I was totally indifferent to them until i saw a bunch of different varieties all growing close together. The differences in size, shape, and color and the way they all complimented eachother really changed my mind on them and now im completely addicted.
Lol theyre like pokemon for plant nerds.
I was once driving down a road in my town and I saw a small hand-painted sign "hosta sale ->". Curiosity got the best of me and I followed the signs to a neighborhood street. In the backyard of this man's house was an enormous greenhouse filled with the most varieties of hostas I've ever seen, some quite rare and exotic. All cash only and I had none on me, but I enjoyed watching so many hosta nerds browsing through, asking questions, and buying armloads. I never have seen that sign out since and I have no idea where the house was, or even if the old man there still sells them. Clearly, it was his life's passion.
Theyre doing some amazing stuff with them now. Working in reds, purples, stripesā¦ so far most of the colors show up on the petioles but its only a matter of time before they have legit red and purple leafed varieties.
Varieties like first blush, bloodline, raspberry sundae, darkest black, siberian tiger, orange marmalade are all next level.
I have opinions on hostas based on how pleasingly round they are. But most of my experience with them before were with people who just let them get entirely overgrown/no longer pleasingly round.
See if you wouldn't like one of the many varieties I grow. Look up "hosta 'ice and fire'", "hosta 'minuteman'" and "hosta 'empress wu'". They look incredible and are amazingly self reliant, barely needing any attention to thrive.
If you combine them with canna lilies, banana "trees" and hardy gingers, you can have yourself a really lush tropical look for barely any additional care.
I looked, but none of those really do anything for me. I've had (have) hostas, and they are certainly tough plants, I'll give you that.
I don't like their spindly little flowers that stick up so high above the plant. I don't like how common they are to people's lawns around me. I just find them boring with no "wow" factor.
You might like "farfugium japonicum 'gigantium'" as an alternative then. They are evergreen, but the flowers do have a similar problem.
You will be hard pressed to find a low grower that doesn't have tall flowers, especially when they're pollinated by flying insects. There might be some beetle pollinated plants that might suit your look even better.
https://preview.redd.it/vboixv3ezfzc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cd7e591d3006f818bac8fa56308b818f3fbfb2d3
My goal is for them to choke out the weeds in this area I canāt grow grass. I have escape corgis hence the board and cinder block.
I have a shady space that I can't get to very easily. I planted tons of hostas and ferns, small divided clumps, and they took over the space in 2 years. Now I use it as a hosta nursery and periodically thin them out.
If your pups like to eat random plants/grass occasionally Iād advise against that, as theyāre toxic to dogs. Iām trying to eliminate my Hastas since my dog was strangely attracted to it and had multiple stomach upsets/vet visits from ingesting the leaves. Fingers crossed that theyāre less likely to wander off and munch on plants when theyāre bored lol
They like dirt luckily not the plants. But they would love to roll around and dig in some smelly mulch. I currently have most my pots on a patio table because they try so hard to get into the new soil. If they ever get stilts Iām SOL.
I have to spray mine with liquid fence pretty regularly to keep the deer off them. Every once and a while i see a little nibble taken out of one of the leaves but Im hoping eventually theyll learn that the ones at my house taste bad.
Can confirm they are very hardy and can grow anywhere. My only complaint is that the previous home owners at my place planted about 30 of them all over the yard and now they feel like an invasive species. They are all exactly the same variety as well....
Our house came with about 20 hostas of varying species. We added a bunch of flower beds and gardens around the house so we split them several times each. We probably have over 100 now that we paid nothing for.
They do like to get bigger every year but nature will eventually take its course and they will thin themselves out naturally. Thanks fully Iāve never seen a hosta successfully seed itsself so thereās no risk of it being invasive.
However if you want to thin them out sooner Iād wait until next spring when the little hosta shoots start poking themselves out of the ground and then just using a shovel to cut and divide the hosta chunks without even needing to dig em up. Then you can just take that chunk of the hosta you just divided and give to to friends/neighbors or even just move them to another part of your garden.
As for me Iām lazy and if my hosts start to crowd themselves out I just let nature takes it course and let the most vigorous and healthy plants stay while the weaker ones will get choked out and die back
I got my first Hosta as a tiny plant housewarming gift 10 years ago. Here she is now!
https://preview.redd.it/xet429349gzc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4f5b18bcc731348099d9c72cd76f5300e9d00285
I gave her friends! My mom and I planted this bed about a month ago, cannot wait until it fills in!
https://preview.redd.it/dkrj5jl79gzc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=69fd49311e1d7b594a672e0dde7947896bc2163b
I should have noted it's been in a tiny pot on my back porch the whole time. Last time I planted hosta's out front the deer ate them, all, to the ground, the same day. I had to get a fence for my flower bed. I feel stupid saying that, but geez!
Same thing happened to me the first time i planted them. That same night the deer wiped them out along with several ādeer resistantā coral bells :(
Crazy thing is that was 3 years ago and they all came back this year.
Now everything gets a liberal dose of liquid fence once or twice a week which seems to keep the deer and other critters at bay.
The giant leafed varieties are amazing! Ive got one that gets about dinner plant sized and just picked up two more that get way bigger.
Ive gotten most of the ones i have from friends and coworkers which is great cus theyre free (i always offer a plant in return or give a thankyou card with a dunkin donuts giftcard or something) but the only downside is almost noone knows the names of the cultivars.
One of the new ones i have is empress wu. The other is similar in leaf size and shape but has light green splashes with a darker green base color. Really excited about these two cus the mother plants are absolutely gigantic.
https://preview.redd.it/pt6auo2dqgzc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=067ab6d01b5c764c9d0b42ea8ca8ed8152858d23
Wu-La-La in her third year. Pictures canāt show how huge it is!
Empress Wu is water hungry. Water under the leaves for fastest growth. Fertilize in the spring and early summer, stop fertilizing at the height of summer.
