Hosta from seeds at home. Hosta - a fashionable element of garden decor

Hosta is loved by designers not only for spectacular beautiful leaves, but also for unpretentiousness. And still decorative leaves decide a lot. They make an amazingly beautiful backdrop for other plants, and the flowers of the plant are quite interesting on their own.

Did you know? Hosta comes from the Latin name Hosta and has another name - funkia. It is believed that she bears the name in honor of the Austrian doctor and botanist N. Host. And its second name is from his German colleague G.Kh. Funk. It is sometimes referred to the lily family, then to the asparagus family. In total, there are about 40 species of this plant.

Many flower growers and amateur gardeners are interested in how to grow a hosta in the country. On the one hand, this is not a capricious plant at all, on the other hand, you need to know a few subtleties in order to grow a beautiful and healthy plant.

Important! Usually in flower shops the plant is sold whole, or only its roots. So that the roots do not rot, it is necessary immediately during or after purchase to check them for rot and remove it, if any.

1. Hosta is undemanding to the soil, although it has been observed that it grows much better on humus loam than on others. It is only important to avoid stagnant water, as it does not like wet soil.

Sandy soil does not contribute to the rapid growth and development of hostas, which must be taken into account when deciding where to plant hostas in the country. But if you have to plant it on just such soil, it is advisable to fertilize it with mineral fertilizers, humus.

2. Before planting plants, the earth must be dug up to a depth of about a shovel bayonet. It would be nice at the same time to saturate it with Kemira Universal fertilizer or 15 g of potassium sulfate, ammonium nitrate and 20 g of superphosphate. Each mixture is given at the rate of 60 g per well.

Did you know? Hosts in principle grow slowly, and than more decorative grade, the more difficult it is to wait for its “bushiness”. In the first year, the plant does not even have a pronounced color, characteristic variety. And only in the second or even third year you will see on your site exactly the host that was planted.

3. The pit should be the larger than larger bush. She needs to provide drainage and water flow. The roots are laid out on a mound so that there are no voids under them.

4. Early autumn or late spring is the time to divide and transplant the hosta. It is important not to plant it in its original place - it will not take root.

Hosta Care Secrets

Plant care is simple and includes typical activities: regular watering, weeding, fertilizing, loosening. In order for the bush to grow beautiful and neat, young flower arrows must be cut off in time. Then the leaves will not develop to the sides.

Important! The host should be planted in partial shade or shade. Separate types plants generally do not tolerate direct sunlight, losing their decorative color. It is believed that the more yellow and white stripes on the leaves, the more it loves the light. But even so, if the host has to be planted in a sunny spot, keep it out of the sun at noon.

Watering, fertilizing and fertilizing the soil

The plant has wide leaves, so in hot sunny weather a lot of moisture evaporates from it, which can become a problem in the hottest period of summer.

Dark tips at the ends of the leaves indicate that the plant lacks moisture. It needs to be watered every day in the summer. But overflow is very dangerous for the hosta.

The soil must be periodically loosened, as well as fed with organic and mineral fertilizers. Moreover, the main nutrition of the plant comes from organic fertilizers that are introduced during mulching.

Mullein infusion is used as top dressing with the addition of potassium sulfate, ammonium nitrate and superphosphate in a ratio of 10:10:20. In July, as well as April and May, it is fed with potassium, nitrogen, and phosphorus.

As for the feeding regimen, this should be done at the beginning of the growing season, when flowers are formed, and immediately after the plant has faded.

Did you know? Initially hostas grew up in Japan, China, Korea, Kuril Islands, Sakhalin and the southwest of the Far East. Moisture-loving varieties settle on forest edges, on the slopes of mountains, on the banks of streams and rivers.

Weeding and mulch: is it necessary?

Mulch the host land every year. They usually plant it near big trees, which take a lot of nutrients. But mulching will help her rise higher above the ground.

The only rule is that mulching cannot be used on dwarf and miniature varieties, otherwise they will disappear.

