Xela's Garden

Plantain lily

Genus: Hosta.

Species: Hosta.

Planted 04.08 Shenstone garage border
04.08 Vistabile pond border

[Pack of 8] 5 varieties need identifying

Bought Morrisons £2.99 pack of 8

Hostas are essential plants because they thrive in shade, have shapely leaves and often rich foliage colours, and combine well with scores of different plants. They can be used as ground cover and in ornamental pots.

Position:
Soil Type:
moist soil
Prepare the soil well before planting.
Hostas dislike standing in water, so dig in plenty of coarse grit to keep the soil free-draining. Also add manure to feed the plant and stop the ground drying out
Exposure:
grow best in dappled or full shade, provided by a canopy of

overhanging trees and shrubs.
Frost damages tender young roots. Once established, however, they can happily tolerate temperatures well below freezing. Strong winds can tear their leaves, though, so pick a sheltered spot.

Hostas are quite happy in the same sot for more than 30 years without being divided.

Flowers: July - Aug

Height:60cm

A regular nitrogen feed, such as pelleted chicken manure, and an annual mulch of manure helps to keep plants in top condition.

Planting times
Hostas are best planted in early autumn or late spring to avoid frost

Growing in pots

Use John Innes No2 mixed with a little grit to keep the soil well drained. Mulching around potted plants with coarse grit helps retain moisture. Add water-retaining granules to help stop pots drying out.

Regular feeding is essential for pot-grown hostas, as nutrients leach out of the soil even more quickly than they do in an open garden.

Planting associations
Most hostas contrast well with other large-leaved plants. Try the purple-leaved heucheras or Ligularia dentata 'Desdemona', which has large, heart-shaped leaves with deep mahogany undersides. In pots, H. 'Blue Moon' goes well with the black Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens'.

Hosta's smooth leaves also make a perfect textural contrast against the deeply cut fronds of ferns, such as the architectural shuttlecock fern Matteuccia struthiopteris or the intricate soft shield fern Polystichum setiferum.

Medium and large-leaved hostas, such as H. 'Halcyon', make ideal ground cover or edges to paths and lawns. They spread well and form a dense mesh of foliage, which leaves little room or light for weeds. Large-leaved hostas benefit from surrounding space so they can be fully appreciated.
Subtle links

Hostas are excellent at linking different spaces within a garden. Use them to edge a lawn in a formal area or around a distant pond.

Because hostas have such a strong identity, there's no need to use the same variety in both locations, but it's best to look for some similarities in size or colour.

Problem solver
Hostas are notoriously susceptible to slugs and snails. Avoid feeding the plants later than June as this tends to encourage the growth of sappy leaves, which are an added attraction to pests.

Use slug pellets sparingly and in selected areas. Be sure to dispose of the poisoned slugs and snails carefully so birds and hedgehogs don't eat them.

To protect hostas grown in pots, stand them on a bed of gravel. Wrap copper tape, which is said to give a small electrical charge, around the middle of the pots - this is available from organic garden centres. You could also try spraying the outside of the rim with a lubricant, such as WD40, once a season. Terracotta pots may need two doses as they're very porous.

Photos of this plant

Reminders for this plant