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Hosta myths
Arguably one of the most popular and probably the most used perennial in our gardens, hostas have become a landscaping staple. That said, there seems to be as many misconceptions about this plant as there are varieties. I recently attended a horticultural society meeting where two patrons got into a heated argument about when was the right time to split a hosta. Truth be told, one of them has a beauty and the other really wanted a clump—that was probably a motivating factor as to the urgency to split the plant.
Here are a few of the common myths for our favourite garden plants.
Hosta should be split in spring or fall. This is a loaded one—hostas can be split even in the summer months, which is when most growers divide them. They won’t be happy plants, turning yellow and lying flat in the heat of the summer, but they can be divided and they will recover. The real truth, though, is that hosta don’t need to be split at all! Unlike daylilies, hostas are perfectly happy growing into a big massive clump. If you don’t need to split your plant, then don’t.
Hostas love shade. Also not true. Hostas will tolerate shade better than most plants, but they do need some sunlight. In fact the wild hostas grew in a sunny meadow alongside daylilies and coneflower. What hosta don’t like is dry soil. This is why they tend to do better in shade where the soil doesn’t dry out as fast. The general rule of thumb with sun for hostas is… “The more white on the leaf, the more light they can handle”
Hostas are bulletproof plants. This is partially true, in the right conditions a healthy hosta will come back year after year. Unfortunately there are lots of things that like to eat the leaves of your hosta including deer, rabbits and slugs. I like to plant daffodils in large clumps around my hosta. Acting as a natural deterrent, Narcissi repel most garden invaders that have a sense of smell. As for slugs, I put copper wire around the base of my hosta to protect them. The copper carries natural electricity that shocks slugs. It doesn’t bother humans or the plants, but works as an excellent barrier for the slimy diners.
Hostas have also seen a new disease that is slowly working its way across the country. Called HVX (Hosta Virus X), this potexvirus is spread through mechanical devices like your garden pruners or shears. Also called Inkbleed, HVX can be identified by a colour bleed in the leaf making it look mottled. You will also see twisted and deformed leaves that are lumpy in appearance. Unfortunately, there is no cure for this so if your plants have HVX, you will have to remove them to prevent the disease from spreading.
Even with all of this misinformation floating around about these happy plants, there will always be room in my garden for hostas—and with over 10,000 known varieties, I have a lot to choose from
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