Preparing plants for winter

Hosta is considered a frost-resistant plant, so it is usually not specially hidden for the winter. But sometimes, just in case, in the fall, fallen leaves are not removed from it, and then they also make sure that it lies on top good layer snow. If you follow all the rules and recommendations for caring for a plant, it will retain its attractiveness for 10-15 years.

The issue of pruning hosta in the fall remains controversial. Some recommend not to remove wilted leaves for the winter, as they serve as an additional cover for the roots, protecting them from frost. It is recommended to remove them only in the spring, when the first shoots appear.

Others strongly advise taking them down and burning them to remove possible pests. But in this case, it is important to remove the leaves before the first frost, and the leaves themselves should already be yellowed.

An inexperienced florist may not guess at the right moment. Therefore, it is more often recommended to try two methods in different areas, so that in the event of the death of one part of the plants, they can be restored at the expense of the other.

Did you know? The cuttings of the plant are used as a delicacy in Japan, and the plant itself is considered sacred. She gained popularity on other continents after she came to the New World. Prior to that, it appeared in England, but did not cause much furore.

Different ways to breed hostas

There are several ways to propagate a plant. Which one to choose is up to the gardener.

The simplest, and therefore the most common, is the division of the bush. You can divide it for reproduction in spring or late summer. But if you know how to do it carefully and correctly, then you can separate the bushes all year round. True, it is not recommended to use young bushes for this, otherwise they may slow down in development.

So, when can hosta be divided and planted in spring? As soon as young shoots appear. Then a small part is separated from the bush with a sharp knife, shovel or pitchfork. If during this process shoots broke off with part of the rhizome, but without roots, they can be planted in a greenhouse.

cuttings

It is not always possible to cut the stalk, because in some varieties they grow very densely. The cutting, as a rule, does not have roots, but it has a part of the rhizome - the so-called "heel".

In the summer they are planted in the shade and planted under a glass cap. It will take root in a couple of days. To speed up this process, it is important to cut the leaves of the seedling in half.

Growing from seed

Having decided to grow a hosta from seeds, one must be prepared that the plant will enter the stage of its full decorativeness only in the fifth year of its life. At the same time, the percentage of seed germination is kept at the level of 70–80%.

Seeds are sown in winter, but before that it is important to properly process them. It is recommended to soak them for half an hour in aloe juice, zircon, root or Epin. Sometimes seeds are recommended to be kept in the cold for a month.

Sowing is carried out in April or May. When sowing, monitor the sterility of the substrate, fungi and other microorganisms of which can infect the plant. Similarly, the pot must first be treated with a solution of potassium permanganate or alcohol.

When buying soil in a store, make sure that it includes vermiculite, peat and perlite. It is necessary to observe the acidity of the soil for hosta. The bottom of the pot is lined with drainage, then soil is poured and moistened.

After pouring the seeds into it, they are covered with another 5-7 mm layer of soil, compacted and covered with a film or glass. Temperature regime should be kept at 18-25ºC, direct sunlight should be avoided, and the seeds should be watered sparingly. Seedlings should be expected in two to three weeks.

As soon as one or two leaves appear on the sprouts, they can be dived into separate pots a quarter filled with sand. Watering in this case is used lower - the pots are placed in a deep pan with water until the soil is saturated.

Then they begin to remove the shelter for a couple of hours to harden the plants. A week later they are fully opened, then they begin to exhibit on Fresh air, which must be above 18 ºC.

Hosta resistance to diseases and pests

Although the plant is quite resistant to diseases, there is still a risk of infecting it when planting a new specimen, “picking up” the microorganism from the soil or from another plant.

On frost-frozen in spring or weak plants often appears fungal disease phyllosticosis - spots of yellow-brown color on the leaves. The fungus Phyllosticta aspidistrae Oud may appear on the flowers. Such plants must be cut and burned, and the soil in their place must be disinfected.

Leaves can hit gray rot, which is removed with folpet-based fungicides. Sometimes on the root neck of the plant is formed white cotton- sclerotinia fungus, which can be treated with dichloran.

If the leaves began to appear big holes, which means that the plant was chosen by slugs. They fight with them, placing bowls of beer around.