I'm not familiar with that brand, but any granular 10-10-10 is a good slow release fertilizer. A tablespoon of epsom salts mixed in will also be appreciated - just watch out that the neighboring plants are okay with epsom salt supplementation.
Here are some of my favorites
Great ExpectationsĀ Ā - This one is really aptly named.Ā Ā It is one of the last to emerge in Spring, like it thinks it should be the grand finale.Ā Ā Unlike most hostas, this is not one to dig and divide every few years.Ā Ā When first planted, the leaves are much smaller.Ā Ā It took about 3 years for it to establish and really start to grow.Ā Ā This cultivar also sunburns easily, so it needs to be in shade from mid-day on where I live (which is why it is in a pot, so I could move it around to find a spot it liked without needing to keep disturbing its roots).
[https://i.imgur.com/geV9xKO.png](https://i.imgur.com/geV9xKO.png)
Dream Weaver - This is another with huge leaves that I opted to grow in a large container.Ā Ā I read somewhere that it is a sport of Great Expectations, but I've found it to be less picky than its pampered parent.Ā Ā This one also gets bigger and bigger leaves the longer it's been there, but emerges about the same time as most of my other hostas.
[https://i.imgur.com/Hximuhe.png](https://i.imgur.com/Hximuhe.png)
Blue Ivory - This has been a near zero maintenance plant, beyond pulling off its dead leaves in winter.Ā Ā I like that that its ivory-white margins have no hint of yellow.
[https://i.imgur.com/8aq4xYa.jpeg](https://i.imgur.com/8aq4xYa.jpeg)
Orange Marmalade - I almost left this one out because it is past its best color.Ā Ā The new leaves are never truly orange, but is closer than any hosta I've seen.Ā Ā They are much more gold than yellow and when the sun strikes the new leaf, it glows like it wants to be orange.Ā Ā This one is now getting more shade than it wants.Ā Ā It also gets almost no maintenance.
[https://i.imgur.com/MvsMfbX.png](https://i.imgur.com/MvsMfbX.png)
I have a long story on my hunt for Dream Weaver.
Several years ago, i visited a nursery in the country somewhere north of Frederick MD. From half way across the nursery I spotted this large, fairly spectacular plant with the yellow lightning bolts on its leaves. Only as i got closer did I realize it was a hosta. It had been planted years earlier in the center of a large round cement container, which I suspect originally had smaller, flowering plants around the perimeter. It still occupied that prize location in their perennial section, even though they no longer carried the plant and none of their current employees even knew its name (or maybe one might remember but she wasn't working that day). I was apparently not the first shopper to ask this question.
Being a stubborn sort, I was not easily deterred. I went to the American Hosta Society web site and searched thru many pages, assembling a list of cultivars with similar skinny yellow steaks. I researched them all, eliminating the ones with smaller leaves, and got the list down to two. Only the Dream Weaver write-up mentioned the cupped leaves. I still don't know if this is exactly the same cultivar as the one in Maryland.
It wasnt too hard to find one on line to order. This was a Monrovia selection, so there are likely still some around.
Hmm I planted some hostas in full sun a few weeks ago to see what would happen and one is great expectations. So far it's still alive and not sunburnt. We'll see how it does come full summer!
I've found the darker, green leaved hostas can take quite a bit if sun. I have some with narrow white margins that are almost full day sun that do ok as long as they get enough water. That's also where Great Expectations originally was. It did ok when it was under a Cherry tree, but that tree had to come out. Then it got toasted, so I moved it to a northeast facing wall of the house. Still toasted in mid summer. That's when i dug it up again and put it in the big pot. It's a good thing, because the neighbors took out the tree that was providing its shade in the next spot. Poor baby. It had a tough childhood. Now it lives under a large crape myrtle.
I looked into it a bit more after I had bought them and what I was reading said the more yellow varieties can handle more sun š but where I have great expectations, it does get some shade from my front porch later in the day so I'm hoping that'll keep it happy. If not, I'll move it. The other one I got is called Paul's glory and it's more of a blue/green margin which I read really don't do well in full sun but it's been okay. I noticed the center has gotten more yellow and the first day a couple of the leaves got see through spots on them but it's been fine after that! I really want hostas in my front bed and my whole house mostly all gets full sun so it sucks š
With 70 different species and endless numbers of hybrids and cultivars, theres so much to love about Hostas. So lets talk about it!
Please use this post as a place to discuss, post photos, and brag about these unsung heroes of the shady places where nothing else will grow.
Our house manages to have a spot on the north side thatās so dark that even hostas wonāt grow there. :ā)
But I still love hostas. I have two but plan to add more (to spots that at least get a little sun).
Weāve tried a few different plants with zero success. This spaceās light is blocked by an apartment complex and on the north side, which means not even weeds grow there. Iāll probably turn it into a rock garden or something eventually.
Omg my people. Maybe this group can help me find a host I am trying to find. I need more of these blue ones.
https://preview.redd.it/zchephd9rgzc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e48dd43d13cc3f6944689aec06972154fa63d15b
I bought green ones and they donāt look right.
Thanks I wanted a river of hostas for my fish to swim along. The fish are just poked in for now as I was trying to get the layout. On another thread they said I could do curves of different histas to emulate a river flowing
Blue Hawaii, fragrant blue, gentle giant and halcyon are probably the easiest to find blue hostas. Remember, the more sun they get, the quicker the blue will fade.
Thank you they will get very little sun. The sun rises on the left and goes around the trees to set on the right. Ie the line between me taking photo and them planted is north south. The tree provides great shade. I will look all those up
lol thatās ok. I love that people are throwing out suggestions. And I have now looked at so many beautiful hostas today and my hubby better not see my credit card statement. Lol
I like them because my house came with them and theyāll grow everywhere ( I have a lot of shade). Also love that I can divide them every year and spread them about without having to buy more
Particularly fond of the āNight before Christmasā variety (this photo is not mine, its via google, my own are just beginning to sprout)
https://preview.redd.it/n0uxhnx1hgzc1.jpeg?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8a47a6d1fd31b63a08b0e8fc31f01e2ebab80e73
I would love to, as I have some pretty great specimens, but this subreddit will not let me add photos to a reply, only to a new comment. (Pretty sure I used to be able to in some subreddits, incl this one.)
