The hostas are up! Well, most of them anyway

Murfreesboro, TN(Zone 7a)

This winter was not kind to some of my plants, and I lost at least one of my trio of "mouse ear" varieties. Sniff. But the older and larger plants are doing well. Here are a few photos I took today after I got the worst of the weeds out of the beds.

These are all in the backyard beds.

Thumbnail by Terry Thumbnail by Terry Thumbnail by Terry Thumbnail by Terry Thumbnail by Terry
Murfreesboro, TN(Zone 7a)

And these are the newer additions to a bed under a large oak in our front yard.

Thumbnail by Terry Thumbnail by Terry Thumbnail by Terry Thumbnail by Terry Thumbnail by Terry
Murfreesboro, TN(Zone 7a)

And a few more in the same bed. 'Frozen Margarita' doesn't like being frozen so much.

Thumbnail by Terry Thumbnail by Terry Thumbnail by Terry Thumbnail by Terry Thumbnail by Terry
Murfreesboro, TN(Zone 7a)

And the last few...including one of my helper. She's exhausted from watching me weed :-)

Thumbnail by Terry Thumbnail by Terry Thumbnail by Terry Thumbnail by Terry Thumbnail by Terry
Augusta, GA(Zone 8a)

Hi Terry, I am a little bit south from you, my hostas are doing well, just got some new ones and put them in pots, since I can't dig around the trees because of the root system. Still try to find out if pine straw under the pots would help the slug problem. Do you know anything about it??. Etelka

Thumbnail by kiseta
Murfreesboro, TN(Zone 7a)

Etelka I use a slug and snail bait around mine. I've also used copper wire looped around them but the bait works best imho.

Portsmouth, VA(Zone 8a)

Terry, I love your helper! Your hostas are coming along real nice. :)

Etelka, pine straw will help where ever you can put it because the slugs cannot slime over it. I use 20% ammonia solution to spray my plants and around the garden. Ammonia dissolves the slugs and the eggs plus is good for the plants. (nitrogen)

Here are a couple from this week, the ones in the ground are just now coming up but the ones in pots have taken off more quickly.

1=Hosta (sieboldiana var. montana) 'Aureomarginata'
2=Hosta 'Abiqua Moonbeam'
3=Ten days ago under the Cherry Tree

Thumbnail by virginiarose Thumbnail by virginiarose Thumbnail by virginiarose
Ottawa, ON(Zone 5a)

Lucky you folks in zone 7 and 8. The last of the snow behind my house just went yesterday. However, the crocuses are in full bloom and it shouldn't be too long now.

Marshalltown, IA(Zone 5a)

My hostas a just peeking through....but then, I am in zone 5, so they are about right on time.

They all made it through winter, so I am happy....but, boy, we need rain badly. We are supposed to get some this weekend....I sure hope so.

Augusta, GA(Zone 8a)

Sm4657, you can have some from us here in Ga, I had some big plans to take care of the garden, have 4 days off, but it has been raining all day today and predicted to rain trough Monday. Oh well, least the newly planted hostas an dahlias are happy, Just went out in the rain and planted the 4 clematis that started to look yellow, so I had to do emergency planting. Hope they make it. Etelka

Natick, MA

Terry,
I'm another in zone 5-6, and no hostas peeking thru the soil yet; but I sure did enjoy yours!
Thanks for the lovely photos, some of which I have to look forward to! Your coral bells are also lovely in the bed!
I have 3 smaller helpers :o) Couldnt do it without them!

Thumbnail by valal
Murfreesboro, TN(Zone 7a)

Quote from virginiarose :
Terry, I love your helper! Your hostas are coming along real nice. :)

Etelka, pine straw will help where ever you can put it because the slugs cannot slime over it. I use 20% ammonia solution to spray my plants and around the garden. Ammonia dissolves the slugs and the eggs plus is good for the plants. (nitrogen)

Here are a couple from this week, the ones in the ground are just now coming up but the ones in pots have taken off more quickly.

1=Hosta (sieboldiana var. montana) 'Aureomarginata'
2=Hosta 'Abiqua Moonbeam'
3=Ten days ago under the Cherry Tree


Love the Abiqua Moonbeam - I have a couple Drinking Gourds, but nothing else in the series. And that cherry tree is lovely - ours are done here, too but they are always a breathtaking sight when they make their spring appearance.

