Hostas are dark green with a light green plant with large leaves, which originated from the countries of Asia. They consist of more than just one species, and different combinations and hybrids of this plant have also been made. These plants also produce flowers depending on the season, especially during the summer. Since this plant also has a lot of varieties the flowers it produces also depend on the type of hostas you are planting.
Another factor with this plant is that it comes in different sizes, so if you have s small garden or you just want to place this plant in a pot, then you can do so. The large varieties have a height and width between 1 and 3 feet, but larger, or smaller varieties can are likewise available. The flowers are not only its beautiful factor, the leaves, depending on which variety you get, are also colorful as well. If you enjoy having a variety of colors in your garden, then this plant is perfect for you.
As with any plant, certain skills and expertise must be learned. Techniques and skills such as how to prune hostas must be something that you devote time to in order to allow the hostas to grow properly and in a healthy environment. Hostas can be a beautiful plant addition, especially since its leaves and flowers are a pretty sight to behold. Thus, taking time in order to learn the following things can help you grow your first hostas as a beginner.
How to Care for Hostas?
If you want to learn how to care for hostas, you need to be aware that these plants originally grew in Asian countries like Japan, China, and Korea. Thus, they grew in environments that were moist and close to bodies of water. The soil in which these plants grow must also be taken into consideration since hostas need soil that is rich in humus. Aside from this, also knowing the amount of sunlight exposure it needs is also necessary. This is all part of learning how to care for hostas.
The best sun exposure for the hostas is to have one that is filtered. Filtered sunlight exposure helps the hostas plant grow into a number of colors, which makes for a better-looking plant overall. The hostas plant usually does not like direct sunlight exposure, since the sun in the areas in which it usually grows can reach temperatures that are too high for its preference. Thus, with the temperatures at a high value, the heat from the sun can tend to burn the leaves quite easily. This is an unwanted occurrence since the color of the leaves that were blue prior to the sun exposure can actually turn green because of bleaching.
As for the soil, you need to make sure that the soil in which the plants are placed has enough moisture and nutrients, as well as the capability to hold said moisture for the hostas to absorb. Since they grow in moist climates and do not prefer too much sun exposure, the hostas need the type of soil that can provide it with the type of moisture it was accustomed to growing in when the plant first started out in Asia. Thus, when choosing the soil that you want, you need to choose soil that is not known to be the dry type of soil, or thin type of soil, since any type of hostas species will definitely die in these conditions.
Likewise, when it comes to maintaining the leaves of a hostas plant that has already grown, it is important to consider whether or not there are snails and slugs that surround the plant itself, since these animals are considered to be pests when it comes to hostas. These animals feed on the parts of the hostas and can lead to the infection of the plant with various diseases. If not cared for on time, and if you leave these animals to fester on the plant, the hostas will eventually become diseased and will eventually die. You can help alleviate the situation once it arises by using exclusion techniques such as rings of ash or saucers of beer to serve as bait for the snails and slugs.
Hostas should be planted in gardens or areas that are moist and shady. They can be used to help accent any landscape since their leaves produce a very delicate sight that is lush with greenery. Since hostas bloom relatively later than other plants, you can also use them to hide away other plants when their blooming season has ceased. This also helps with improving the aesthetics of any garden.
Water your hostas frequently and do it in the morning; that way, they stay hydrated for the rest of the day. Neglecting this will make your hostas wilt and turn brown, so make sure that they are watered frequently to keep the soil moist. Water your hostas enough that the soil turns moist, and make sure that they are not watered too much as that it will drown your hostas instead. You can also add some mulch around the plant to keep moist in the soil.
Doing all of these factors perfectly will help maintain the health of the plant, but you can also step it up a bit further by using a fungicide. If you notice some large spots with a dark border around it, then that could be a sign of Anthracnose. Use some fungicide as soon as you see these symptoms. You can prevent this from occurring in the first place by preventing your plant to get too wet. So when you water your hostas, water them at the base of the plant.
If you have plans to expand the number of your hostas, then you can do so by dividing it. However, you can only do this once your hostas have reached 3-4 years old. To divide your hosta, simply lift it off the ground and cut some stems along with their roots away from the main part of the plant. The best time to divide your hosta is during spring, but you can also do this in the summer if your hosta is healthy. this plant is durable, so don’t hesitate to divide it.
How Do Pruning Overgrown Hostas Work?
Learning how pruning overgrown hostas works are important when it comes to maintaining the plant, especially when it is ridden with diseases from pests like slugs and snails. Pruning is the process of cutting back certain parts of a plant that are no longer necessary for its growth. It also involves removing and trimming parts that cause the plant to weigh down heavily and to remove dying and withering parts, in order to allow for more space for the healthier parts of the plant to grow. When the leaves start to turn yellow and gold, it is time to prune the hostas. You can prune the hostas by cutting these parts of the plant away using scissors or sheers, towards the part of the stem connecting it to the main plant.
Make sure that the scissors or sheers you are using for pruning are clean. Neglecting to clean your tools may instead spread some diseases to your plant. Clean your tools with some alcohol or bleach and afterward rinse them with running water.
Will Hostas Regrow if Cut Back?
Will hostas regrow if cut back? Yes, they do, like all plants that undergo pruning, since the plant itself will still have space to grow its other healthier parts. You also have to make sure that you constantly take care of the plant despite having pruned it, such as giving it enough sunlight and water.
Once the growing season of your hostas comes around again, consider adding some compost to it. Adding some compost will help your hostas grow back since you did a cut back to your hostas before winter.
Conclusion
Hostas are a very versatile and great addition to your garden, especially since they have large foliage that can help hide any parts of your garden that look unsightly when their blooming season has ended. Hostas have large, green leaves that can also be seen in a variety of colors depending on their species, which is why learning about the things mentioned above can be helpful in determining whether or not you should start planting hostas.
Likewise, the skill of learning how to prune hostas is not as difficult to learn compared to other skills that might be needed for special plants, since this only involves cutting and removing unwanted parts of the hostas plant. Pruning is definitely easy, even for beginners, and having tips to guide you on how to do it properly can help you properly maintain your hostas plant. The only thing left to do is to actually try your hand at planting one.
Now that we have shared with you this topic, do you have any thoughts, tips, or questions? Then comment on them below! We also offer other guides as well such a When to Harvest Lettuce? and How to Prune Endless Summer Hydrangea.
