First Time With Hostas - Planting from Bare Root

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First Time With Hostas - Planting from Bare Root

Post by Casutherland » April 4th, 2017, 12:07 pm

Andy, this question is somewhat directed toward you, since you have quite a bit of experience with hostas.

I recently had a friend tell me to plant a hosta bed in my back yard along our deck. Our beds along the deck get some afternoon sun, but little morning or evening sun. We are in Zone 7.

Since this is my first time planting a garden bed of any kind, especially Hostas, I am reaching out to you for help and suggestions. First of all, I thought about buying the 25 variety pack from Gilbert Wild & Sons. However, I have no experience planting from Bare Root. Can help fill me in?

I read that you need to soak these bare roots for an hour prior to planting them in the soil. Is that accurate? I do not really have a greenhouse area, so this soaking will most likely occur in my kitchen or garage. Do you have any other suggestions to help me succeed in creating this hosta bed?

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Re: First Time With Hostas - Planting from Bare Root

Post by andy10917 » April 4th, 2017, 12:21 pm

I'd be happy to help - what question is first?

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Re: First Time With Hostas - Planting from Bare Root

Post by Casutherland » April 4th, 2017, 12:24 pm

andy10917 wrote:
April 4th, 2017, 12:21 pm
I'd be happy to help - what question is first?
Well, do you recommend planting by bare root for a first timer? If so, do you have any study material or suggestions on how to accomplish that?

I may need some hand holding, because I am a baby in this category, but am willing to learn all I can. Like I mentioned, I have been attempting to read up on this topic, but havent found a lot of good sources. I am also very much a visual learner as well.

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Re: First Time With Hostas - Planting from Bare Root

Post by andy10917 » April 4th, 2017, 1:30 pm

There are a couple of good posts in I did in a thread previously. One is about acquiring and the other is about planting.

Hosta Postings


Do you own a wheelbarrow?

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Re: First Time With Hostas - Planting from Bare Root

Post by Casutherland » April 4th, 2017, 1:35 pm

andy10917 wrote:
April 4th, 2017, 1:30 pm
There are a couple of good posts in I did in a thread previously. One is about acquiring and the other is about planting.

Hosta Postings


Do you own a wheelbarrow?
Thanks Andy, I will read up on these. I do not currently own a wheelbarrow, but can pick one up. Problem is, I do not have a lot of area for dumping being in a subdivision with 2500 sq ft lots.


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Re: First Time With Hostas - Planting from Bare Root

Post by andy10917 » April 4th, 2017, 1:39 pm

That wasn't by reason for asking about the wheelbarrow. When I plant hosta (often 100 at a time), my root-soaker is the wheelbarrow, half full of water.

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Re: First Time With Hostas - Planting from Bare Root

Post by Casutherland » April 4th, 2017, 1:59 pm

andy10917 wrote:
April 4th, 2017, 1:39 pm
That wasn't by reason for asking about the wheelbarrow. When I plant hosta (often 100 at a time), my root-soaker is the wheelbarrow, half full of water.
Good deal. Do you typically just drop them all in there? Do you mix any supplements into the water first? Do you label which root is what, or do they just send them all together in the same package?

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Re: First Time With Hostas - Planting from Bare Root

Post by andy10917 » April 4th, 2017, 2:11 pm

It all depends - if you're buying named varieties they will be labeled. The "Hosta by the Handful" is not labeled. I put as many as I plan to plant at one session into the water, but I have left them in the water overnight.

The only supplement that a new hosta needs is extra organic matter. Do not crowd them because of their initial size - if they like their location, they will be ready to split into multiple plants in 3 years or so. And again in 3 years. And again...

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Re: First Time With Hostas - Planting from Bare Root

Post by Casutherland » April 4th, 2017, 2:14 pm

andy10917 wrote:
April 4th, 2017, 2:11 pm
It all depends - if you're buying named varieties they will be labeled. The "Hosta by the Handful" is not labeled. I put as many as I plan to plant at one session into the water, but I have left them in the water overnight.

The only supplement that a new hosta needs is extra organic matter. Do not crowd them because of their initial size - if they like their location, they will be ready to split into multiple plants in 3 years or so. And again in 3 years. And again...
The area that I am planting in is fairly small. Its about 4' wide and about 20' long. It goes around my deck and up to the side of my house. I am assuming that I should just buy the 10 assorted variety then, if what you are saying is true about the multiplying. Plus, I wanted to mix in some schip laurels, and a Japanese maple as well.

