QA

Quick Answer: What Pairs Well With Hostas

Astilbe, ferns, geraniums, and shady-friendly bulbs are great companions for hostas. Two of our favorites: bleeding hearts and heuchera. Bleeding heart (dicentra) plants provide delicate flowers and elegant, arching branches — the perfect contrast to bold, shiny, or variegated hosta plants.

How do you pair hostas?

Pair Hostas with Shade-Tolerant Flowers Hostas are attractive companions for other perennials such as astilbes, ferns, dicentra and heuchera. You can also pair them with shade-tolerant annuals such as impatiens, nicotiana, coleus, caladium and begonias.

What to add with hostas?

Other shade loving perennials to grow with hostas Primrose (some grow this as an annual, but it comes back every year for me.) Bluebird Columbine (zones 3-9) Toad Lily (zones 4-8) Oxalis (comes in many colors and is hardy in zones 6 and warmer) Elephant Ears (huge showy leaves that tower over the hostas.

What side of the house is best for hostas?

Their luscious foliage is unparalleled for accent and groundcover effect. Plant hostas with ferns, wildflowers, and shade perennials on the north side of a house or under the canopy of large trees. Use them as specimens or accents on the shaded side of a shrub border or under flowering trees.

How far apart should hostas be planted?

When & Where to Plant Hostas Soil Conditions: Hostas can survive in a wide range of soils but prefer a rich, moist soil, high in organic matter. Correct Spacing: Depending the variety, space plants 1 to 4 feet apart. Planting closer with allow the plants to fill in faster creating a ground cover of hosta.

Can you plant multiple hostas together?

You can also combine hostas with the same leaf color, but make sure they differ in another characteristic. If you want to plant two blue hostas close to each other, select one that has large leaves and one that has small leaves. Or try one that has heart-shaped leaves with one that has long, lance-shaped leaves.

Can you plant hostas with hydrangeas?

With the right planning, hostas (Hosta spp.) and hydrangeas (Hydrangea spp.) are perfect partners. Both thrive in part shade, while hostas even tolerate the deeper shade cast by the taller shrubs.

What to plant with hostas in containers?

Hostas play well with other shade-tolerant plants like Shasta daisies, violas, pansies, heuchera, coleus, impatiens and begonias. Tuck a few daffodil or other bulbs deep into the container for a welcome bright spot in spring.

What do you do with hostas?

Steps To Care For Hostas in Winter Water deeply once a month in the fall. After the first hard freeze, cut off dead leaves. Cover the remaining plant with mulch. Do not water during the winter. Remove mulch during the spring months. Potted plants need a cold dormant area such as a garage or shed.

How quickly do hostas spread?

I found that, after sprouting, hosta plants will grow at about 1/2 inch per day and reach full growth in about 30 to 35 days. Mine started sprouting at the end of March, but it will depend on the area you live and and the weather that year. It will sprout earlier and grow faster if it’s a warm spring.

Do hostas like wet soil?

Among other foliage plants for the bog garden, one would think hostas appropriate, since they like consistently moist soil, but they thrive only where drainage is good. The solution is to plant them upslope a bit from the real boggy areas.

Can I plant hostas next to my house?

‘ can be planted right behind them. Since hostas return reliably every year, you can count on them to fill the beds up near your home with no fuss, no muss color and texture.

What perennials can I plant with hostas?

Astilbe, ferns, geraniums, and shady-friendly bulbs are great companions for hostas. Two of our favorites: bleeding hearts and heuchera. Bleeding heart (dicentra) plants provide delicate flowers and elegant, arching branches — the perfect contrast to bold, shiny, or variegated hosta plants.

How often should hostas be divided?

When and How to Split Hostas Hostas should be divided every three to five years, depending on the size and health of the plant. The best season to divide or transplant hostas is in the spring because temperatures are cooler in and the foliage hasn’t developed yet, so plants won’t be water stressed.

Do hostas need mulch?

Hostas also benefit from a fertile soil that has good aeration. A porous soil allows water to enter easily and provides oxygen to the roots. Incorporate large chunks of aged bark for better aeration. Yes, mulch and fertilizer do matter to your hosta plants.

Can hostas be divided?

Splitting hostas is best done in spring or early fall. Ideally, plan on dividing hostas before spring or fall rains arrive. Hostas suffer most when they lose roots, so as with transplanting hostas, dig as much of the rootball as possible.

Do hostas like sun?

Growing Tips In Zone 6 and north, hostas can tolerate more sun than in warmer zones. In the hottest zones, even sun-tolerant hostas will have a tough time withstanding more than a few hours of sun. In all growing zones, hostas for sun thrive best when they have plenty of moisture.

Are hostas low maintenance?

Hostas are low maintenance landscape plants. They look good without much planning or upkeep. You can avoid a spotty look by clustering multiple specimens of the same cultivar. By massing them together, you give them more visual weight and they don’t end up looking like an afterthought.