Likely the evergreens have roots that have taken over the planting site and are sucking up all the available moisture.

Hosta roots are monocots, taking up water at the tips that grow down deeply. Trees are dicots that absorb water from branching, fine root hairs, often at the surface, so they are much more efficient at stealing moisture and win out over the hostas.

what other trees .. within 50 feet of them.. and how big...

shall we bet there is a ?????? in the area ....

you fill in the blank ...

they should do just fine under pine .... if you can provide the requisite water ....

one trick .... plant bigger plants.. that can actually thrive.. before the tree tries to take over ... small babes.. may never be able to achieve the root mass to succeed.. when competing with trees ...

what type of drip system .. and how long do you run it .... are you sure you are running it long enough to actually get water to the root zone???? run system .. then dig a small hole.. and see if you are actually getting water 3 to 5 inches down .. where the roots are ....

ken

No other trees within 50 feet. One small weeping crab close to that range. I have a star magnolia within that range, about 12 ft high (didn't count it as a tree).
I run the drip irrigation when we don't have rain for a few days, anywhere from overnight to 1-2 days at a time.
Could the mulch actually be too thick? I have tiny plants that thrive, and large ones that don't. I even tried filling planting holes with better soil/compost, and no difference.

Plant as if it were a raised bed.

Dig a very shallow hole and if the pine needles are thick just move the pine needles and sit the hosta on the ground and pile mulch all around the newly planted hosta.

It will look like a little mound and water water water, I said WATER.

Here is a reference about pine needles causing soil to change pH, an old wives tale?

"NO!. Research done by many people including Dr. Abigail Manynard at the UCONN Agricultural Research Station in New Haven, Conn has shown that there is no significant change in soil pH after years of adding oak leaves or pine needles and pine mulch to that soil."

Between my house and the neighbors', there is an area of mounded soil with 3 large evergreens. This area stays pretty dry and I really don't give it a lot of extra water. I have planted Inniswoods, Shade Fanfares, Whirlwinds and one or two Spilt Milks that have been thriving there for @ 13 years. These hosta actually seem to like the drier conditions. I've planted a few other hosta in that area that didn't seem to do nearly as well, soooo maybe it has more to do with the kind of hosta you planted than the conditions? Just throwing out another idea......

All of my field research and the confirmations of others say that hosta can't get to much water and do well if the get sufficient water. With that I can't believe that hosta do well in dry conditions BIG BUTT my work is all directed in the opposite direction and I can't disprove your observations while I can prove mine.

Go to the current thread about hosta in streams that again does not disprove your point.

ronnie, that may be an idea. Maybe certain ones would do better than others. Might have to see what's doing well and what didn't and not plant those again.And Esther, I know what you mean about water. I have put hostas in floating pots in my pond (not closed, they're soaking in the water) and even punched a hole thru a peice of styrofoam, stuck a hosta in it, and floated it, and they have lived thru several z5 winters that way!So I don't think they can get too much!

"I have put hostas in floating pots in my pond (not closed, they're soaking in the water) and even punched a hole thru a peice of styrofoam, stuck a hosta in it, and floated it, and they have lived thru several z5 winters that way!"
amsoniared

That is almost my first experiment with the styrofoam, mine was the 2-3 in thick insulation and they grew in the water feature 24/7 365 for 5 years without a problem.

Again that proves they like water but doesn't disprove drought conditions. If it works for some ok, but I'm not going to do the work to find out which ones.

I have found that when a hosta mysteriously wanes that it was planted too deeply.
I know someone who says "hosta just never grow for me"...I have yet to look closely at that garden but I
ll betcha they are planted with the crown below the ground level.
I have had a couple "crawl out of the hole" when planted too low, but others just whither away.
Linda C

"ll betcha they are planted with the crown below the ground level."
Linda C

I agree!

That is why I recommend planting high and mulching to keep from being to deep. The soil has far less air and more organisms to cause problems and the air in the mulch really helps. It may require more mulch even in the first season and more careful watering but far less loss.

Wow, now that might be an explanation! I don't think that I pay that much attention to the depth, I was probably thinking I would plant them a little deeper to get more moisture, but with the thick cover of mulch, they may very well have been too deep. That would explain why some are doing well and some are not! I will definitely keep that in mind the next time I plant more ( which I'm sure will be soon!)

There is a huge difference between soil and mulch, don't think of them as the same unless the mulch has very VERY small particle size which would reduce air movement. AND even then the mulch would still have more air movement than soil.

The roots do want soil but the crown does not need soil and may suffer below soil level.

Allelopathy? Some trees produce toxins in their leaves or needles that prevent understory growth. Just another possibility. What type of trees are around?

"Allelopathy? Some trees produce toxins in their leaves or needles that prevent under story growth."

True, but the biggest culprit is black walnut that causes juglone toxicity and other nut trees can be problems because of the juglone effect, BIG BUTT I have seen many reports that it doesnÂt bother hosta. I have walnut and another form called "pig nut", neither bother hosta.

Pine do not cause a problem unless you have a variety that I have never heard of?