Stem nematodes can also attack plants. Their appearance is identified by yellow necrotic spots between leaf veins. This is the worst enemy of the hosta, as it is impossible to fight him.

None of the preparations affects eggs of nematodes. Therefore, getting rid of them for one season, you will have to fight them again in the second.

The only way out is to cut off all the plants within a radius of two meters and burn them. Prepare also insecticides that will help in the fight against grasshoppers, beetles and caterpillars.

Combination of hosta with other plants

When pairing hostas in your garden, avoid plants that grow quickly, especially if we are talking about miniature varieties. In this case, it is better to combine them with a soft cuff, geyher, lungwort.

With other varieties of the plant, the maidenhair, astilbe, low varieties of daylily, and Goryanka are well combined. Ideal neighbor will become Fragrant Bouquet, which has a yellow border on the leaves, as well as Patriot with a wide white stripe.

Since the hosta opens its leaves in late spring, it is good to plant nearby bulbous plants that are blooming in early spring. This will revitalize the landscape before the hosta goes into effect.

Generally, general rule plant combinations in group plantings - proximity to perennials, which have carved, openwork foliage. So plant a fern next to her, garden geranium and others.

Hosta in landscape design

In landscape design, the plant is most often used as a border plant, because it is able to long time great to grow in the same place. For this use miniature varieties like Light Up or Blue Cadet which has bluish leaves.

A variety of varieties allows you to build beautiful compositions, for example, along the tracks. But it must be borne in mind that in a dense shade they will simply become green without decorative features, and in the sun they will simply burn out, having received burns.

Hosta is also used for carpet plantings. In addition, the wide leaves of the plant drown out weeds, thus cleaning the area around them. Moreover, a variety of varieties allows you to build beautiful carpet patterns. Often, for such compositions, plantain hosta or Fortune is used.

Hosta, in other words - funkia, is valued primarily for the decorativeness of the leaves, and even non-flowering specimens give flower beds a special charm and originality. Hosta prefers loamy humus soils with acidic reaction and high humidity.

Hosta belongs to perennials and is distinguished by its longevity, therefore, when choosing a place for its cultivation, one should take into account the lighting regime, the relation to which various kinds hosts are different. For example, green-leaved plants are especially valuable for areas with strong shading, where they grow and develop well. For variegated forms (with patterned leaves) a bright place is required. Although they also feel great in the shade, the characteristic color of the leaves disappears, which is why the decorative effect is lost.

Hostas reproduce mainly vegetatively (by dividing rhizomes and cuttings), but often there is a need to get a plant from seeds, which is quite problematic, and without knowledge of the specifics of agricultural technology, growing hostas is doomed to failure.

Soil and cultivation tanks

The main reason for failure in seed propagation is the non-sterility of the soil and cultivation containers.

To process seed containers, you can use a strong solution of potassium permanganate or, preferably, medical alcohol. Sterilization with alcohol is also subject to all instruments used for sowing.

As containers, special cassettes with cells (preferably with a lid made of translucent material), which can be purchased at flower shops, are ideal. There you can also buy the ingredients for the preparation of the soil: peat, vermiculite and perlite, which are taken in equal proportions. Peat crumbs will first need to be crushed to the size of a large river sand, for which you can use metal sieves with a cell of 1 mm.

The finished soil mixture must be poured with a strong solution of potassium permanganate and treated with superheated water vapor for half an hour. For the construction of the simplest “steam bath”, you can use a wide pan, into which water is poured up to half. A sieve is placed on top soil mixture for processing. The water in the pot should be actively boiling. The sieve should also be covered with a lid to enhance the effectiveness of the steam treatment.

After the "steam bath", the sterile soil must be cooled to a temperature of 20 - 25 ° C and you can start sowing.

Growing seedlings

Hosta seeds have poor germination - about 70 - 80%, therefore, before sowing, it is advisable to treat them in a solution of stimulants, which are widely available in the distribution network.

Hosta seeds should be planted shallowly, up to 5-7 mm. It is most correct to adhere to this technology:

Compact the surface of the soil with a wide wooden plank.
- Carry out the sowing.
- Sprinkle with a layer of perlite and compact again.

