Where to locate Giant hosta

11 years ago

My sister is removing sections of probably 10 giant hosta varieties and giving them to me. My issue is where do I place them in a yard with pretty much all sun, except under a Pine in a corner, or along the back of the house.

The house faces due south, so I would plant them on the north back side of the house in the shadow of the house. Last year, I put in a smaller hosta bed with huechera on the same side of the house at the back of the garage and that has been doing really well. The rest of the back of the house is sided, and bare. Around the small deck in the corner is also an option, but it does get a bit more sun there.

Other option: I would love to do something under the pine tree and make that corner a lovely spot, but I don't know if the giants will do well there or If i would need to make major soil additions to give them a chance.
It is also so darn ugly at the back of the yard, I would like to see something improve so I want to sit on the deck again! Any ideas or suggestions would be much appreciated.

I also have more medium and species hosta to relocate, so I could mix things around I guess? Also coming in the transplant will be half a dozen very tall grasses that need to go someplace. :)

The view from the deck facing North East has been planted with Smoke bushesand is full sun so I ruled that area out completely.

Pictures here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/organize/?start_tab=one_set72157633097949564&mode=together

Here is a link that might be useful: back yard

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Comments (6)

don_in_colorado
11 years ago
Well, depending on what varieties they are, I guess, since you're pretty far up north there, you might be able to safely have them in a lot of sun, where they could get a bit scorched this season, but then by next season they may very well be conditioned for a day of sun. AND they will grow more rapidly. Provided you water very generously.
Anyone agree/disagree? Being not-very-experienced with Hosta and giving advice could have this end up like a chimp driving a Ferrari...HILARIOUS and AWESOME!!......but ultimately fatally disastrous. But this I think may work.

Regards,
Don B.
Westminster, CO.

P.S. Of course, the back of the house in the shade is always a safe option.

This post was edited by Don_in_Colorado on Sat, Mar 30, 13 at 22:56
User
11 years ago
Hi Liz. First off, let me comment about your pothos or the long vining plant that was stretched out there so long it could be a clothes line!! My goodness, lady, you are persistent with your container plants! You had to have had that particular one for 10 years I bet? My gracious!

I'm mostly a container hosta gardener, and about as far south as you are north, but what DonB says makes a lot of sense. I would also suggest that you put some in more sun as an experiment, since you have some giants needing to be split up. When they burn the leaves and HAVE SUFFICIENT WATER, they will be growing humongous root systems. Then you can see what happens the next spring. It may be they will go "heat dormant" this summer, but that doesn't mean they'll die. Like Jack Nicholson said in the movie GOIN' SOUTH, they'll be "taking a Spanish pause."

I suggest that you mulch them very well too. That tends to hold the moisture.

Note: if you put some on the south side of your house, try to keep them away from the foundation as much as possible, since a foundation will heat up the soil a lot.

Good luck with your big hosta transplanting.
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tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
11 years ago
Yellow ones in the sun, blue ones in the shade.
I need to cut the top off my pothos and root it from time to time to avoid that clothes line effect.

tj
Liz321
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks for the advice! I'm moving blues from the sun, to shade, giant blues to a decently shaded space, and the yelllows I may give them more sun and see what happens. I realized last night that I've got so many to move, the north side of the house makes the most sense for the majority.
My intention is to mix in some astibile and a couple ground cover shrubby things that they are also digging out.
My house plants take on a life of their own during the summer when they are on the sun porch. That pathos was only 2 years old...LOL I routinely shop it and start new ones, from the vines. My spide's also go insane. I took 10 babies off of it this morning. :)
Now, to decide what to do with 5-6 miscanthus grasses that become 6 ft in one year. Dig Dig DIg
garden_crazy
11 years ago
Could you think more long term and plant a tree or two? Nothing adds to a landscape like a beautiful tree (any many, many hostas!) Some trees grow rather fast, just research them well, root systems, suckering, messy seedpods, life span, i.e.
Or, some larger shrubs that can be pruned into a vase shape to allow plenty of planting underneath. I have a tricolor willow bush that grew to maturity in about 4 years. It has about a 16' canopy that shades lots of hostas. I have to keep the limbs clean of new growth a couple of times a year to provide an open view through the lower limbs. Your possiblities abound! Have fun!
gc
User
11 years ago
Liz, if you are digging out miscanthus, good luck! Boy that is a big clump usually, and quite durable. Dig dig dig is right. :)

If you have the time to wait, a perfect lawn tree is a male ginkgo biloba which turns butter yellow in the fall. Very well behaved though. Get the biggest one you can afford. They are hardy, and of course deciduous.

What a blessing to have access to so many mature plants from your family. The out of pocket expense of acquiring young versions of those would be shocking.

Where to locate Giant hosta

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don_in_colorado

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Where to locate Giant hosta

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