MN z4 full sun question

14 years ago

I know people continue to ask this question, and I have been reading through the forum, going way back, nearly every post and I have yet to see a picture of a hosta growing in what I CONSIDER full sun. I have attached the following photos, 1st picture is hosta garden spring 2008. not a tree in sight in the back yard (wish I had a picture to show when we moved in 18yrs ago and our yard was full of beautiful oaks - it makes me sad this think about it), summer is very hot and humid, no rain and the well is going dry. forget watering anything. 2nd picture, husband builds pergola, its hot then cool than hot again, no rain but at least a very expensive well is in the ground and everyone and plants are happier. even less trees as we have oak wilt and husband spent the winter and spring taking them down. wife not happy but nothing she can do. this picture is taken facing west. 3rd picture facing east. july and august are very hot in the back yard and many parts get all day sun. the tree on the corner of the house is also coming down. it really doesn't offer any shade. i do have a few hostas at the back of the house which gets sun until between 1-2pm. I am working on a native garden in the back near the hostas. the 4th picture is my other option. its the end of the house facing east/northeast, so sun most of the afternoon. The mantra is: if it, the hosta, doesn't work/grow where its planted, just move them, and water, water, water until established. The problem is I don't have places to move them if they don't work out. The front yard is not an option either as trees will be removed probably this fall into winter. Unfortunately I just took these pictures so you don't get the july idea of sun placement. And trust me, thats not grass growing back there. This is an old pasture. No one ever laid sod here.

So I guess my question is, just how much hot july/august sun can a hosta take in? Is there such a thing as too much sun for a hosta? 6hr, 8hr, 10hr+ ?? I guess I am thinking the end of my house is the better option with perhaps the but I am just not sure. So, opinions, and pictures are welcome. Are there other Minnesotans with this same problem out there? I live north of St Paul, out in the boonies according to my friends. haha.

So, I hope I am making sense. I am a bit frustrated as I don't know what to do. And yes, I have all winter to think about it but its never to early to start planning and give husband an early heads up.

Thanks, Jodi

ps. please overlook the washing machine. all it does it remind me of money that could have been spent on plants if it wouldn't have croaked!

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Comments (9)

alyciaadamo
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago

Here is a list that got off this web site. Ken had some pictures posted not too long ago of Sum and Substance along his driveway. I think those are in full sun (but not really sure just a guess) I had a full sun question and first thing he said was 'plantaginea'. Hope this helps