The "packing" method allows for excellent seed-to-soil contact, which will create optimal conditions for germination, and at a temperature of 20 °C, the first shoots can be expected after 2 weeks.

The appearance of the first true leaf is a signal for picking - transplanting seedlings into separate containers with sterile, but already more nutrient soil. From above, the soil is covered with a small layer of sand. Watering will now have to be done “from the bottom up”, by immersing the cultivation container in a container of water.

To adapt young seedlings to future growing conditions, seedlings must be hardened off by gradually lowering the temperature. You also need to accustom seedlings to sunlight- take it outside, gradually increasing the exposure time, starting from 10 - 15 minutes.

The showiness of the hosta is well worth the time it takes to grow strong and healthy seedlings!

How to grow a hosta in a pot.
Hostas are propagated by dividing the bush, seeds, and cuttings. For those who prefer seed breeding of hosta, you should know that growing hosta in this way depends on pre-sowing treatment of the material with growth stimulants (soaking for half an hour in epin, rootstock, zircon or aloe juice), since hosta seed germination is weak - 70-80% . To improve germination, some flower growers advise resorting to the stratification method (keeping seeds for a month in the cold). The second is very important factor success - the sterility of the substrate, which should not contain fungi and other microorganisms, otherwise the seedlings may grow sick, so it is best to buy the substrate in specialized stores. The composition of the substrate should include perlite, peat and vermiculite.

In April-May, a drainage layer is placed in a pot previously treated with medical alcohol or a solution of potassium permanganate, the substrate is poured and it is well moistened. Then the seeds of the hosta are scattered over the surface, sprinkled on top with a layer of substrate 5-7 mm thick, slightly compacted and, in order to retain moisture, cover the pot with glass or film. During germination, the soil temperature should be 18-25 ºC, and then shoots will appear in two or three weeks. Protect seedlings from direct sunlight, provide them with moderate watering, and remove condensate in time. The seeds don't need bright light, so keep them in a light shade until germination, but then place them in a well-lit spot.

It is necessary to dive seedlings into separate pots after the appearance of a pair of leaves: seedlings are transferred to the soil, a quarter covered with sand. To moisten dived seedlings, bottom watering is used: the host in a pot is placed in a deep pan with water and remains there until it “gets wet” upper layer soil. Now the seedlings need to be hardened: remove the film or glass for several hours. After a week, remove the cover completely, and expose the host for a short time to fresh air, provided that the temperature is not lower than +18 ºC. Keep in mind that hosta seedlings develop very slowly, and in general, hosta grown from seed often loses varietal traits.

Planting hostas in the garden
When to plant a hosta.
Before you plant a hosta, you need to choose a site where she will be comfortable. Remember that the hosta can grow without a transplant in one place for up to twenty years, and every year it will only be more beautiful. The optimal performance is partial shade with protection from drafts, but remember: the brighter the hosta leaf, the more white and yellow fragments on it, the more photophilous the variety. It is desirable for variegated hostas to grow in a place shaded at noon, but illuminated by the sun in the morning and evening. blue varieties need to be planted only in the shade, two will be enough for them sundial in a day. The thicker the shadow, the slower the hosta grows, but the larger the leaves and the taller the bush.

Hostas need moist, humus-rich, neutral to slightly acidic soil with good drainage. Only hostas dislike sand and heavy loam. It is best to prepare the ground for spring planting in autumn: spread a layer of organic fertilizers 10 cm thick over the allotted area and dig the earth to the depth of a bayonet shovel. By spring, the soil on the site will be ready for planting. Planting hostas in the ground is carried out when the threat of frost has passed. In our latitudes, this is the end of April - the middle of May.

How to plant a hosta.
Seedling holes are placed at a distance of 30-60 cm, depending on the variety of the planted plant. For giant hostas, the distance between the bushes should be 80-100 cm. If you plant seedlings from pots in the ground, water them a few hours before planting. If you combine planting with dividing the host bushes, then remove the dried, rotten or damaged roots from the divisions. Seedlings are placed in the prepared holes from a pot with a clod of earth (or delenka) 2-3 cm below ground level, the roots of the hosts are carefully straightened, covered with earth, crushed and watered abundantly. The area around the root is mulched with crushed bark.