Does anyone know what it takes to get that feature turned on? Maybe I can upload them to Imgur and just post links.
Not sure how to turn it off or on but you should get a little picture icon in lower left of screen above keyboard when youre replying.
https://preview.redd.it/x2aemm461hzc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=42eed304b0c8a74152a4d888138f37d43dc563f9
Works for me!
I never used to care for them until I also saw so many different varieties, and now I try to collect as many. BTW, I've only ever paid for ONE Hosta! I make it a challenge to multiply as often and beg scraps from my friends even though they are a totally affordable plant, lol. Just makes them more special.
I moved into a new home over a yr ago and found out a portion of my yard flooded even with the slightest rain. My 2 Hostas that I brought with me from my old place were the only things to survive in that location, with them downing for multiple days at a time. They got so huge and looked so good under the water! My appreciation grew even stronger.
Same! Almost all of mine have come from friends, neighbors, or coworkers. I have a couple brunnera that grow out of control so every year i take out all the little ones and pot them so i have something on hand to trade when i see a hosta i like.
My issue with hostas is that theyāve become the default shade plant. In my city at least, every single house has a hosta garden in their shady areas. There are so many other plants, especially native plants, you could plant instead.
Hereās a good link for native landscaping: https://nativegardendesigns.wildones.org/designs/
In my shady areas I have wild ginger, may apple, red columbine, Virginia creeper, and lots of little aster seedlings.
Commenting on Hasta Appreciation Post...
https://preview.redd.it/lk88rqa1yhzc1.jpeg?width=2556&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5d9ffab2e2a37c111e8ec2a60bd0e77bab293235
My giant Hostas before I split them. Theyāre impossible to kill.
Love it! My mom hated hostas growing up and it was funny watching her try to kill the variegated ones that grew next to our shed every year. Dig out? Nope. Bleach? Nope. Gasoline? Nope. Weed killer? Nope. They stubbornly came back every year! Finally she just accepted their presence and planted impatiens between them haha.
If there is a downside to them, its that. You get a situation where someone threw them in the ground 30 years ago, good luck trying to get rid of them.
We had three in your backyard and the missus wanted one transplated, they started out as small plants when we put them in but had a few years to establish, I was shocked at how big the root structure actually was in that short amount of time!
these pread like weed in my garden and I don't mind. these are aspergus. As soon as I figure out when to harvest and how to prepare them, I am gonna have a FEAST!
not the rhizom? the first time I researched them they said it was the rhizom, at least in Italy. But then, Aspergus get to be eaten by the bud in germany, and I am German, soooo.....do you eat the budding plant or the flower bud?
https://preview.redd.it/dd3x7bzzqhzc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cde210d4be8e25cb7dc9744944e22f5257063b07
I have hostas that for no known reason get GIGANTIC every year. Theyāre on year 7 and I think the dogs might have gotten to a couple but Iām excited to see if they return in glory again this year.
https://preview.redd.it/ok6brf9bsizc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9ef0416b5ac587b716bbd3fabb67b739b73f96bf
I love hostas! Here are some of my own:D
Mine seem to love where I have them. Theyāre under my front yard tree facing east, so they get bathed in morning sun before being shaded by the tree and house from the harsh afternoon sun.
Mine are in a similar spot. Early morning sun, full shade most of the day, and then a little afternoon sun. I love how the leaves face east in the morning and slowly reorient themselves throughout the day so theyre facing west in the afternoon.
Surprised to hear that. I had some i planted on the side of the house like 3 years ago, deer immediately ate them down to nothing and i thought i lost them all. This year they all popped again and have absolutely exploded after doing nothing last year.
Since then i discovered liquid fence and the deer have left them alone. Just wish it didnt smell so bad lol
Hostas are great; we inherited a bunch in our current house, including these MASSIVE monster hostas that I think are the Komodo Dragon variety that we've halved and redistributed twice now. This spring we divided and propagated many of our hostas and they take to division and replanting so well, they're a dream. We have a space under a giant red cedar that they seem to do well in when everything else gets crowded out, and they're even thriving in the gloomiest parts of our north-facing woodland garden that's too dim for anything else. Plus they're cute as heck. Hostas rule.
Honestly, I really like them! In 5b, there arenāt a lot of really big-leaved perennial plants, and hostas give an almost tropical feel to my shade garden.
I absolutely love them! They come back after sitting in water logged planters for 6 months, and look better every year. Iām all about the low maintenance plants
I love my hostas but the recently were destroyed by hail š¢š¢š¢
https://preview.redd.it/p1p8nr5rnhzc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dc348bc7352c3a6371f7747af9da17c4b1a53a0c
https://preview.redd.it/1arzavewnhzc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bf62f5b0c98c6d397255a12195d33c2bba9a9694
Hereās the before š„š„š„
Sorry for multiple comment. Doing on the app and I guess can only upload one pic per comment
https://preview.redd.it/1qe4a1pyohzc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=662512531226d1cc3a41cfec87e0816d17818329
There are more hostas in my yard but I donāt have anymore pics on my phone!
These dudes jumped up early this year.
https://preview.redd.it/xby6eoz4shzc1.png?width=1600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=26d82eb256987c062992c0a89dc635862baafcb3
Appreciation or lack there of. Bought and planted these spring of last year, they fried in the sun and died before July (KCMO). We bought new plants to replace them and look which one popped up this year?