Do you find the pine straw keeps away slugs? I wish that were true...I have found them on and under my pine straw mulch. Hence the slug bait. Which I'm not a fan of, but I am infinitely more fond of my hostas than I am loathe to use the bait. But I'll check into the ammonia alternative.

Speaking of pests munching on the plants, my 'Red October' seems to be the preferred hosta among the backyard rabbit population again this year.

My helper - while older and sedentary - did uhhh, well..."help" me out with the bunnies last week. I walked outside just in time to find her shaking juvenile rabbit #2 to its demise. Its brother or sister had already met their fate. I have no idea how she caught them, because she doesn't move fast even when she wants to. But she got them both. I disposed of them where she couldn't retrieve them (the only thing worse than feeling guilty about killing wildlife is having the partially digested remains of said wildlife urped up on my den floor later in the day.)

Hang in there zone 5'ers - your spring sprouts have to be coming up soon, right?

Clarksville, TN(Zone 7a)

I don't find that pine straw wards off the slugs either. I have to resort to slug and snail bait. With all this wet weather we've been having, they are everywhere in very large numbers. *Sigh*. I have to look on the bright side - it's good not to be in a drought. :)

Murfreesboro, TN(Zone 7a)

Amen to that! We had a terrible drought a few years ago - you probably experienced it too, and I promised myself I would never grumble about rain whenever we got it, and however much we got.

Clarksville, TN(Zone 7a)

I agree.

Portsmouth, VA(Zone 8a)

The pine needles are not a quick fix but they are acidic and they will make the soil slightly acidic which the slugs hate. They also hate the sharp needles when they are trying to slide around. The pine needles nor the acidic soil will kill them but just discourage them. I still use them because they are free here, lots of pine trees and lots of people put bags out on the curb for recycling.

I had almost no slugs last year except for a few babies climbing up the side of the house when it rained, I was right on it too because I would go out with my ammonia spray. The spray has been very effective for hostas and daylilies as well because it also dissolves the slugs and the eggs and the bait cannot do that. I had them laying eggs in the crowns of my daylilies and it was a horrible mess till I started spraying in and around the crown with the ammonia spray. I have been very diligent and it is paying off. Also we clean up the beds each year removing all old mulch and leaves and make sure nothing is there that might have eggs in it.

Terry,
Thanks for the compliment on AMB and the Cherry Tree, it was spectacular last year (AMB) and I grew it from a liner, Tolerates heat very well too. The tree I grew from a stick which came from Nature Hills, I was so mad that they charged me so much money for a twig, but these trees do grow fast. I put hostas around the base of the tree in pots to keep DH from running over the tree roots with the lawn mower. LOL.


You thought I was kidding didn't you?

Thumbnail by virginiarose
Murfreesboro, TN(Zone 7a)

Do you dilute the ammonia? Just plain old household ammonia?

I cleaned the weeds and leaf litter out of 10 beds around the house on Friday and Saturday - lots of small snails and I'm sure baby slugs, too so I know they're coming. Ugh.

Clarksville, TN(Zone 7a)

I've read that straight ammonia is not safe to use around plants. Be very cautious.

Portsmouth, VA(Zone 8a)

Yes, I always dilute mine. I have heard of people using it straight and it does not harm the plants. It breaks down quickly and turns to nitrogen. When I go out in the rain I use 20%. but for dry plants I use 10%. I did my own experiments on the cheap plants. LOL.

Terry, yes! Just the cheap household ammonia.


Susan

Clarksville, TN(Zone 7a)

I've found it harmful to other plants. So I would be careful. Plants cannot avail themselves of the nitrogen in ammonia as readily as would be expected.

Portsmouth, VA(Zone 8a)

Well, like I said do your own experiments on the cheap plants. We are just spraying a little to kill slugs we are not fertilizing with it. I read that article too.

This message was edited Apr 20, 2015 7:52 PM

Otway, OH(Zone 6b)

I added 2 new hostas yesterday but will still wait awhile before I put them in the ground. They are Blue Mouse Ears and Francee Plantain. I also got a clump today from a girl at work and will have to ask her tomorrow if she knows the name of it.