How to care for a hosta in the garden.
If the hosta grows in fertile soil, then it can not be fed for three to four years. The main top dressing for the host is humus and compost, which are applied in the fall in the form of mulch. Mineral fertilizers getting carried away is undesirable, but if you decide that they are needed, scatter granular fertilizer around the host after rain or heavy watering. liquid fertilizers(root and foliar) feed the plants once every two weeks until mid-July, and then stop, otherwise the host will continue to grow new leaves and will not have time to prepare for winter. The soil around the plants should be moist all the time, especially around young hostas, so it is very important to water the plants on time, and watering must be carried out early morning and under the root, and not along the leaves, which deteriorate from the ingress of water on them. In addition, the water jet should not be strong so that the soil does not compact, but, on the contrary, can be saturated with water as deeply as possible. A signal that the plants do not have enough water is the darkening of the tips of the leaves of the hosta.

If you are interested in making the hosta bush look neat, you will have to break out young flower stalks, otherwise the hosta will “fall apart” after flowering. The host needs to be loosened and weeded only at first, when it grows, the weeds will no longer be afraid of it. After three or four years, the hosta needs to be divided, as it will grow strongly. Dig up the hosta and separate the young cuttings from the main root. It won't harm a healthy plant.

Hostas are unpretentious plants, but the Americans say that the more host varieties in your collection, the higher the risk of getting an infected specimen. Sometimes weak or frostbitten spring frosts hosts are affected by phyllosticosis, a fungal disease that manifests itself in the form of yellow-brown merging spots on the leaves. Sometimes flower stalks are affected by the fungus Phyllosticta aspidistrae Oud. Infected plants are removed and burned, and the soil in this place is disinfected.

The hosta suffers from gray mold (Botrys cinerea) and from sclerotinia (Sclerotinia). Rot affects the leaves of the host, they fight it with fungicides, which are based on folpet. Sclerotinia is a fungus, white cotton mold, detrimental to the root neck of the host. It is eliminated with dichloran.

The main plant pest is slugs. A sign that the hosta has attracted these garden pests- large holes in the leaves. Fighting them is simple: place bowls of beer around the host, and after a day go and collect the slugs that have crawled down to drink beer.

In addition to slugs, stem nematodes are not indifferent to the host. Signs of their vital activity look like necrotic spots spreading between the veins of the leaves. yellow color. A simple test will help to detect the appearance of nematodes: put finely chopped hosta leaves in a thin-walled glass, fill them with water for half an hour, and then look at the contents in the light. If there are nematodes, then you will see how the worms swim in the water. It is impossible to fight nematodes, because chemicals will not destroy the eggs they lay, and they next year give rise to new nematodes. Plants will have to be exterminated within a radius of two meters from the affected specimen.

Caterpillars, which appear unexpectedly, can destroy the entire plant in just one night, as well as beetles and grasshoppers, after the invasion of which the leaves look like Swiss cheese. Only insecticides can rid the host of insects.

Hostas after flowering

After the flowers fade, the flower stalks must be removed. In September, the preparation of the host for the dormant period begins. At the same time, flower growers seat the host. First, half an hour before seating, you need to water the area where you have to work well. Then the bushes are dug up and divided in such a way that each part has one or more leafy rosettes. They are seated at a distance of 25-35 cm from each other, digging in to the same depth at which it was mother plant. The roots of the host grow horizontally, so the holes should be wide. After planting, the plants need to be watered abundantly at first. You need to complete the process of dividing and planting the host before mid-September, so that the "newbies" have time to take root in a new place before the onset of autumn cold weather. Young hosts will need four weeks to root. From spring, these delenki will begin to grow quite quickly: in two or three years they will become adult large plants.

In autumn, work is carried out to insulate the area with hosts in anticipation of winter. To do this, the site is mulched with leafy soil. This is especially needed for hosts growing under trees: thanks to the mulch, the host will not lack nutrients taken up by the roots of the tree. Mulch, among other things, raises the level of the flower bed, and this improves soil drainage.

