mix or manure, this should be about 10% of the total mix volume. Next mix in perlite, this should be no more than 5% of the total mixture and is essential for drainage.
- Dig holes for your plants and plant them. Holes should be 2 inches deeper and wider than the pot they are in. Backfill the hole, lightly pressing the soil around the base of the plant.
- Water deeply making sure you water at the base of the plants and avoid watering the leaves and flowers.
- Finally, as they become established for the next 3 weeks, water extra. Water as soon as the top layer of soil becomes dry. Then once they are established resume minimal recommended watering requirements.
Ground Planting
Make sure to plant your hostas deep enough, so that when they are dormant in winter they won’t freeze.
You will likely start with a nursery plant and will buy your plants in 4, 6-inch, or gallon pots.
These plants are not full-grown and small to medium in size – so design your flower garden for the future!
When planting Hostas, it is important to space the plants far enough apart so that they have room to grow.
Hostas can spread 6-36 inches wide in wonderful round clumps.
To measure proper spacing, you will start from the center of one plant, measure out in inches the max-width listed on the label, and that point will be the center of the second plant. This will ensure they grow together nicely and blend beautifully, but will not be overcrowded.
- Choose a suitable spot in your garden that meets the needed sun requirements of your plants. If you are unsure, track the sun exposure from sunrise to sunset and mark where and how it moves across your garden.
- Prepare the soil. Remove weeds, and loosen the soil, breaking up clumps. Add some organic material, such as compost or manure to it in order to help with drainage and provide extra nutrients.
- Dig holes for your plants that are 3 inches wider and deeper than the pot they come in. Leave sufficient spacing between each plant if planting more than one.
- After your plants are in the ground, backfill the soil into the hole and water deeply.
- As your plants become established, give them a little extra water. Once they are established, you can switch to a regular minimum watering schedule. Do not fertilize for the first 4 weeks after planting.
Ideal Growing Conditions for Hostas
Now that you have your Hosta plants, planted let’s discover the ideal conditions for healthy growth and beautiful blooms!
☀️ How Much Sun Do Hostas Need?
Hosta plants prefer full shade but can tolerate a little bit of partial shade.
However, if they are in partial shade, this might cause them to discolor, or grow less especially if they get too hot in the sun. Signs of too much sun will be burning of the leaves or excessive yellowing, the ends of the leaves dying or turning brown, and a wilted look.
Some hosta varieties need ‘deep shade’ and this means a dark full shade environment. An example of this is a forest garden where there are trees, large shrubs, and tall perennials blocking most of the sun.
Other varieties of hostas will say the partial shade is appropriate. However, this means no direct, hot sun. This means ‘bright shade’ which is the shade from a shadow of a single large plant, like a shrub. If the plant receives any direct sun it’s always ideal if it is morning sun, as this is less hot and intense for your hostas.
🌡 Temperature Requirements for Hosta Plants:
They are cold tolerant or “hardy” once they are established, and can tolerate temperatures as low as -40 degrees F. They like a more northern, temperate climate with fertile soil.
Hostas will go dormant in the winter to help protect them from frost and snow. Keep in mind, that planting next to a house can help protect a plant from extreme frost because your house siding radiates heat and offers shelter.
In the early spring, March to April, hostas will emerge from the ground once the temperatures have consistently stayed above 40-45 degrees.
However, hostas cannot tolerate hot, humid tropical climates. If your climate experiences more than 120 days above 86° or is a humid climate, hostas will not grow very well. Hostas can tolerate a climate that has 120 days or fewer that reach 86° F (this is a dry, non-humid heat).
They are more subject to root rot from too much moisture, or lack of soil drainage. In these climates, you might have more success in pots and where you can add air circulation.
💦 How Much Water Do Hostas Need?
Water your hosta plants regularly, especially during the hotter months. They should be watered about once a week if the soil has good drainage.
If it is raining in the spring, there is no need to water extra. In general, hostas are temperate forest-loving plants but can tolerate periods of drought and heavy rain (if the soil is well-draining). This means your plants cannot sit in a puddle of water, dense clay soil, or high peat moss soil that retains a lot of moisture.
They are drought resistant once they are established, but will appreciate some supplemental watering during prolonged periods of dry weather.
Don’t let hostas sit in water for too long as this will cause root rot and encourage diseases.
What Type of Soil is Right for Hostas?
Hostas will do best in extremely well-draining soil, that is nutrient-rich.
If the soil is too wet, this can cause the roots to rot and the plant to die. If the soil is too gravely or poor in nutrients this will cause your plant to die
So, look for a location where the water can sharply drain away, which is why a slight slope, sandy loam soil, in a shade garden is perfect.
Hostas prefer neutral pH soil. You can test the soil with an at-home pH kit to be exact.
To increase the nutrient richness of your soil, add compost; animal manure compost, bat guano, or leaf litter/natural compost bag mix – all of which will break down and adds nutrients to the soil.
In the fall, just before winter add some leaf litter or a small amount of 50% compost/soil mix on top of where the plant will retreat underground for winter. this will add a layer of protection and will slowly break down over the winter, feeding the dormant plant below.
Do Hostas Need Fertilizer?
Likewise as discussed above, hosta plants prefer a nutrient-rich soil, so twice a year it’s best to amend the soil. The best time of year to do this is fall (October) and again in early spring (February).
You can also use a balanced slow-release fertilizer that is added twice a year.
Hostas do also like the addition of mycorrhizal fertilizers (mushroom bio-enhancer) because they are a symbiotic forest-loving plant. This is recommended to be added once a year, ideally in spring as they begin to grow.
Hosta Pictures & Recommended Varieties
How To Care for Hostas
✂️ How to Cutback and Prune
Once the flowers have finished blooming and have wilted, it’s best the best time to cut the flower stalks off at the base. Throughout the year, you can remove any damaged or dead leaves.
Once the plant has finished its growing season and goes dormant for the winter, the old, dead leaves will slowly decay if left. This is a good strategy to leave the leaves because they will help replace nutrients in the soil.
It’s best to remove these leaves in the early spring before the plant begins to grow and emerge for the new growing season. At this time the leaves will be easy to gather and remove from the plant, no cutting will be necessary.
⚠️ Are Hostas Vulnerable to Pests & Diseases?
The most common pests that affect hostas are slugs and snails.
To prevent this, use a slug bait or deterrent from your garden store. Be careful, as this product is toxic to dogs, however, there are some brands that are safe. Sprinkle this slug and snail bait around the new shoots of plants as they emerge in the spring.
Some climates might need to routinely add this slug bait for the entire growing season.
But, keep in mind as we hybridize plants, many are becoming more “resistant” to the common slug predator/pest.
Not as common, however, but hostas can be susceptible to powdery mildew and crown rot if the environment and soil are too moist for too long. Powdery mildew is also more common in humid environments.
How to Propagate Hostas From Divisions
Hostas can be easily propagated from divisions of the original plant.
This propagation process is making smaller, individual plants of your original plant. Year after year, hostas will multiply, sending up new shoots that will have several leaves.
It’s easy to divide these tiny plants and have more!
Do this in early spring
What you will need:
Steps:
- First, lift the plant to be divided gently, taking care to insert the forks beyond the immediate root zone, to reduce the risk of damaging fine roots
- Second, carefully divide the plant into sections by gently pulling it apart. Aim for a clump with several of the individual buds/eyes
- Next, plant the new division in its new location
- Lastly, water well and label your new plant
That’s it – time to slip on those gardening boots and plant some roots!
But most importantly, love every minute spent in the garden amongst your plants. Plants make the best company.
Plant Pairing Ideas
