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The lush spreading leaves of the hosta attract the attention of gardeners, so this ornamental culture is often used in landscape design. Today we share tips and advice on how to winterize your hostas.
Autumn work
Many novice gardeners do not know whether it is necessary to cover the hosta for the winter and how to properly prepare an ornamental shrub for the upcoming frosts. Initially, you need to inspect all vegetation for the presence of harmful insects and traces of various fungal, viral and bacterial diseases. Having identified signs of pests or disease, it is recommended to treat garden plants with popular folk remedies or more effective chemicals. Plants weakened after illness and pests may not be able to cope with the winter, so the garden is processed in early autumn.
The next step in caring for ornamental crops is to clean the garden from weeds, tops and fallen leaves. “Healthy” vegetation can be placed in a composter to produce humus. Leaves and branches with signs of various diseases and the presence of insects should be burned outside the summer cottage.
Hosta belongs to the group of moisture-loving ornamental shrubs. Autumn moisture-charging watering is a mandatory procedure for preparing a perennial for winter. The lack of moisture in the soil can cause the rapid withering of the plant and reduce its winter hardiness.
Video: “Preparing hosts for wintering”
After watching this video, you will know how to prepare and shelter a hosta for the winter.
Trimming
The opinions of gardeners regarding the need for pruning hostas were divided. Some summer residents believe that ornamental shrubs cannot be cut, since withering foliage serves as a kind of protective cover for the root system during frosts. Other gardeners have a completely opposite opinion and insist on pruning perennials. Insect pests use the hosta’s lush foliage for overwintering. With the advent of the first spring heat, the parasites begin to actively destroy the vegetation in the suburban area.
The best option is partial pruning of the host. All dry flower stalks, leaves and stems damaged by diseases and insects are subject to removal. If the shrub is planted in a lowland, where stagnation of melt water often occurs, it is better to cut the leaves that have fallen down. Stems and leaf blades are cut at a height of 10-15 cm from the root neck protruding above the ground. This procedure should be carried out a few weeks before the expected date of the first frost. The shrub must have time to “heal” the wounds and recover.
Mulching of soil
It is possible to prevent freezing of the top layer of soil and protect the root system from glaciation by mulching the soil. It is recommended to use peat, tree bark and sawdust, dry leaves and hay as mulch. Mulch is applied under the foliage of the hosta, which, when wilted, settles down and creates additional shelter.
Ornamental perennials often suffer from invasions of slugs and snails. To protect the vegetation from insects, you should sprinkle the mulch with tobacco dust or soak it with the Fitosporin-M microbiological preparation.
Extra food
Autumn is the time to feed plants in the garden with nutrient mixtures. However, this rule does not apply to host hives. The last feeding of this ornamental crop is carried out in August. We are talking about fertilizer with phosphorus-potassium preparations, nitrogen-containing substances are not added to the soil later than mid-July.
Late introduction of nutrient mixtures into the soil can provoke the active growth of the shrub. The perennial throws all its strength into growth and development, while significantly reducing resistance to frost and changes in air temperature.
Winter shelter rules
Most hosta varieties of domestic selection are highly winter hardy, but this culture is afraid of sudden changes in temperature. To protect the shrub from freezing, it is recommended to insulate it for the winter.
The hosta bush shelter technology does not require special knowledge and experience:
- Dry soil is raked under the base of the shrub. A layer of mulch is poured on top, consisting of sawdust, tree bark, small twigs of needles and peat. Mulch is sprinkled with tobacco dust.
- In severe frosts, decorative perennials are covered with pine spruce branches or any “breathable” covering material. It can be lutrasil, burlap, spunbond, geotextile fabric and other modern non-woven materials.
- To fix the shelter around the perimeter of the “non-woven fabric”, wooden boards and beams, bricks or plastic water bottles are laid.
Differences in climatic zones
Features and rules for sheltering perennial ornamental shrubs depend on the climatic zone of growth. So, hostas growing in the south do not require additional shelter. If you warm the plant with pine branches or covering material, the shrub will begin to rot and rot.
The shelter of plants that are cultivated in the Volga and Moscow regions depends on the weather forecast for the coming winter. These regions are characterized by sharp temperature fluctuations. An incorrectly chosen method of insulation can affect the endurance and winter hardiness of vegetation in the garden.
As for Siberia and the Urals, where winter is very severe and protracted, you need to choose the right planting material. The following winter-hardy hostas are suitable for these regions: Wide Brim, June, Royal Standard, Francis Williams, Halcyon and Liberty. Ornamental shrubs are mulched, covered with spruce branches and non-woven fabric. In severe frosts, it is recommended to cover the plants with a mixture of dry sand, earth and fallen leaves.
The main problems
Some novice gardeners do not think that improper preparation of a perennial shrub for winter and a violation of the technology of its shelter can lead to the death of the plant. So, the lack of nutrients and moisture in the soil leads to the weakening and freezing of hosta bushes.
Also, the typical mistakes of novice flower growers include the wrong choice of covering materials for the winter. Please note that fruit, ornamental and flowering crops cannot be covered with roofing material and plastic wrap. The absence of through holes leads to the accumulation of moisture inside. Not being able to “breathe”, the host bush begins to rot. Over time, the root neck and the aerial stem part become rotten – the host dies.
Planting and transplanting hostas should be carried out no later than August-September. This ornamental culture needs a long period of recovery and adaptation to new growing conditions.
Do not rush to “wake up” hosta decorative shrubs after winter. According to the descriptions of varietal characteristics, most varieties of this ornamental culture wake up only when a stable heat sets in. In the Moscow region and other regions of central Our Country, the host wakes up in late May or early June.