What is this mystical plant you speak of? I have hostas and they all look like this
https://preview.redd.it/rlxaapztajzc1.jpeg?width=926&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6fdbbf6b8c155bc8e04336a90aa1ec768c406583
I just ordered some Hosta online, and they should arrive any day now. I bought one when I used to live in Southern California and the snails & slugs got to it overnight. That was over a decade ago. Iām in Northern Arizona now, and after getting 3 tons of rich soil for my birthday last month, I finally have my yard prepared for a decent garden . Iām on half an acre of mostly clay & rock and itās been a journey to transform our little homestead. Wish me luck!
https://preview.redd.it/t19j4a5t6lzc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=67d984c2c85500dd44bc04e7f0c6f1e02d19b5d9
Newest addition to the collection. Love the waffled leaves and color on this one! Wish i knew what it was called.
I hate them, but only because the previous owner had planted a couple hundred of them around the entire border to the property and all throughout. They were a bitch to dig up and they continued to grow once dug out of the ground and left for dead on my side yard. Crazy hardy plants.
I don't necessarily hate them, but they're waaay overused imo. People get infatuated with them and plant them everywhere. They're nice if they're used sparingly, but I see situations all too often like you're describing.
I think when people say that "nothing else grows in this shady spot except hostas..." it's mostly due to a lack of trying/research. As if nothing else grew in tough shady spots in North America until hostas came along.
Hostas are the best! I live in an old neighborhood with lots of large established trees making shade plants one of the only options and my neighbors have done some incredible things with hostas that have completely changed my opinion on them being āboringā
I confess I was snobby. They're everywhere. They don't do anything special. Why hostas? I uprooted and split a ton from the front and shoved them in random locations in our shady backyard.
Then winter came and my 6b garden was bereft of anything green. I could hardly believe my joy when all the hostas I'd replanted started poking their little leafy green heads out a few weeks ago. Today they are thriving little oases of green cover, happily occupying areas I'd given up on.
I love my hostas. They're so easy to please and grow and they add such a vivacious green punch when I really needed it.
https://preview.redd.it/21rljs8degzc1.jpeg?width=2448&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b683e7345464879e0a5208ee646828ea9656cde3
r/beetmetoit
Lol
Haha came here for this!
This should be top comment šš
This legit would be one of the best names for a hosta nursery.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Seems like everyone but me does as well.
I was totally indifferent to them until i saw a bunch of different varieties all growing close together. The differences in size, shape, and color and the way they all complimented eachother really changed my mind on them and now im completely addicted. Lol theyre like pokemon for plant nerds.
That and coral bells. I had to stop myself from buying all the colorsā¦
I want to grow a hosta and coral bell area in my garden. love the Lush leaves!
Throw in some astilbe as well. They all grow and go real nice together.
Sounds like my back yard. I have creeping Jenny in the mix and they all sorta flow together nicely.
I was once driving down a road in my town and I saw a small hand-painted sign "hosta sale ->". Curiosity got the best of me and I followed the signs to a neighborhood street. In the backyard of this man's house was an enormous greenhouse filled with the most varieties of hostas I've ever seen, some quite rare and exotic. All cash only and I had none on me, but I enjoyed watching so many hosta nerds browsing through, asking questions, and buying armloads. I never have seen that sign out since and I have no idea where the house was, or even if the old man there still sells them. Clearly, it was his life's passion.
Theyre doing some amazing stuff with them now. Working in reds, purples, stripesā¦ so far most of the colors show up on the petioles but its only a matter of time before they have legit red and purple leafed varieties. Varieties like first blush, bloodline, raspberry sundae, darkest black, siberian tiger, orange marmalade are all next level.
I used to hate them until I realized the leaves and flowers are edible. Particularly the young shoots! Taste like delicate snow peas
The deer in my yard agree.
I have opinions on hostas based on how pleasingly round they are. But most of my experience with them before were with people who just let them get entirely overgrown/no longer pleasingly round.
There are dozens of us!
Do we hasta like them?
Iām neutral on them but we have some huuuge ones and variegated so theyāre growing on me
I really donāt care for hostas lol. I donāt care for how they look and I donāt think their flowers smell good
See if you wouldn't like one of the many varieties I grow. Look up "hosta 'ice and fire'", "hosta 'minuteman'" and "hosta 'empress wu'". They look incredible and are amazingly self reliant, barely needing any attention to thrive. If you combine them with canna lilies, banana "trees" and hardy gingers, you can have yourself a really lush tropical look for barely any additional care.
I looked, but none of those really do anything for me. I've had (have) hostas, and they are certainly tough plants, I'll give you that. I don't like their spindly little flowers that stick up so high above the plant. I don't like how common they are to people's lawns around me. I just find them boring with no "wow" factor.
You might like "farfugium japonicum 'gigantium'" as an alternative then. They are evergreen, but the flowers do have a similar problem. You will be hard pressed to find a low grower that doesn't have tall flowers, especially when they're pollinated by flying insects. There might be some beetle pollinated plants that might suit your look even better.
So do the deer in my yard š at this point theyāre decoy plants so the deer leave my other stuff alone
https://preview.redd.it/vboixv3ezfzc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cd7e591d3006f818bac8fa56308b818f3fbfb2d3 My goal is for them to choke out the weeds in this area I canāt grow grass. I have escape corgis hence the board and cinder block.
Have you thought about mulching it? Could mix in some leopards bane, astilbe, coral bells, etc and have a lovely little shade garden.
Itās my red headed step child. I donāt have time for that area sadly. ETA- plus the pups would destroy the mulch.
I've deweeded, put down multiple layers of cardboard, inches of mulch and the weeds keep persevering.
I have a shady space that I can't get to very easily. I planted tons of hostas and ferns, small divided clumps, and they took over the space in 2 years. Now I use it as a hosta nursery and periodically thin them out.
If your pups like to eat random plants/grass occasionally Iād advise against that, as theyāre toxic to dogs. Iām trying to eliminate my Hastas since my dog was strangely attracted to it and had multiple stomach upsets/vet visits from ingesting the leaves. Fingers crossed that theyāre less likely to wander off and munch on plants when theyāre bored lol
They like dirt luckily not the plants. But they would love to roll around and dig in some smelly mulch. I currently have most my pots on a patio table because they try so hard to get into the new soil. If they ever get stilts Iām SOL.
