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.
Where should I put hostas in my garden?
Plant hostas in evenly moist, humus-rich soil in light to full shade. Hostas are tough, versatile, and adaptable. Filtered sun is best for the colorful varieties to reach their full potential, especially gold and blue forms. The green-leaved varieties are the most shade tolerant.
Do hostas like sun or shade?
A. Hostas are great plants for a low-maintenance garden, with many varieties to choose from. Though they are considered shade-tolerant plants, most will not thrive if grown in deep shade. Many hostas are more vigorous and will show best colors when given some exposure to sun, such as morning sun with afternoon shade.
How long do hostas live?
Hostas require little care and will live to be 30 or more years if properly cared for.
Do hostas spread on their own?
Versatile and easy to grow, most hosta varieties spread readily once they are established. They grow from rhizomes that spread just below soil level, and healthy clumps of hostas can be divided into smaller clumps every few years to share with friends, family and neighbors.
Do hostas come back every year?
Hostas are perennials, which means they will come back bigger and better every year. Most hostas grow well in Zones 3 to 9. These versatile shade plants form a mound of leaves but vary greatly by variety, offering differences in plant size, leaf shape, and leaf color.
Do hostas need a lot of water?
Hostas are drought tolerant, yet like moist well drained soil. If the weather is hotter, increase the watering to three times per week. Large hostas should be watered two times per week and daily during hot weather, especially if it gets more sun. Hostas growing in pots will require more frequent watering.
Do hostas get bigger every year?
What time of year should you plant hostas?
spring
The best time of year to plant hostas is in early spring or early fall (as soon as summer heat breaks), and before the rainy season if your area has one. Hosta varieties come in different sizes.
How quickly do hosta grow?
The time it takes for a hosta to reach the size listed as its mature size depends on each individual hosta. Smaller and more vigorous hostas can reach mature sizes in 3 to 5 years. Giant and slower growing hostas can take 5 to 7 years to reach their potential.
What to plant with Hosta?
Ferns are ideal companion plants to Hosta as their cultural requirements are very similar and the fine fern foliage and large smooth Hosta leaves contrast well. The most delicate ferns such a Maidenhair or Japanese Painted fern as well as the heartier Spear and American Royal ferns look equally good paired with Hosta.
What plants go with hostas?
Perennials that are good companions for hostas include snowdrops, tulips, daffodils and forget-me-nots. Annuals such as impatiens, begonias and coleus make excellent planting mates as well. Miniature bright red roses sprinkled among hostas make for a wonderfully vibrant contrast.
How to plant hostas?
Set the plants in a planting hole with the crown of the plant even with the surrounding soil and the growing tips visible at the soil surface.