Portsmouth, VA(Zone 8a)

Kathy, sounds great! I planted a few new ones from pots I left out last year plus I dug up a giant hosta and moved it to the front. I had two smaller hosta and a heuchera behind it and two other giants near by so this gives them a lot more room. I even planted two daylilies behind it because of the yellow edges on it. Still got a lot of weeds to pull. :(

Otway, OH(Zone 6b)

Still have a lot of weeding to do here also but it is supposed to be in the 70's for the weekend and I am off so hope to spend most of it outside.

I have more flowers that are supposed to be here tomorrow and Praying Hands will be in that bunch.

Portsmouth, VA(Zone 8a)

I have been off for two days and barely put a dent in it. LOL. I had Praying Hands planted in full shade for past two years and it has not grown at all. Today I planted it into a pot with On Stage, I might add a mini later, I am going to give it some sun too.

Thumbnail by virginiarose
Murfreesboro, TN(Zone 7a)

I had to make 3 trips to Home Depot today in order to get our power washer working properly. On the third trip, I allowed myself a side trip into the nurser, where I found some quart-size pots of 'Blue Hawaii', 'Twilight' 'Paradise Island' and one labeled 'George Schmidt' (which doesn't seem to exist) to put in the bed under the big oak tree in our from yard.

Clarksville, TN(Zone 7a)

I was at Walmart a few days ago and two nice large 'Alligator Alley' hostas for the planters out front.

Murfreesboro, TN(Zone 7a)

I swung through my WM's garden center earlier this week, but they didn't have anything interesting, name-wise. But I know the supplier they use here (maybe yours too - out of Lewisburg, I think) brings in new stock pretty frequently.

I got a couple epimediums from WM a few years ago - they were misplaced with some shrubs and make down, and they have become great additions to the edge of our front yard - it's a tree line and I'm slowly adding spring stuff - hoop-petticoat narcissus, variegated solomon's seal, etc.

Augusta, GA(Zone 8a)

Some of my Hostas have buds on them, one has a birds nest in the pot, so I have to watch when I water them, they are all in the pots because of the issue with roots. Etelka

Thumbnail by kiseta
Portsmouth, VA(Zone 8a)

Terry, your new plant might be 'Tom Schmidt' I have that one too and it emerges green but then turns a grayish color. Maybe Gray/Green?

Thumbnail by virginiarose
Murfreesboro, TN(Zone 7a)

Nope, it has leaves that remind me (for lack of a better reference point), 'Gold Standard' - big, gold/chartreuse centers.

Clarksville, TN(Zone 7a)



This message was edited May 8, 2015 10:34 AM

Otway, OH(Zone 6b)

I now have added:
Earth Angel
Sunshine Glory and
Whirlwind

They are all doing great!

Kathy

Clarksville, TN(Zone 7a)

Yay! :)

Portsmouth, VA(Zone 8a)

Quote from Terry :
Nope, it has leaves that remind me (for lack of a better reference point), 'Gold Standard' - big, gold/chartreuse centers.


Sounds beautiful. I would love to see a picture of it sometime. :)

Portsmouth, VA(Zone 8a)

Quote from katgroves :
I now have added:
Earth Angel
Sunshine Glory and
Whirlwind

They are all doing great!

Kathy


Very wonderful additions Kathy!

Murfreesboro, TN(Zone 7a)

Quote from Cville_Gardener :
I was at Walmart a few days ago and two nice large 'Alligator Alley' hostas for the planters out front.


Guess what I found today? Yep, 'Alligator Alley'. One of them is now in my front shady bed, along with (if my count is correct), about 25 other hostas and some hellebores. Thanks for the tip!

Ottawa, ON(Zone 5a)

Coming from Walmart, I'd watch them carefully.

Clarksville, TN(Zone 7a)

You're welcome, Terry.

I've bought Hostas from Walmart before and had no problems, but it's always good to keep an eye on any new plants from any source.

Took this shot of 'Alligator Alley' in the rain this morning. Nice to see some rain. We've been dry for three weeks. Didn't stop to focus. :)

Thumbnail by Cville_Gardener
Murfreesboro, TN(Zone 7a)

I will keep an eye out, but I'm not too worried - mine isn't a serious collection, and I don't trade plants, so the risks are pretty low for me.

Still no rain here, but we're hoping for some today. This has been one of the driest Mays on record :-(

Post a Reply to this Thread

Please or sign up to post.
BACK TO TOP