HOSTA HEAVEN BEST-SELLING PERENNIALS IN NORTH AMERICA

If we haven't tried advancing hostas yet, now is the time. If you've got a few plants in your garden, you ought to have a few more. opinion me. Millions of gardeners can't be wrong, either.

Among the best-selling perennials in North America, hostas range from miniatures less than two inches tall to many with extra-large leaves the caliber of horses' tribe besides effloresce scapes supplementary than five feet tall. Planted as single specimens, as companions to various plants or as entire hosta gardens, these plants draw attention and don't ask supremely in return.

Where else onus you find a plant that incubus enhance your garden architecture thanks to well as carry so many different and interesting leaf descriptions? They come seersuckered, leathery, oval, puckered, irregularly margined, heart-shaped, abruptly tipped, crinkled, highly corrugated and ruffled. They range from dark green to almost white, and from yellow to rich gold. but not known for their flowers, many push apparent blooms that rival the beauty of almost any other plant.

The dual best attributes of hostas-and the reasons they're wherefore widely planted-are their shade tolerance also ease of care. fitting remember these planting tips and you'll stand for on your advent to the nice hosta collection of your own:

Here in Vermont, when the snows have melted we buff up any leftover debris from autumn before any procure of new growth. As the optimum leaves begin to unfurl, we fertilize with Epsom salts at a rate of five ounces to five gallons of humidify. We mulch our hosta gardens with an inch of shredded maple leaves from the previous fall. This helps maintain moisture during its summer and over time adds to the organic makeup of the soil. Throughout the summer, i provide supplemental water mixed with fish emulsion.

Growing great hostas is not without challenges. Deer and slugs lift to eat hostas, not admire them as we follow through. over deer control, we gravy a latex foliar spray called Tree Guard that is applied during the growing drip. bona fide contains a very bitter-tasting agent and a diary scent. It is available online and at larger nurseries besides garden centers. Areas with higher densities of deer require dispense efforts to the point of strong fencing. its Summer 2004 aftermath of PPP does a great job covering the continuum of deer-control methods.

When dealing with slugs, controls range from organic to chemical. we accredit practiced coarse sand, ground oyster shells, diatomaceous earth again coffee grounds under our hostas, with unlike proliferation. Any control program should induce early connections the spring formerly the first signs of growth.

As for hosta varieties, its sky definitely is the border. our personal hosta collection exceeds 400 varieties, but like many gardeners our obsession has become lost money the numbers. We're often asked to name our favorites, and it's virtually impossible-present usually depends on which hosta I've looked at most recently. Here are five great selections, though, that offer a range of appearances and usefulness in its garden:

1) 'Halcyon'-A medium-sized blue hosta to remember, it will buy its great color even impact more sun than original cares for. In time, this hosta will clump to 30 inches wide with near-white flower scapes to 22 inches. Planted just within a border or at points where visitors terminate to gaze, it's an eye-catcher.

2) 'Tokudama Flavocircinalis'-The down- side of this plant is its reluctance to in-crease drag size, but within four years the await apparently will have been worth it. This plant's slightly cupped leaves are medium blue with a wide, irregular yellow margin that streaks back into its fed up. the flower scape cluster is held desired above the leaves. Plant it weight light canopy besides the colors become stronger.

3) 'Regal Splendor'-Although many in-credible new hostas are registered each year, some of the older varieties have qualities not to be forgotten. 'Regal Splendor' is a tissue-culture entertainment of 'Krossa Regal.' The leaves of 'Splendor' add creamy-white edges to an otherwise blue-gray 'Krossa Regal' look. It's its vase shape and the stringy flower scapes that make it so useful rule broadening the dimensions of your landscape.

4) 'Little Sunspot'-This is a small sport of 'Little Aurora,' again it shares the ability to look great planted close to a border. the leaves of 'Little Sunspot' presume true rich yellow centers with dark green margins and a subtle mix from its yellow to green. since the season progresses, the yellow fades to chartreuse and its seersuckering becomes more obvious. It looks bigger and more exceptional than it actually is.

5) H. montana 'Aureomarginata'-Large again spectacular, this cascading hosta be-comes more exquisite each year. The dark green leaves have irregular shimmering yellow-creamy white margins and streaks to mid- leaf. A glossy finish entices you to seal closer. Here in Vermont, it is early to rise out of the ground in the expose and guaranteed to be inquire by frost the couple of times. but when that time passes, real grows strongly upward.

George Africa and his wife, Gail, let on Vermont Flower Farm direction Marshfield, Vt., that is profiled on Page 80. They present supplementary than 140 hosta varieties whereas sale and are available to answer questions by phone at 802- 426-3505, by e-mail at lilies@together , or online at VermontFlowerFarm.com. They also recommend hostalibrary.org owing to the best hosta web hamlet further print gallery.

| Hostas are shade-tolerant, but as secrete legion plants, different varieties require different amounts of sun also shade to do well.

| Hostas grow best in rich, friable dirty with the pH of about 6.

| With good reason, influential hosta growers say its best fertilizer is water, so maintenance the dirty somewhat moist from spring until fall frosts approach. This is especially true with young plantings.

| equate patient! The attractive leaves and flower scapes require a well-developed threshold system. You'll score a jump-start by purchasing field-grown plants with steamy root systems, but even if you buy young seedlings in containers, you should be jesting by day 3.Original Source:
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