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Re: First Time With Hostas - Planting from Bare Root

Post by Casutherland » April 10th, 2017, 9:59 pm

Hosta garden has been initiated. So far started with the same type under these trees. Still waiting on bare roots to be delivered.
Image

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Re: First Time With Hostas - Planting from Bare Root

Post by Casutherland » April 17th, 2017, 10:17 am

andy10917 wrote:
April 4th, 2017, 2:11 pm
It all depends - if you're buying named varieties they will be labeled. The "Hosta by the Handful" is not labeled. I put as many as I plan to plant at one session into the water, but I have left them in the water overnight.

The only supplement that a new hosta needs is extra organic matter. Do not crowd them because of their initial size - if they like their location, they will be ready to split into multiple plants in 3 years or so. And again in 3 years. And again...
Well, Hosta by the handful, are being delivered on Wednesday from Gilbert Wild. Any prepping that I can do in anticipation of this delivery?

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Re: First Time With Hostas - Planting from Bare Root

Post by andy10917 » April 17th, 2017, 6:39 pm

Are you doing a hosta bed, or singles?

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Re: First Time With Hostas - Planting from Bare Root

Post by Casutherland » April 17th, 2017, 9:07 pm

andy10917 wrote:
April 17th, 2017, 6:39 pm
Are you doing a hosta bed, or singles?
Well good question. Part of the mulch beds around my deck I put roses, and a Japanese maple, and the side I was going to put a few of the hostas, and then the rest i was going to put in my tree line.

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Re: First Time With Hostas - Planting from Bare Root

Post by andy10917 » April 17th, 2017, 9:28 pm

The only job that you can do early is cultivating in the compost or peat moss...

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Re: First Time With Hostas - Planting from Bare Root

Post by Casutherland » April 19th, 2017, 9:52 am

andy10917 wrote:
April 17th, 2017, 9:28 pm
The only job that you can do early is cultivating in the compost or peat moss...
Sounds good. So these arrived to me in the mail yesterday evening, and I put in them water overnight. I had to work today so I left them in the water. If I plan to plant them this evening, should I go home on my lunch break and let them dry some, or is it ok for my to keep them in the water until i get home. Meaning that will have soaked for 24 hours.

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Re: First Time With Hostas - Planting from Bare Root

Post by Casutherland » April 30th, 2017, 10:38 am

Andy, so the hostas that I planted in my back yard receive some afternoon sun, and yesterday we hit 90, a record for April. I noticed that the hosta leaves wilted over on all my hostas but rebounded in the evening. Do you think this will be a battle I'll fight all summer? This morning they all look great, but I'm wondering if they will develop some sort of tolerance to the heat. It gets pretty hot during summers in TN.

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Re: First Time With Hostas - Planting from Bare Root

Post by andy10917 » April 30th, 2017, 11:48 am

They genetically aren't engineered for sun during the peak heat of the day. Short of a mutation (roughly as likely as getting hit by a meteor), it will get tougher. Newly-planted hosta may improve a little as the root system expands, but face it - these are shade plants no matter what you'd LIKE them to be. A little wilting is probably more a sign that they could use more water - scalding (burnt edges or parts of leaves) is the typical response to too much sun.

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Re: First Time With Hostas - Planting from Bare Root

Post by Casutherland » May 1st, 2017, 6:49 pm

Andy here are some pictures of the hostas. What do you think may be going on? Think it's heat or a water issue? Or both..

Image

Image

Image

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Re: First Time With Hostas - Planting from Bare Root

Post by andy10917 » May 1st, 2017, 11:01 pm

Your photos provide no context about the hostas' situation - when planted, what you believe is wrong, when this occurred, etc...

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Re: First Time With Hostas - Planting from Bare Root

Post by Casutherland » May 1st, 2017, 11:16 pm

andy10917 wrote:
May 1st, 2017, 11:01 pm
Your photos provide no context about the hostas' situation - when planted, what you believe is wrong, when this occurred, etc...
These were planted about a week and a half ago. I'm honestly not sure what is wrong, that's why I am asking you. Looks like some insect damage on one, and possible sun damage on the larger one.

The tiny one looks like it may have water damage. It looks wilted and brownish.

This picture was taken this evening

Thoughts?

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