We have been super busy this fall so we haven't had a chance to provide as many updates, but adding more plants to our woodland area has been one of our bigger priorities. Our woodland area hasn't had as much love lately, but mostly due to the fact that we were waiting for the garden centers to put their plants on sale. This is our prime time to buy a great woodland or shade area plant: hosta lillies.
So why hosta lillies?
We like hostas because they are easy to grow, fill space fairly quickly, and come in a variety of shapes and shades of green.
What type of plant are they?
Hostas are perenial, part shade/sun, bulbs plants that are similar to other bulb plants. One thing to note is they flower and grow out a little bit later than your early spring bulbs like crocuses, daffodils, and tulips. Hostas, for the most part, have rounded, green foliage that will unfurl as it grows. Depending on the amount of light and the type, the leaves will be a dark green to blue tint to lime. There are also variegated varieties for an extra touch of something special. Most hostas are about one to two feet in spread, and one to two feet in height. Though you will probably want to plan for your hosta to spread out wider before it gets taller.
How to plant your hosta?
Hostas are incredibly easy to plant out. Since they are a bulb and love shaded areas, you can go ahead and use a good compost with leaf mould. We add a little bit of grit to allow for some drainage so the bulb doesn't sit in water due to our clay soil. You'll also want to ensure that it doesn't sit in direct sunlight all day. Our woodland area has dappled sunlight and a lot of morning/late afternoon sun. But in the late morning to early afternoon, our tree canopy provides great shade to protect the.
How can you multiply your hosta?
The easiest way to multiply your hosta is to divide it! Once it gets a pretty healthy size, you can split it right down the middle and then you'll easily have two hostas. Just give it a clean cut using your shovel to divide it.
How to provide care to your hosta?
Hostas are tasty plants for a variety of animals and pests, you'll want to make sure you can protect them. If you see holes in the leaves, that's most likely slugs. An easy way to get rid of them is to put a open container of beer near your hostas. If the leaves are totally gone, that's most likely deer. You can cover them with a mesh, fence, or deer repellent.
Hostas are herbaceous perenials, so they will die back in the winter. That's no problem! Just cover them with mulch during the cold winter months to provide some protection.
These plants are great, easy to take care of, and are an easy way to fill in your woodland areas. There are a wide variety of plants, so be sure to look around and see what catches your eye!
Weather report: Getting cold here in October! High in the 60's, low in the 50's
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