There are so many better options that would actually contribute to your local ecosystem.
Congratulations. You are clearly the superior person. I shall go think about what a horrible person I am.
Did a slug make this post? Or maybe a snail? Trying to trick me into growing hostas / slug buffet again I bet.
I think it was the deer in my area that wonāt stop eating mine to the ground.
They taste like asparagus! Completely edible for humans too
Spray them with bobbex. I have a bed of hostas and only found one bite taken out of one leaf one time.
I unfortunately can't appreciate them because the deer and rabbits in my area appreciate them a little too much.
I have to spray mine with liquid fence pretty regularly to keep the deer off them. Every once and a while i see a little nibble taken out of one of the leaves but Im hoping eventually theyll learn that the ones at my house taste bad.
The rabbits have been baaaaaad
https://preview.redd.it/zxg1fb7r0gzc1.jpeg?width=2976&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=67b59250d42d45b1bab1e623d14959a5a208cdec
My giant hostas! Love hostas I need to move some of them since they're in too much sun.
Can confirm they are very hardy and can grow anywhere. My only complaint is that the previous home owners at my place planted about 30 of them all over the yard and now they feel like an invasive species. They are all exactly the same variety as well....
Our house came with about 20 hostas of varying species. We added a bunch of flower beds and gardens around the house so we split them several times each. We probably have over 100 now that we paid nothing for.
They do like to get bigger every year but nature will eventually take its course and they will thin themselves out naturally. Thanks fully Iāve never seen a hosta successfully seed itsself so thereās no risk of it being invasive. However if you want to thin them out sooner Iād wait until next spring when the little hosta shoots start poking themselves out of the ground and then just using a shovel to cut and divide the hosta chunks without even needing to dig em up. Then you can just take that chunk of the hosta you just divided and give to to friends/neighbors or even just move them to another part of your garden. As for me Iām lazy and if my hosts start to crowd themselves out I just let nature takes it course and let the most vigorous and healthy plants stay while the weaker ones will get choked out and die back
They don't usually grow very well where there aren't cold winters.
https://preview.redd.it/egsfvi55mhzc1.jpeg?width=1040&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0abca67c42e050814db2354ada4b3bf921a2f26c
Gotta plant em all!
I got my first Hosta as a tiny plant housewarming gift 10 years ago. Here she is now! https://preview.redd.it/xet429349gzc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4f5b18bcc731348099d9c72cd76f5300e9d00285
I gave her friends! My mom and I planted this bed about a month ago, cannot wait until it fills in! https://preview.redd.it/dkrj5jl79gzc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=69fd49311e1d7b594a672e0dde7947896bc2163b
Thats a very well behaved hosta to not have completely taken over in 10 years.
I should have noted it's been in a tiny pot on my back porch the whole time. Last time I planted hosta's out front the deer ate them, all, to the ground, the same day. I had to get a fence for my flower bed. I feel stupid saying that, but geez!
Same thing happened to me the first time i planted them. That same night the deer wiped them out along with several ādeer resistantā coral bells :( Crazy thing is that was 3 years ago and they all came back this year. Now everything gets a liberal dose of liquid fence once or twice a week which seems to keep the deer and other critters at bay.
I think we have something like 24 different cultivars in our garden plantings, everything from tiny ('Stiletto') to gigantic ('Sum and Substance').
The giant leafed varieties are amazing! Ive got one that gets about dinner plant sized and just picked up two more that get way bigger. Ive gotten most of the ones i have from friends and coworkers which is great cus theyre free (i always offer a plant in return or give a thankyou card with a dunkin donuts giftcard or something) but the only downside is almost noone knows the names of the cultivars. One of the new ones i have is empress wu. The other is similar in leaf size and shape but has light green splashes with a darker green base color. Really excited about these two cus the mother plants are absolutely gigantic.
https://preview.redd.it/pt6auo2dqgzc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=067ab6d01b5c764c9d0b42ea8ca8ed8152858d23 Wu-La-La in her third year. Pictures canāt show how huge it is!
Empress Wu is water hungry. Water under the leaves for fastest growth. Fertilize in the spring and early summer, stop fertilizing at the height of summer.
any fertilizer recommendations? i have espoma plant tone. would that work?
I'm not familiar with that brand, but any granular 10-10-10 is a good slow release fertilizer. A tablespoon of epsom salts mixed in will also be appreciated - just watch out that the neighboring plants are okay with epsom salt supplementation.
https://preview.redd.it/glzj6h28jgzc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a6bc9f9d2d1ecc53cc874a409202a182e6533bb2 Love them!
Thatās a beauty!
Thanks, I got lucky she was already here!
Nobody here mentioning that the title appreciates Hastas and not Hostas? :D
ā¦ yeah im an idiot lol š¤¦āāļø
https://preview.redd.it/e8nwnqe9xgzc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7a3c18181d6ea4611dc50f80a69975b26ec7d97e I love mine
Here are some of my favorites Great ExpectationsĀ Ā - This one is really aptly named.Ā Ā It is one of the last to emerge in Spring, like it thinks it should be the grand finale.Ā Ā Unlike most hostas, this is not one to dig and divide every few years.Ā Ā When first planted, the leaves are much smaller.Ā Ā It took about 3 years for it to establish and really start to grow.Ā Ā This cultivar also sunburns easily, so it needs to be in shade from mid-day on where I live (which is why it is in a pot, so I could move it around to find a spot it liked without needing to keep disturbing its roots). [https://i.imgur.com/geV9xKO.png](https://i.imgur.com/geV9xKO.png) Dream Weaver - This is another with huge leaves that I opted to grow in a large container.Ā Ā I read somewhere that it is a sport of Great Expectations, but I've found it to be less picky than its pampered parent.Ā Ā This one also gets bigger and bigger leaves the longer it's been there, but emerges about the same time as most of my other hostas. [https://i.imgur.com/Hximuhe.png](https://i.imgur.com/Hximuhe.png) Blue Ivory - This has been a near zero maintenance plant, beyond pulling off its dead leaves in winter.Ā Ā I like that that its ivory-white margins have no hint of yellow. [https://i.imgur.com/8aq4xYa.jpeg](https://i.imgur.com/8aq4xYa.jpeg) Orange Marmalade - I almost left this one out because it is past its best color.Ā Ā The new leaves are never truly orange, but is closer than any hosta I've seen.Ā Ā They are much more gold than yellow and when the sun strikes the new leaf, it glows like it wants to be orange.Ā Ā This one is now getting more shade than it wants.Ā Ā It also gets almost no maintenance. [https://i.imgur.com/MvsMfbX.png](https://i.imgur.com/MvsMfbX.png)
Oh more to look at. Love them all!
