Hosta: Planting and Care in the Open Ground in the Urals

Flowers

Hosta is one of the most popular plants among gardeners. Not only is it a relatively easy-to-grow flower, but it's also beautiful. How do you properly plant and care for hosta outdoors in the Urals? We'll help you with our tips.

Description of hosta varieties and types

This is a perennial plant of the asparagus family. Varieties grown outdoors are classified by size:

giant, up to 70 cm in height;
large, growing up to 55 cm;
medium, the most common group, from 30 to 50 cm;
small, up to 25 cm in size;
miniature, maximum 15 cm;
dwarf, up to 10 cm.

The most common types of hosta

wavy - this plant resembles a light green ball covered with wavy leaves in its appearance;
Inflated - one of the most popular species in landscape design, distinguished by its pale green leaves;
curly - the distinctive feature of this species is that a white border runs along the entire perimeter of the wide leaves;
Plantain - grows no more than 50 cm and is similar to plantain leaves.

Rules and tips for growing hostas

There are a number of important considerations. One of the first is purchasing the plant itself. Here's what you need to know:

When buying a hosta at a flower shop, first of all, pay attention to the roots: the system must be healthy, with normally developing leaf buds;
You shouldn't buy a hosta with leaves, as this will put stress on the roots and slow down the overall development of the plant;
For planting in open ground in the Urals, experts recommend purchasing not already developing plants, but directly from the rhizomes;

The downside of purchasing hostas online is that the plant may arrive quite large. If you don't have a suitable spot for the plant yet, you should temporarily plant the hosta in a regular flowerpot.
If you bought a plant on which the leaf bud has not yet opened, then it should be stored in a cool place, even in the refrigerator.

Place for planting hosta

Another advantage of hostas is their dislike of direct sunlight, so a shady spot or partial shade is ideal. There are also species that tolerate full sun, but they will eventually change color, and if you have a variegated plant, it can suffer severe sunburn.

Also, when choosing a location for planting hosta in open ground, it is important to remember that this is a moisture-loving plant and should be watered regularly if the area is not moist enough.

Planting in open ground

Before planting hostas outdoors in the Urals, pay attention to the temperature. It's important to avoid frost after planting. To ensure your hosta thrives, keep a few simple rules in mind:

First, prepare a hole that's the size of the hosta's root system. The hole should be wide enough to accommodate the hosta's roots. Also, be sure to mix the excavated soil with peat moss.
in advance, even before placing the hosta root system into the hole, the hole must be thoroughly filled with water, the plant roots must be well straightened, carefully filled with soil, slowly pressing down the root system during planting;

Important information!

Hosta should never be planted deep, but leaving the roots on the surface is also not recommended, otherwise it will die.

If the hosta was in a flower pot before being planted in open ground, then the plant should be planted at the same depth it was in.

Mulching the soil

To protect the plant from various weather conditions when planting hostas outdoors in the Urals, be sure to mulch the soil. Sawdust or shredded tree bark can be used for this purpose. Ultimately, mulching serves two functions:

protecting hosta from insects such as snails or slugs;
prevents moisture from evaporating quickly.

Proper care of hosta

Caring for a hosta isn't particularly difficult. It's important to choose the best location for the plant. It should have moist soil, as hostas naturally grow along river banks. Incidentally, the plant not only prefers moist soil but also humid air.

Watering should be done sparingly, as this can cause the plant's roots to rot. Fertilizing the soil is also important.

During the season, you need to feed the hosta approximately 3 times:

The first time the soil is fertilized is in the spring, when the hosta is just beginning to grow;
the second time - during the period of intense flowering;
the last one is when the hosta has finished flowering.

Hosta is fed alternately with organic and mineral substances. The dosage is usually indicated on the packaging.

Loosening the soil

It's essential to loosen the soil several times per season. However, it's important to remember that hosta roots are located quite close to the soil surface.

Use our tips on how to properly plant and care for hostas outdoors in the Urals.