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Hosta care
Hi, i bought a number of hostas last year. Not sure what types, some dark green, some dark with a white edge and some more strongly variegated. They have done well, grown big and flowered. Now some of them look kind of sickly yellowish. Should i apply a feed or is this normal ie its just the end of hosta season? Is it a good idea to divide them now Or maybe too young to divide?
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I'd say they're just finished and dying back now. If they're big enough to roughly fit a 7"/8" pot, they'd probably be big enough to split. I'm guessing if you got them last year and they've matured through the current year then they'd be that sort of size. A pic would be helpful
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Pics here, sorry for the delay. I have added the 3rd pic, this one still quite small but shows the yellowness more. Ignore the bare soil and weeds (most of my garden is like that!)
I think they look a bit thirsty, Hostas like moist soil especially if the are in full sun. id break the surface of the soil around them and water them regularly. a layer of mulch will trap the moisture in once the ground if thoroughly dampened. I wouldn't split then yet let them bulk up a bit more. By they way congratulations on no slug damage.
Ok. They are in quite a dry area and have done well then considering. I dont get much bother from slugs.
second those congratulations! good advice from Biljie - they love water. They will go yellow and die back soon - over winter they virtually disappear and it's always amazing to see the buds appear again in spring, when they will shoot up (and it will be time to do whatever you do so successfully to protect them from hungry molluscs)
I have a couple of hosta beds, if you improve the soil a little so it holds a little more moisture you can plant small bulbs now. I have a lovely show of snowdrops and specie crocus in late winter early spring then the Hostas reshoot so two displays from one area.
Hosta are funny old plants...some love moist humus rich soil...some don't mind sun while others prefer shade...the only one I ever had problems with was White Feather..i gave up on it and dug it in behind a huge fern on a dark north facing wall where I was sure it would die, but its thriving!!...trouble is, no one can see it...hahahaha
I think that they all prefer moist soil, but some are tougher and more able to tolerate drier conditions.
Some do cope better than others with sun. The paler the leaves the more shade they like.
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