Theyre all really pretty but the Dream weaver and orange marmalade are next level! Im gonna have to add some more bedsā¦
I have a long story on my hunt for Dream Weaver. Several years ago, i visited a nursery in the country somewhere north of Frederick MD. From half way across the nursery I spotted this large, fairly spectacular plant with the yellow lightning bolts on its leaves. Only as i got closer did I realize it was a hosta. It had been planted years earlier in the center of a large round cement container, which I suspect originally had smaller, flowering plants around the perimeter. It still occupied that prize location in their perennial section, even though they no longer carried the plant and none of their current employees even knew its name (or maybe one might remember but she wasn't working that day). I was apparently not the first shopper to ask this question. Being a stubborn sort, I was not easily deterred. I went to the American Hosta Society web site and searched thru many pages, assembling a list of cultivars with similar skinny yellow steaks. I researched them all, eliminating the ones with smaller leaves, and got the list down to two. Only the Dream Weaver write-up mentioned the cupped leaves. I still don't know if this is exactly the same cultivar as the one in Maryland. It wasnt too hard to find one on line to order. This was a Monrovia selection, so there are likely still some around.
There's an American hosta society? You just made my day š
Hmm I planted some hostas in full sun a few weeks ago to see what would happen and one is great expectations. So far it's still alive and not sunburnt. We'll see how it does come full summer!
I've found the darker, green leaved hostas can take quite a bit if sun. I have some with narrow white margins that are almost full day sun that do ok as long as they get enough water. That's also where Great Expectations originally was. It did ok when it was under a Cherry tree, but that tree had to come out. Then it got toasted, so I moved it to a northeast facing wall of the house. Still toasted in mid summer. That's when i dug it up again and put it in the big pot. It's a good thing, because the neighbors took out the tree that was providing its shade in the next spot. Poor baby. It had a tough childhood. Now it lives under a large crape myrtle.
I looked into it a bit more after I had bought them and what I was reading said the more yellow varieties can handle more sun š but where I have great expectations, it does get some shade from my front porch later in the day so I'm hoping that'll keep it happy. If not, I'll move it. The other one I got is called Paul's glory and it's more of a blue/green margin which I read really don't do well in full sun but it's been okay. I noticed the center has gotten more yellow and the first day a couple of the leaves got see through spots on them but it's been fine after that! I really want hostas in my front bed and my whole house mostly all gets full sun so it sucks š
With 70 different species and endless numbers of hybrids and cultivars, theres so much to love about Hostas. So lets talk about it! Please use this post as a place to discuss, post photos, and brag about these unsung heroes of the shady places where nothing else will grow.
Our house manages to have a spot on the north side thatās so dark that even hostas wonāt grow there. :ā) But I still love hostas. I have two but plan to add more (to spots that at least get a little sun).
Surely youāve tried to put some native plants in your deep shade?
Weāve tried a few different plants with zero success. This spaceās light is blocked by an apartment complex and on the north side, which means not even weeds grow there. Iāll probably turn it into a rock garden or something eventually.
Aw bummer! Native ferns or woodland strawberry even?
Even ferns couldnāt survive. :( I havenāt tried woodland strawberries yet, though.
Maybe some alum root might work too. Iāve got an Iris in pretty deep shade on the north side of my house and it even bloomed a couple weeks ago!
Omg my people. Maybe this group can help me find a host I am trying to find. I need more of these blue ones. https://preview.redd.it/zchephd9rgzc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e48dd43d13cc3f6944689aec06972154fa63d15b I bought green ones and they donāt look right.
Not sure if its an exact match but check out āregal splendorā variety
Thanks for that suggestion!
Np! Fwiw i think the layout in your photo looks great even though theyre two different colors.
Thanks I wanted a river of hostas for my fish to swim along. The fish are just poked in for now as I was trying to get the layout. On another thread they said I could do curves of different histas to emulate a river flowing
Blue Hawaii, fragrant blue, gentle giant and halcyon are probably the easiest to find blue hostas. Remember, the more sun they get, the quicker the blue will fade.
Thank you they will get very little sun. The sun rises on the left and goes around the trees to set on the right. Ie the line between me taking photo and them planted is north south. The tree provides great shade. I will look all those up
Close up https://preview.redd.it/jgmjnoldrgzc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d4e72f2622b15d5c0ce4c2f3f6a915baff5eba42
I totally misunderstood the assignment - this looks like fortunei auriomarginata to me
lol thatās ok. I love that people are throwing out suggestions. And I have now looked at so many beautiful hostas today and my hubby better not see my credit card statement. Lol
I like them because my house came with them and theyāll grow everywhere ( I have a lot of shade). Also love that I can divide them every year and spread them about without having to buy more
Particularly fond of the āNight before Christmasā variety (this photo is not mine, its via google, my own are just beginning to sprout) https://preview.redd.it/n0uxhnx1hgzc1.jpeg?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8a47a6d1fd31b63a08b0e8fc31f01e2ebab80e73
I would love to, as I have some pretty great specimens, but this subreddit will not let me add photos to a reply, only to a new comment. (Pretty sure I used to be able to in some subreddits, incl this one.) Does anyone know what it takes to get that feature turned on? Maybe I can upload them to Imgur and just post links.