IN vivo hosta plant grows on river banks and damp rocky forest areas on Far East, in Japan and South-East Asia. In the nineteenth century long time it was only part of the collections in European botanical gardens. Then florists began to arrange bouquets with her luxurious leaves, and only then did she appear in private gardens. Decorative leafy plants give the garden aristocracy and elegance. Among them, one of the leading places rightfully began to occupy the host. The article will talk about growing hosta and about proper care for her.

Hosta in landscape design

The popularity of the plant around the world is growing day by day. The culture is widely promoted by host societies, which are also involved in testing new varieties and organizing exhibitions. The growing popularity is largely due to the fact that lovers of country life are turning their gardens into parks, where tall shady trees grow and there are few sunny areas. Not many flowering crops like to grow in the shade. This is where luxurious shade-loving hosts come in handy, which create unique landscapes.

Favored by gardeners in many countries, Hosta (Hosta), sometimes called funkia, is a perennial ornamental herbaceous plant. Its beauty is mainly provided by numerous leaves growing from the rosette and having the most different shapes, coloring, size and texture.
The shape of the leaves, depending on the variety, can be round, elongated oval, triangular. The range of foliage sizes is also great - from a tiny 5 cm to a large 40 cm in length. But what is most striking is the variety of colors. There are all shades of green and cream, there are bluish, golden and variegated varieties, varieties with bordered foliage. The texture of the leaves can be matte, smooth, slightly embossed, velvety.
It blooms not as chic as, for example, roses, but it is quite attractive - on tall peduncles growing from the center of the rosette, there are hosta flowers that look like bells of blue, lilac, purple or white color. Fruits in trihedral seed pods with flat winged seeds.

The ability to grow well in the shade, endurance to adverse climatic conditions, unpretentiousness and, of course, high decorativeness - all these qualities made the hosta very popular for creating magnificent landscape designs. It is often placed in flowerbeds, in discounts, used for borders or in single landings- everywhere she is good.
The plant has the ability to grow with the help of its powerful rhizomes. Therefore, its dwarf varieties are often used as a ground cover crop. In such cases, at the time of flowering, tall peduncles with bell-shaped or racemose flowers look original. large areas covered with green or colorful foliage.
There are giant varieties, reaching almost two meters in height, they often play a solo role in designs. But in areas with short summers and long, cold winters, such hostas do not have time to grow to large sizes.

hosta landing

Professional gardeners consider the optimal time for planting new and dividing old overgrown bushes to be early spring, when the roots begin to grow, and the foliage has not unfolded. Only varieties of Siebold and Tokudama do not tolerate spring division well.
Seedlings are chosen healthy with living elastic rhizomes about 10 cm in length, having 2-3 growth buds. Planting material with dried roots is not worth buying, as there is a high probability that the growth buds have died. Until planted in the ground, plants can be stored in a cool, dark place, for example, on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator or in the basement.

Varieties with green or bluish foliage are planted in a semi-shady place protected from the wind, but variegated varieties can also be planted on sunny area, but be sure to provide for shading from the midday heat, since in most cases the leaves begin to fade in the sun, which makes planting unattractive.
Although the culture is undemanding to the soil, it gives its preference to permeable neutral or slightly acidic soils, which contain a lot of humus. Hosta is a long-liver, it can grow in one place for several years, therefore, before planting, the land is enriched with rotted humus and compost, peat can be added, wood ash and mineral complex fertilizers.
The planting hole should be of sufficient size so that the plant is comfortable for many years:
1. It is recommended to dig a hole at least 35 cm in diameter and in depth. A 5-centimeter layer of drainage from expanded clay, gravel or broken bricks is poured onto the bottom;
2. then the hole is half (or more) filled with a nutrient soil mixture, it depends on the size of the root system of the seedling, and watered;
3. in the middle they make a small mound, on which the roots are carefully straightened and covered with the remaining fertile soil. The plant is planted so that the growth buds are not buried below ground level. After planting, water again and mulch with peat or humus for 2-3 cm.
Considering that the culture grows strongly over time, when group plantings or decorating borders, seedlings of large-leaved varieties are placed no closer than 40 cm from each other. Dwarf varieties can be planted more often.

