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Think the snow will hurt the hosta?

16 years ago

Probably not as they are mostly deep into the ground!! (bitter laugh!)..I have a few showing eyes...just pointy tips, but mostly they are not evident in any way but in my memory!

But....when it is safe to pull back all the leaves? I hate to have a slug condo under there...but I also remember last year and the 10 degree temps in the middle of April. At least this year it has not yet been warm enough to promote growth.

How do you know "when"? or do you just pray ...?

Linda C

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Comments (7)

esther_opal
16 years ago
Never take the leaves, mulch etc off unless you are in charge of the last frost. Your frost free date is probably something like May, 15th or later.

"or do you just pray ...?" that they do not appear or that you do NOTHING to cause them to appear until after the last frost.
esther_opal
16 years ago
"But....when it is safe to pull back all the leaves? I hate to have a slug condo under there."

Take a 10% ammonia solution and saturate the ground and kill the little buggers where they hide NOW and leave the hosta to sleep peacefully & safe under the leaves.
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Hi Hvyd. Welcome! You should probably post this over on the Discussions side of the hosta forum rather then here in Conversations. Conversations is for off topic (non hosta topics) and I don't think folks check over here too often. I agree, you should only plant one Winter Snow in each 2x2 section. The Caladiums sound pretty with them. You could fill in the spaces around the edges with spring bulbs. That would give you something pretty to look at until (and even after) the hostas grow (which will take a few years). The Spring bulbs will come up and flower in the spring before the hostas are growning, then the hostas will (once they've gotten large) cover the raggedy leftover leaves on the spring bulbs after they are done flowering. That's one idea! :-)
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Here in Michigan we are having sub zero temps! I keep finding myself looking online at hosta suppliers and ending up buy two or three more each time I surf, hoping that it might get me over my winter time blues. I keep tell myself no more but it feels so comforting! I pray for an early spring before I run out of money!
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My sense would be to use caution here. The tiny ones often have small and shallow root systems. This isn't universal - some of them will dive pretty deep... but others stay pretty short and near the surface. I would think that would make them more vulnerable to salt damage than larger plants. I kept trying to think of ways to minimize the damage. I have a hosta pyramid that displays small ones. Late in the fall after they freeze I toss full leaf bags on and over the pyramid - in my case this is because snow cover is iffy in this area under old spruces... but something like that might work. maybe straw over the display - after the soil freezes - and a tarp that will funnel way the melting saltwater... you would have to live with a brown tarp in the front yard for a few months each winter and be sure to get it off early in the spring to avoid rot. I'm not even convincing me on this one... I think a row of big established hostas or other salt-resistant plants for the first few feet along the walk before I'd consider anything with minis...
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whip1 Zone 5 NE Ohio
16 years ago
If your really worried about snow, add more leaves/mulch. I never pull the mulch away from the plants.
esther_opal
16 years ago
Speaking of leaves, I've noticed that the dead seed stalks seem to hold leaves above the crown. Could it be that hosta developed a method of keeping itself mulched with leaves.

I always assume what can be observed naturally has a reason regardless of our understanding.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
16 years ago
pips are there all winter.. so snow or frost/freeze .. really shouldnt bother them ...

but... always is one isnt there ... once they start elongating... you have problems ... i really dont understand when everyone starts getting all excited about the first hosta of spring... man they got problems.. they dont even know it..

anyway ... believe it or not.. hosta grow in the wild.. and grow back thru there own leaves with no help from anyone... those old leaves keep the soil colder longer.. retarding early growth... and there are not that many problems.. or else the species would die out ..

along comes retentive gardener.. who on the first day above 40 .. goes out there and has to 'clean up the garden' .... i used to do that in suburbia... after all .. it was just an extra living room ...

then i moved out to 5 acres.. and guess what ... now its a yard.. and i dont/cant take care of it like a living room ..

the result... the hosta come out later.. and miss a lot of the frost/freezes ... and i have to wait an extra week or two ... that has become OK with me.. rather then spending weeks or months.. worry about them ...

and finally .. like any good farmer.. all you really have.. regarding your crop ... for money or enjoyment .. is prayer ...mother nature is a cruel pagan mistress.. about all you can do.. is rely on the eternal ...

ken
hosta_freak
16 years ago
It snowed on my hostas a couple years ago on April 15th! The hostas were fine,and it was one of my best hosta years. The snow all melted by afternoon,but the hostas did OK. Phil
lindac
Original Author
16 years ago
The snow wasn't the problem...it was the very cold winds on hosta that were up about 6 inches....with no snow cover.
So tomorrow, ammonia will be on my grocery list....and I will let those babies sleep a bit longer.
Thanks...
Linda C

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