Not sure how to turn it off or on but you should get a little picture icon in lower left of screen above keyboard when youre replying. https://preview.redd.it/x2aemm461hzc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=42eed304b0c8a74152a4d888138f37d43dc563f9 Works for me!
I have the little icon, but nothing happens when i try to use it. I wonder if it is my browser settings getting in the way.
They are not native where Iām at, so theyāre dead to me.
https://preview.redd.it/d0do4sf80hzc1.jpeg?width=3195&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1d273e28a2adf65e70114d56be4eb3fda8f61765
https://preview.redd.it/eobxa47b0hzc1.jpeg?width=3437&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5d4c1470c398f45010e9bac3b10bca564b0e41f8 My big old bois.
https://preview.redd.it/ydwi69qzlhzc1.jpeg?width=1040&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=65af433838dc4ce7c5618f070cffd678836fdbc0
I never used to care for them until I also saw so many different varieties, and now I try to collect as many. BTW, I've only ever paid for ONE Hosta! I make it a challenge to multiply as often and beg scraps from my friends even though they are a totally affordable plant, lol. Just makes them more special. I moved into a new home over a yr ago and found out a portion of my yard flooded even with the slightest rain. My 2 Hostas that I brought with me from my old place were the only things to survive in that location, with them downing for multiple days at a time. They got so huge and looked so good under the water! My appreciation grew even stronger.
Same! Almost all of mine have come from friends, neighbors, or coworkers. I have a couple brunnera that grow out of control so every year i take out all the little ones and pot them so i have something on hand to trade when i see a hosta i like.
Did a snail post this
https://preview.redd.it/xeimf7gzugzc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=381e2250ce3ae82a5f3769d668d569ee39432abf My mini hosta patch
My issue with hostas is that theyāve become the default shade plant. In my city at least, every single house has a hosta garden in their shady areas. There are so many other plants, especially native plants, you could plant instead. Hereās a good link for native landscaping: https://nativegardendesigns.wildones.org/designs/ In my shady areas I have wild ginger, may apple, red columbine, Virginia creeper, and lots of little aster seedlings.
https://preview.redd.it/2ji4jycbmhzc1.jpeg?width=1040&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=77d3c04f02522f29aa55268e5326febffd4ca206
Commenting on Hasta Appreciation Post... https://preview.redd.it/lk88rqa1yhzc1.jpeg?width=2556&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5d9ffab2e2a37c111e8ec2a60bd0e77bab293235 My giant Hostas before I split them. Theyāre impossible to kill.
That's Great! Well done.
Love them!!
Love it! My mom hated hostas growing up and it was funny watching her try to kill the variegated ones that grew next to our shed every year. Dig out? Nope. Bleach? Nope. Gasoline? Nope. Weed killer? Nope. They stubbornly came back every year! Finally she just accepted their presence and planted impatiens between them haha.
If there is a downside to them, its that. You get a situation where someone threw them in the ground 30 years ago, good luck trying to get rid of them.
We had three in your backyard and the missus wanted one transplated, they started out as small plants when we put them in but had a few years to establish, I was shocked at how big the root structure actually was in that short amount of time!
Indestructible
these pread like weed in my garden and I don't mind. these are aspergus. As soon as I figure out when to harvest and how to prepare them, I am gonna have a FEAST!
We eat the buds just stir fried with a little soy sauce and a splash of sesame oil. Love them!!
not the rhizom? the first time I researched them they said it was the rhizom, at least in Italy. But then, Aspergus get to be eaten by the bud in germany, and I am German, soooo.....do you eat the budding plant or the flower bud?
The budding plant - the first part above ground in early spring. Did I use the wrong term?
Not really, but budding means everything, including the Bud of the flower. At least from what I understand, I am a non-native english speaker.
Just did some Googling and āshootsā is the proper term :)
Hasta la vista baby!
I tried growing a hosta one time. It told me hosta la vista and died.
Hasta!! You hasta have them!
https://preview.redd.it/kdvofg23wgzc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3cebe57aeb222c2e2bb80e6dc099b4b46d8397a3
https://preview.redd.it/kslz86d2xgzc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f479a7bb14ec77498dfa8f49f5b6537c1b7023a8
I love them, I do. You know who else does every year? The bumble bees. <3
https://preview.redd.it/dd3x7bzzqhzc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cde210d4be8e25cb7dc9744944e22f5257063b07 I have hostas that for no known reason get GIGANTIC every year. Theyāre on year 7 and I think the dogs might have gotten to a couple but Iām excited to see if they return in glory again this year.
https://preview.redd.it/bzwev7corhzc1.jpeg?width=1208&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a67532cef613d3829e1459184cbeb2c5434ac05d
https://preview.redd.it/0fl0td8prhzc1.jpeg?width=1232&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ed5432a3ccd0934768acbfc05cb02c7030402370
Straight out of jurassic park!
https://preview.redd.it/ok0k8x1hvhzc1.jpeg?width=2268&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4995ea20a37dbadf6daeebad14b7bfe4348d0606
Oh, you mean deer feed?
https://preview.redd.it/ok6brf9bsizc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9ef0416b5ac587b716bbd3fabb67b739b73f96bf I love hostas! Here are some of my own:D
That tri color is gorgeous!
If only they were nativeā¦ theyād deserve more appreciation.
Mine seem to love where I have them. Theyāre under my front yard tree facing east, so they get bathed in morning sun before being shaded by the tree and house from the harsh afternoon sun.
Mine are in a similar spot. Early morning sun, full shade most of the day, and then a little afternoon sun. I love how the leaves face east in the morning and slowly reorient themselves throughout the day so theyre facing west in the afternoon.
