Hosta Planting Instructions

Our hostas are shipped with these hosta planting instructions in hopes to get the most out of your plants. After years of experience at HostasDirect, we can safely say these hosta planting instructions are the best way to ensure fast, healthy plant growth.

• After You Order Video

A Video tutorial of Tom Carlson Exaplining what you can expect from your order and beifly how to handle and plant your order.

• When to Plant:

  Planting hostas can be done at almost any time you can work the soil. Many experts feel you should plant at least 6 weeks before the first frost. However, Tom Carlson has divided and planted hostas in Minnesota from May to late October and the plants have thrived. Remember, the soil often does not freeze until much later. The best time for planting hostas is when they are actively making new roots. This is in the spring after the first blush of leaves has hardened off and in the late summer once the hottest weather has ended. Planting during these times allows the plants enough time to establish a good root system before the droughts of summer and cold of winter. In most cases, hostas are very hardy plants.

• Where to plant:

  It is best not to plant hostas under shallow rooted trees or shrubs. In general, some protection against the heat of the sun and shelter from strong winds is advisable. However, each cultivar has individual requirements and simple replanting may be needed to find the best location. Planting hostas under groves of trees will help prevent hail damage to the hostas. If you do get hail damage, often you can cut the leaves back, and new leaves will grow back within 2 to 3 weeks, but will only be about of the original size. At HostasDirect we have had poor luck with this strategy and don't advise this but some people swear by it.

• Lighting conditions:

  • For more information, check out our Hostas and Sun page.
  • To determine the proper lighting conditions, you need to strike a balance between the amount of moisture the roots receive, the soil, the individual cultivars needs, and the type of sunlight. Each variety of hosta may have slightly different light requirements. The HostaSearch™ Database lists the specific light tolerances of many hostas. As an example, plantaginea, and its hybrids, can be grown in full sun in most regions. Hostas will grow in almost any light condition but may not thrive or have good color in every light condition. Remember that more sun is required to grow good flowers. You may see a color difference between full sun and shaded leaves is the result of the sun changing the leaf color. Providing shade during the hottest parts of the day, from 12-4 pm keeps hostas looking their best. Be creative. Use ornamental grasses, shrubs, trees, arbors, pergolas, trellises, shade cloths, and climbing vines to provide extra shade. Remember, you can always move your hostas to different locations. If you want larger leaves, grow in deeper shade. Darker colored hostas have more chlorophyll in them and thus need less light. However, hostas will not flourish in parts of the garden that are too shaded for anything else to grow. Remember that the position and intensity of the sun changes depending on the day, time of day, or season. Trees also change throughout the year, which will affect how much sun or shade your hostas are getting.

  • Full sun:

    Hostas with green, chartreuse or yellow leaves will take more sun as long as there is adequate moisture for the roots. Depending on the variety, hostas can grow in full sun and will survive with plenty of water. However, too much sun can make the leaves become burnt and brown, especially if the roots are not getting enough moisture. If you grow hostas in stronger afternoon sun, make sure you apply more water. Hostas grown in more sun will have more leaves, longer and narrower leaves, and colors that may look more bleached or washed out. In addition, the hostas will grow faster and create more roots than those grown in more shade because they have more opportunity to photosynthesize. Hostas that can tolerate more sun are noted in the HostaSearch™ Database.

  • Shade:

    Shade can vary in quality and intensity. Light cast by a high tree canopy is ideal. Hostas with blue-green leaves and white variegation, whether in the center or margins, succeed best in shaded areas. Search for hostas with blue-green leaves with white variegation on our HostaSearch Database.

  • Gray and blue hostas:

    Hostas are gray or blue because the specific cultivar (type of hosta) has a gene that creates extra wax on the outside of the leaf. To keep the blue or gray color as long as possible during the growing season, grow these hostas out of direct wind and rain which causes the wax to rub off and keep out of the direct sun, which causes the wax to melt off. Once the wax is off, the hosta will show its underlying green color. Some varieties have more intense blue colorations than others and some hold their blue or gray colors longer than others. Note that some spectacular blue hostas do not have the term blue in their name. (example: H. 'Halcyon') It is difficult for color photography to accurately represent the true blue color of the leaves as there are so many variables involved.