Don't expect miracles in the first year. Only after two or three years young plant will gain strength and begin to delight with its large and beautiful leaves.

The division of the bushes

Plants that have reached the age of five can be divided for propagation. To do this, with the help of a pitchfork, the curtain is carefully dug up and carefully divided into parts, so as to injure the roots as little as possible.
There must be at least three stems in the division. On the resulting divisions, the foliage is cut off, leaving the petioles. The roots are also shortened a little with a sharp pruner. This is done to stimulate the formation of young roots.
Then they are planted in prepared landing pits, watered and mulched. Planting depth should be the same as that of the mother plant.

Planting seeds

You can grow a host and through seedlings. Why in the first week of April, the seeds are sown in pots with a nutrient mixture. Shoots appear after 2.5 - 3 weeks. Pots should be in a semi-shaded place. In August, the seedlings are transplanted to the ridge at the same depth.

Some sow seeds in May on a shady patch of land in the garden and cover it with non-woven covering material. The soil should be kept moist and covered with mulch on top.
The method of propagation by seeds requires a lot of patience from the gardener, since the plant needs about four years to gain strength and become decorative. In addition, there is no certainty that a plant similar to the mother plant will be obtained from the seeds. Therefore, few people like this method.

hosta care

This culture, as if specially created for those who do not particularly like to dig in the ground, who like to enjoy passive recreation in the country. Her unpretentiousness is simply amazing. True, young plants still require some attention. They need to be watered regularly, but adult hostas are drought tolerant. There is almost no need for weeding, as the dense foliage of the host and their extensively growing root system just doesn't let them grow.

Watered usually in the morning or evening hours. If the foliage begins to darken at the ends, then the plant does not have enough moisture. The soil must be kept moist at all times. It is better to water under the root, without wetting the foliage, especially varieties with a waxy bluish coating on the leaves. Since water will wash it off and leave ugly stains.
Hosts are very responsive to feeding, although they can do without them. Adult plants are fed three times during the summer - in early spring, before and after flowering. For top dressing, ammonium nitrate, superphosphate and potassium sulfate are used. They give fertilizers, strictly dosing, avoiding overfeeding. This should be especially taken into account during the last feeding, since otherwise the plant will not be well prepared for winter and may freeze. If the soil is well prepared during planting, then they begin to feed in the second or third year.
Since the roots are not deep, in order to avoid damage to them, it is better to abandon loosening, and do mulching with peat or humus that retains moisture.
Autumn frosts partially damage the foliage, but this no longer matters, as the plant enters a dormant period. It is up to the garden owner to decide whether or not to prune the leaves. There are no definitive recommendations in this regard. Some cut off the foliage, in order to restore order and cleanliness, and also explaining this procedure by the fact that the larvae remain on the damaged leaves for the winter harmful insects and pathogens.

Others leave the leaves under the snow, suggesting that they serve as additional protection for the root system from the cold. There is an opinion, and not without reason, that it is not necessary to prune the plant at all, since the overwintered dry leaves in the spring undergo very rapid decomposition, and serve as additional nutrition for the soil, thereby increasing its fertility.
Basically, diseases and most pests are not terrible for hosts. With the exception of voracious slugs, which can eat leaves to holes. Some gardeners, in order to combat these pests, scatter a layer of sharp stones, broken shells, small chips, medium-sized cones under the plants. Good results are obtained by mulching with dry needles. Slugs don't like to crawl on rough surfaces and will be less annoying.
Those who do not like to use chemistry in their garden spray the hosts with inside leaf infusions of strongly smelling plants - garlic, lavender, rosemary, mustard. You can sprinkle the root area with red pepper or dry mustard after watering and mulching.
Sometimes plants are affected by phyllostictosis, a fungal disease that causes brown spotting on the leaves. In this case, it is necessary to remove the leaves affected by the disease and burn them, and spray the plant with preparations containing copper.

hosta varieties

Variety magic island is of medium size. The foliage is blue-green with a yellow center spot. Over time, the spot expands and gradually becomes creamy white. Slugs and snails do not like this variety. Grows well on sunny places with light shading.

