Content

• Steps
• Tips

There are many varieties of hosts that come in different sizes and colors. All hosts have short stems with large leaves that often appear to grow straight out of the ground. Leaves are white, yellow, green, blue and combinations of these colors. Flowers on hosts are secondary to foliage and can be either conical or bell-shaped. The flowers are usually white, purple, or a striped pattern of two colors.

Steps

1. 1 Purchase field-grown hosts. You can buy them from your local nursery or garden center, or buy them by mail order from a company that supplies plants and offers more variety.
   • You can grow hosts from seeds, but germination is very low. In addition, most plants obtained from uncrossed seeds are small, long and slender and not as attractive as hybrid plants.
2. 2 Choose an area in your yard with partial sun. Hosts are shade-tolerant, but not shade-loving. They will survive in full shade, but grow best in areas where they receive morning sun and shade on a hot afternoon.
3. 3 Prepare the soil. Cultivate the soil to loosen it 30 to 45 cm deep. Change the soil with compost, humus or sand if necessary. Hosts prefer loose, well-drained soil.
4. 4 Spread hosta plants in the garden at a distance of 25 - 60 cm. The distance varies depending on the variety of hosta you plant and what size you expect it to grow.
   • Hosta varieties that grow rapidly produce short plants. They have a widespread small root network, and they are well suited as a ground cover. Plant these plants closer together and allow them to fill the space and prevent weed growth.
   • Cultivars that grow to a height of 30 cm and grow more horizontally than vertically can be planted closer together and used as a border or edging for the plant. These hostas are also commonly used around the base of trees.
5. 5 Mulch the soil around the hosta to help it retain moisture and keep weeds from growing. Once the hosts are rooted, they do not need weeding.
   • Use cocoa husks or pine mulch to mulch around the host. These products have the added benefit of repelling slugs, which is the biggest pest problem that hosts. Do not use shredded leaves or other plant material as mulch because these foods attract slugs.
   • Keep a layer of mulch 5 cm thick or less. Excessive mulching around the hosta encourages voles (field mice) to tunnel through the mulch and eat the hosta leaves.
6. 6 Water your hostu regularly. These plants with large leaves have a high level of water transpiration, so they require a lot of water. Although they can withstand drought, hosts thrive best when given 2.5 to 5 cm of water weekly. For best results, water your plants every 2-4 days.
7. 7 Divide the hosta to create new plants if they are too overgrown. You can split hosts at any time; but if you live in an area with harsh winters, it is best to split up and replant the hosts in the spring so that they take root well before the first frost.
   • Dig the hostu out of the ground and place it on top of the soil.
   • Use a sharp shovel or knife to cut the plant into 2 or 3 pieces.Make sure there is at least one growth stem (or eyelet) on each new plant.
   • Put one part of the plant back in the original hole and repot the other parts of the hostas in new locations.

Tips

• There are hundreds of varieties of hosts registered with the American Host Amateur Society. Surveys have shown that the most popular varieties are Liberty, June, Saga, Sam and Substance.