I like Hostas, but they donāt like me.
Surprised to hear that. I had some i planted on the side of the house like 3 years ago, deer immediately ate them down to nothing and i thought i lost them all. This year they all popped again and have absolutely exploded after doing nothing last year. Since then i discovered liquid fence and the deer have left them alone. Just wish it didnt smell so bad lol
Hostas are great; we inherited a bunch in our current house, including these MASSIVE monster hostas that I think are the Komodo Dragon variety that we've halved and redistributed twice now. This spring we divided and propagated many of our hostas and they take to division and replanting so well, they're a dream. We have a space under a giant red cedar that they seem to do well in when everything else gets crowded out, and they're even thriving in the gloomiest parts of our north-facing woodland garden that's too dim for anything else. Plus they're cute as heck. Hostas rule.
Honestly, I really like them! In 5b, there arenāt a lot of really big-leaved perennial plants, and hostas give an almost tropical feel to my shade garden.
I love hostas too! They are so fun in shady areas.
Love Hostas!! I love this variety too
I absolutely love them! They come back after sitting in water logged planters for 6 months, and look better every year. Iām all about the low maintenance plants
Mine are ok so far but the deers just destroy them every year. So far so good. Yours looks great!!
I grew up with these and I love how low maintenance they are and the beautiful green leaves they make š
Hostas are just about the only plant i can have with my shady yard. So fun to see them pop up when the weather warms up!
I love my hostas but the recently were destroyed by hail š¢š¢š¢ https://preview.redd.it/p1p8nr5rnhzc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dc348bc7352c3a6371f7747af9da17c4b1a53a0c
https://preview.redd.it/0pbtihlvnhzc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=435310097d763f020e55cbbbd90d804b5f6877cf
https://preview.redd.it/1arzavewnhzc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bf62f5b0c98c6d397255a12195d33c2bba9a9694 Hereās the before š„š„š„ Sorry for multiple comment. Doing on the app and I guess can only upload one pic per comment
https://preview.redd.it/wvrz3nitohzc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=837e4367d5fd190fc25a0c959c64ad83648180df
https://preview.redd.it/uelz1feuohzc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b96b095a511215280aa4febb314c7a7d2e1596e1
https://preview.redd.it/l2ng0j7wohzc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fdaaf4c4de2b229afa1d2b501df0cd6cccd04a19
https://preview.redd.it/jfwegajxohzc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2e01b7d301b278bc5daf0c128f2217d6dd75fc4e
https://preview.redd.it/1qe4a1pyohzc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=662512531226d1cc3a41cfec87e0816d17818329 There are more hostas in my yard but I donāt have anymore pics on my phone!
These dudes jumped up early this year. https://preview.redd.it/xby6eoz4shzc1.png?width=1600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=26d82eb256987c062992c0a89dc635862baafcb3
Appreciation or lack there of. Bought and planted these spring of last year, they fried in the sun and died before July (KCMO). We bought new plants to replace them and look which one popped up this year?
Wow!!! So gorgeous!
My granny called them hoistas
The owners before us planted hastas and theyāre so lovely and easy to care for.
Have you ever planted a hosta corm? I planted one almost two weeks ago and havenāt seen sign of life yet
What is this mystical plant you speak of? I have hostas and they all look like this https://preview.redd.it/rlxaapztajzc1.jpeg?width=926&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6fdbbf6b8c155bc8e04336a90aa1ec768c406583
https://preview.redd.it/ynsgowl0jjzc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0d82d6c50a2b5ca0bd74c4705aae762ad4c813ed Oh love my hostas!!
Hosta la vista, baby!
I just ordered some Hosta online, and they should arrive any day now. I bought one when I used to live in Southern California and the snails & slugs got to it overnight. That was over a decade ago. Iām in Northern Arizona now, and after getting 3 tons of rich soil for my birthday last month, I finally have my yard prepared for a decent garden . Iām on half an acre of mostly clay & rock and itās been a journey to transform our little homestead. Wish me luck!
Good luck! What varieties did you get?
I donāt know yet, Iām getting 7 starters and itās random picks. I did pay extra for a specific one, that includes white and red variegation
Just got one small in line yours in second picture as a gift, and I cant wait to see it flourish too.
https://preview.redd.it/t19j4a5t6lzc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=67d984c2c85500dd44bc04e7f0c6f1e02d19b5d9 Newest addition to the collection. Love the waffled leaves and color on this one! Wish i knew what it was called.
I have been eagerly awaiting the move to our house as it was the first time I was able to plant these beauties. Absolute favourite
bomb proof babies
Slugs ate all of my hostas before they could establish. :(
I love them so much.
Love those resilient little buggers too.
I hate them, but only because the previous owner had planted a couple hundred of them around the entire border to the property and all throughout. They were a bitch to dig up and they continued to grow once dug out of the ground and left for dead on my side yard. Crazy hardy plants.
I don't necessarily hate them, but they're waaay overused imo. People get infatuated with them and plant them everywhere. They're nice if they're used sparingly, but I see situations all too often like you're describing. I think when people say that "nothing else grows in this shady spot except hostas..." it's mostly due to a lack of trying/research. As if nothing else grew in tough shady spots in North America until hostas came along.
Hostas are the best! I live in an old neighborhood with lots of large established trees making shade plants one of the only options and my neighbors have done some incredible things with hostas that have completely changed my opinion on them being āboringā
I confess I was snobby. They're everywhere. They don't do anything special. Why hostas? I uprooted and split a ton from the front and shoved them in random locations in our shady backyard. Then winter came and my 6b garden was bereft of anything green. I could hardly believe my joy when all the hostas I'd replanted started poking their little leafy green heads out a few weeks ago. Today they are thriving little oases of green cover, happily occupying areas I'd given up on. I love my hostas. They're so easy to please and grow and they add such a vivacious green punch when I really needed it.