In hosta variety moonsplit round bright light yellow leaves of medium size. The middle of the sheet is decorated with a narrow green stripe.
The variety is unique in beauty White Feather with white leaves, on which strips of green are formed in summer, and by autumn the foliage is completely green. tall mature plant grows up to 45 - 50 cm.
Spectacular hosta RainforestSunrise recognized as one of the best in 2013. It grows up to 40 cm. Bright lemon leaves, having a heart-shaped shape, are framed by a blue border. Curtains grow very slowly.
Gives a beautiful look to the garden Dancing in the Rain. This variety has original wavy blue-green leaves with a white center. Bushes grow to medium size. A photo of the hosts of this variety is shown below.

AbbaDabbaDo has elongated green foliage, adorned with a bright yellow border. The leaves have an embossed texture and are slightly bent at the ends, which gives the plant elegance and charm. Lavender colored flowers.
One of the most contrasting is the variety Patriot. Bright contrast is achieved by the snow-white edging of dark green leaves. Decorated with purple flowers.
hosta risky business appeared not so recently in Russia, but has already won the hearts of many lovers with its beauty. Its dark green leaves are adorned with a white stripe in the middle, which gives the bush a festive sparkling look.

Through the work of breeders, a great many varieties of hosts have been bred. After carefully reading their characteristics, every gardener will be able to choose plants to his liking, which will fascinate with their beauty for many years.

Hosta or funkia is a shrub plant of the asparagus family with beautiful leaves. various shades and an amazingly beautiful flower, collected in an inflorescence brush and located on a high peduncle. Hosta seeds ripen in a trihedral leathery box. The funkia reaches its peak of beauty at the age of 5 and can delight with its originality without being transplanted for 25 years. There are more than 4,000 species of this perennial herbalist, a lover of shady areas.

Hosta sets seeds two months after pollination. It happens at the beginning autumn period. We must wait until the seed box turns brown and opens - it's time to collect precious seeds. Further, the seeds are dried, cleaned of the lionfish, and for better germination and hardening, they undergo a stratification process, with the seeds placed in the refrigerator for a month.

Preparing the soil and planting seeds

With a seed germination of about 80%, it is recommended to take for sowing large quantity planting material, they begin to plant prepared seeds in early April, after soaking them in a growth stimulator.

Amateur gardeners, based on practice, recommend for a guarantee successful cultivation use a sterile substrate, which includes peat, vermiculite, perlite. The presence of fungi and microbes in the ground is not permissible. It is better to purchase the mixture corresponding to these parameters in specialized stores.
An ideal container for planting is a plastic pot with many holes on the bottom, which must first be treated with ethyl alcohol or manganese solution. Drainage is laid out at the bottom, and then a prepared, moistened substrate. Hosta seeds are scattered over the surface of the soil and sprinkled with the same soil by 5-7 mm, lightly tamped to preserve moisture, covered with a film and installed in warm place, with an air temperature of 20-25 degrees, not necessarily light.

If everything is done according to the rules:

soil moisture is maintained

the optimum temperature is maintained

do not burn direct sunlight

excess condensate is removed in a timely manner.

Seedlings should be expected 2-3 weeks after sowing. Dishes with emerging shoots are rearranged to a well-lit place.

Dive and plant seedlings of hosts

When the first two leaves are formed, you can start diving the seedling. Plants are planted one at a time in separate pots filled with soil consisting of 25% sand. Pots are placed on trays filled with water to provide bottom watering and covered with foil or glass. After 10-14 days, the coating can be removed and the seedlings can be hardened off, taking them outside for a short time, gradually increasing it.

Before planting strengthened and grown seedlings in the ground, it should be borne in mind that the roots of the flower grow horizontally, therefore, the holes must be made larger and wider. Before planting, the seedlings are watered abundantly and immersed in the hole along with the contents of the pot.