Today we are going to tell you some things necessary for growing hostas in the garden. Hostas is a genus of plants of about 40 species that belong to the Agavaceae family (also included among the liliaceae). Although hostas is a genus, we are going to talk about one in particular, well known, the  Hosta fortunei,  which is usually part of many gardens and parks in European cities.

Hostas are originally from China and in general from the Asian continent. They were introduced to Europe through  Philipp Franz von Siebold,  a German-born physician and botanist. It is part of many botanical gardens where some societies ( The British Hosta and Hemerocallis Society  or  The American Hosta Society)  hold exhibitions dedicated to this genus of plants.

GROWING HOSTAS IN THE GARDEN

CLIMATIC CHARACTERISTICS OF HOSTA FORTUNEI

The growth habit of hostas improves in humid climates . That is why in most cases it is usually planted under a large crown tree, sheltered from the sun’s rays. However, there are some varieties of the genus Hostas with smaller leaves that need more sunlight during the day.

THE BEST SOIL FOR YOUR CULTIVATION

Since it needs good humidity for its growth, we assume that the soil conditions must be similar or at most very similar. They are not demanding in terms of the type of soil or the content of organic matter (although the more the better), but they are special in terms of humidity. A clay soil with good moisture retention capacity is a good pleasure for hostas, that is, it has good drainage and does not cause flooding.

As for the pH, it is preferable that it be acidic , so if our soil is quite calcareous we will need corrective amendments by adding some type of compost or inorganic matter that acidifies the soil.

IRRIGATION AND FERTILIZER NEEDS

Irrigation is the essential part to ensure the growth of the hostas. If we backtrack the article, you will see that it has become clear that humidity is important for hostas, both environmentally and in the soil. Therefore, your main action will be to maintain that humidity on a regular basis which, depending on the structure of the soil and the drainage capacity, may be several days in winter and weeks in winter.

As for the subscriber , he does not need special conditions and we will have to apply generously. It will only be useful periodically to add a handful of compost around the stem that we will replace as it is assimilated.

We can also control the pH of the soil around the roots with the fertilizer, in the event that we have a fairly limestone soil.

SNAILS AND SLUGS, THE MAIN ENEMY OF HOSTAS

Although you may have heard that hostas attract snails and slugs, we have to confirm that it is totally true. A Hosta fortunei  leaf  is like a chocolate palm tree for a child and you will have to deal with it with ecological or not so ecological remedies.

The best method is to periodically remove by hand those gastropods that come dangerously close to the plant or use beer dishes to get them trapped in them. The granules metaldehyde or methiocarb are very effective but far from being considered organic.

MULTIPLICATION

The most efficient way to get new hostas is by division of plants . Pruning is not usually done, but only to remove diseased or dry leaves or to clean up the plant that already has too much volume. At that time, bouquets of stems can be separated and transplanted into a pot or other part of the garden.