  • Gold hostas:

    Generally, gold or yellow hostas will tolerate more intense light better than other hostas.

• Optimal Soil:

  Hostas generally grow well in any good garden soil. For optimum growth, soil and soil preparation is important. Hostas will tolerate a pH range of 5.5 to 7.5 but the ideal seems to be slightly acidic at about 6.0 to 6.5. A pH of 7 is neutral. If the pH is out of this range, some soil nutrients are not available for uptake by the hosta. This can tie up iron, leading to chlorosis (yellowing) of the foliage. To make soil more acidic, add sulfur or Canadian Sphagnum peat moss. Very acidic soil can be changed by adding dolomitic lime. Hostas like medium fertility and high organic matter levels. You can have your soil tested to determine its structure. Ideal hosta soil is one that can be easily worked, is rich in plant foods and retains moisture yet drain well. Anything you can do to make the soil more nutrient, air and moisture-retentive is helpful. The soil should have enough organic matter to provide plenty of air spaces for the roots to grow deep (roots will grow 6 to 18 inches deep depending on the hosta) and for the roots to be able spread to the width of the mature hosta (note some hostas can grow to be 6 feet wide). Organic matter, such as compost, fibrous peat, mushroom compost, rotten manure, rotted saw dust, and composted leaves helps improve moisture retention, aeration of the soil, and the microbial life in the soil. Clay soil can benefit from organic matter and coarse grit. The goal of adding all of this organic matter is to produce humus that can hold water and bind with particles of clay soil, making it more open. It also helps open up heavy clay soil for easy root penetration and adds moisture-holding capacity to loose, sandy soils. The bacteria that converts organic matter to humus exhausts much of the available nitrogen in the process, thereby depriving the hostas of vital nitrogen. This mean that whenever organic matter is added to the soil, some nitrogen fertilizer should also be added.

• Digging Holes

  Be selective in placing your hostas. Remove surface roots and tree roots. Replace poor soil with good soil or amend the soil. Make the hole deep and wide enough to accommodate the mature plant without needing to cut or fold roots. Loosen the soil at the bottom of the hole. You can make a small mound in the bottom of the hole to allow roots to run down hill from the mound. Fill the hole with soil that is amended with 10-10-10 fertilizer or aged manure. Water thoroughly but do not pack the soil.

• Creating Hosta Beds

  Define with string or garden hose the area you wish to plant. We also suggest you purchase and bury plastic edging material to prevent grass from growing into your garden. Make sure the area meets hosta light requirements and is free of roots. Remember, in most gardens, sweeping curves look better than straight lines. Apply Round Up to kill green plant life. Wait about 6 days to see if you need to use Round Up again and use if needed. Wait 6 more days. Now you can till the soil.
  1. Till the soil 8 to 9 inches deep. Depending upon the type of soil you have, you may wish to till in organic matter or coarse sand (not fine sand). Manure can have weed seed be careful. You may wish to add some 10-10-10 fertilizer, coarse pine park, pine needles (they are acidic), well-rotted saw dust, and compost.
  2. Add 1 to 2 of 3/8 gravel to the entire bed. Till the gravel in to 4 to 5. The gravel will allow for better drainage, better air pockets for roots to sift through, and make soil more firm. It will also serve as a vole deterrent.

• Before Planting:

  It is very important to untangle the hosta's roots. Often, hostas and other plants purchased at garden centers have root-bound pots. It is very important that these roots be untangled or the plant may literally strangle itself. If you have purchased bare root plants from us, the plants may benefit from being soaked in a bucket of water a couple of hours to rehydrate the hosta before planting. Hostas generally adjust well to their new locations within a few days to two weeks and should be kept moist during that period. Adding some additional fertilizer will also stimulate root growth.

• Planting:

  After proper hole selection or bed preparation, make sure the hole is made wide and deep enough to hold all of the hosta roots when they spread out. Do not bend or fold the roots. Make a small mound in the middle of the hole for the crown of the hosta to rest on with the roots running downhill. Spread the roots out on all sides of the mound. This is particularly important for pot-grown roots. Return the soil to the hole, firming it with hands or feet. Water the hosta thoroughly. Some people mulch the area surrounding the hole to keep the soil cool and moist.

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