* 'Abba Dabba Do'
* 'Abiqua Recluse'
* 'Allan P. McConnell
* 'Aphrodite'
* 'Arctic Rim'
* 'Aspen Gold'
* 'August Moon'
* 'Avocado'
* 'Birchwood Parky's Gold'
* 'Blue Angel'
* 'Blue Mammoth'
* 'Blue Umbrellas'
* 'Bright Lights'
* 'Brother Stefan'
* 'Captain Kirk'
* 'Carolina Sunshine'
* 'Cathedral Windows'
* 'Cheatin Heart'
* 'Chingbanyuzan'
* 'Christmas Gold'
* 'Circle of Light'
* 'City Lights'
* 'Color Glory'
* 'Crown Prince'
* 'Dawn's Early Light'
* 'Daybreak'
* 'Dee's Golden Jewel'
* 'Devon Green'
* 'Dixie Chick'
* 'Don Stevens'
* 'Dust Devil'
* 'Eagle's Nest'
* 'Emerald Tiara'
* 'Eternal Flame'
* 'Fantasy Island'
* 'Fire and Ice'
* 'Fireworks'
* 'Fortunei Aureomarginata'
* 'Fragrant Bouquet'
* 'Fragrant Dream'
* 'Fragrant Fire'
* 'Fragrant Flame'
* 'Fragrant King'
* 'Fragrant Star'
* 'Francee'
* 'Fried Bananas'
* 'Fried Green Tomatoes'
* 'Fringe Benefit'
* 'Fujibotan'
* 'Garden Party'
* 'Geisha'
* 'Gentle Giant'
* 'George Smith'
* 'Glory'
* 'Gold Glory'
* 'Gold Regal'
* 'Gold Standard'
* 'Golden Bullion'
* 'Golden Delight'
* 'Golden Fascination'
* 'Golden Friendship'
* 'Golden Galleon'
* 'Golden Prayers'
* 'Golden Sculpture'
* 'Golden Waffles'
* 'Golden Years'
* 'Gosan Sunproof'
* 'Guacamole'
* 'Grand Master'
* 'Grand Tiara'
* 'Green Acres'
* 'Green Fountain'
* 'Green Wedge'
* 'Guacamole'
* 'Hadspen Blue'
* 'Halcyon'
* 'Hanky Panky'
* 'Heart and Soul'
* 'Heartache'
* 'High Noon'
* 'High Society'
* 'Hole Mole'
* 'Honeybells'
* 'Ice Cream'
* 'Independence'
* 'Inniswood'
* 'Invincible'
* 'Joshua's Banner'
* 'Julia'
* 'June Fever'
* 'Just So'
* 'Katie Q'
* 'King Tut'
* 'Korean Snow'
* 'Krossa Regal'
* 'Lancifolia'
* 'Last Dance'
* 'Leather Sheen'
* 'Lemon Delight'
* 'Lemon Frost'
* 'Lemon Lime'
* 'Lime Piecrust'
* 'Little Aurora'
* 'Little Sunspot'
* 'Little Wonder'
* 'Maekawa'
* 'Marilyn'
* 'Maui Buttercups'
* 'Midas Touch'
* 'Millie's Memoirs'
* 'Ming Treasure'
* 'Minuteman'
* 'Miss Saigon'
* 'Mister Watson'
* 'Morning Light'
* 'nigrescens'
* 'Old Faithful'
* 'Old Glory'
* 'Olive Bailey Langdon'
* 'Olympic Sunrise'
* 'On Stage'
* 'Orange Marmalade'
* 'Paradigm'
* 'Paradise Joyce'
* 'Paradise On Fire'
* 'Patriot'
* 'Paul's Glory'
* 'Pearl Lake'
* 'Piedmont Gold'
* 'plantaginea'
* 'Punky'
* 'Queen Josephine'
* 'Quill'
* 'Radiant Edger'
* 'Raleigh Rememberance'
* 'Rascal'
* 'Regal Splendor'
* 'Remember Me'
* 'Reptillian'
* 'Revolution'
* 'Rhino Hide'
* 'Rising Sun'
* 'Rosedale Genevieve'
* 'Roxsanne'
* 'Royal Standard'
* 'Ryan's Big One'
* 'Savannah'
* 'Second Wind'
* 'September Sun'
* 'Shade Fanfare'
* 'Sherborne Swan'
* 'Shining Tot'
* sieboldiana 'Elegans'
* 'So Sweet'
* 'Spritzer'
* 'Squash Casserole'
* 'Stained Glass'
* 'Sugar and Cream'
* 'Sugar and Spice'
* 'Sun Glow'
* 'Sundance'
* 'Sum and Substance'
* 'Summer Breeze'
* 'Summer Fragrance'
* 'Summer Lovin'
* 'Sun Glow'
* 'Sun Power'
* 'Sun's Glory'
* 'Sundance'
* 'Super Bowl'
* 'Sweet Bo Peep'
* 'Sweet Tator Pie'
* 'Tattoo'
* 'Tears of Joy'
* 'Tenryu'
* 'Tick Tock'
* 'Tijuana Brass'
* 'Touch of Class'
* 'Treasure'
* 'Twenty Four Carat Gold'
* 'Twilight'
* 'Twist of Lime'
* 'Undulata'
* 'Undulata Albomarginata'
* 'Valerie's Vanity'
* 'Vanilla Cream'
* 'Venus'
* 'Vera Verde'
* 'Wheaton Blue'
* 'Whirling Dervish'
* 'Whirlwind'
* 'Winfield Gold'
* 'Wylde Green Cream'
* 'Zippity Do Dah'
* 'Zounds'
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
start with the supposition ... that hosta are ONLY shade tolerant ...

they do just fine...in full sun.. given enough water ...

the only problem.. is that they can get ratty later in the season.. but your season is so short.. it may not matter ...

JUST PLANT THEM ....

whatever fails to please you.. will get moved next year ...

given a single division.. e.g. ... grown in full shade.. you MIGHT have a second div next year ... grown in full sun.. maybe 3 or 4 ....

so grow them ugly in too much sun.. and move a larger plant in a year or two

they will NOT die in too much sun

ken
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hostasformez4
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
How sad that you lost or are loosing all your oaks. You have a huge area to think about replanting. What an undertaking!

I would think that you could plant near the trees on the edges of your yard, 10 to 12 ft. wide beds. Afternoon shade would be better. There has to be some shade in these areas during the day.

I feel your frustration as it seems it's not just one thing that is going wrong that you had major problems with , your well, then the washer was the last straw.

This too will pass and be thankful for your family and friends.

You Hubby is a sweety to build you such a great shelter for your hosta.

Connie
Teresa_MN
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Jodi - I am in Minnetonka. Almost all of my hostas are in full sun. They do just fine as long as they get enough water. And if not, they just look a little ragged.
idiothe
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I have a mix (I'm near Teresa, in Plymouth)... a couple of thoughts...

As Teresa said, most of the hostas grown in full sun with sufficient water will look great in spring through June... and they will grow faster than they ever would in the shade.

In July, some of the thinner substance and less tolerant ones will start to look shaggy, especially if it is a more normal summer than this, with some brutal hot weather in July. Our cools summer kept them doing well longer than most years.

In August, the difference in sun tolerance really shows up, as some continue to look great while other truly do get shaggy.

In terms of which ones do best - I've just done a bunch of replanting to get some of the ones that burn out on my south-facing, midday sun terraces out and to put in almost exclusively hostas with plantaginea heritage. There are plenty to choose from. All of them will tolerate more sun than average. Just a few from this family

plantaginea
plantaginea Aphrodite
plantaginea Ming Treasure (a margined plantaginea with a tendency to show some streaking - a favorite of mine)

Fragrant Bouquet
Guacamole
Fried Green Tomatoes
Fried Bananas
Stained Glass
Cathedaral Windows
Tortilla Chip
Mojito
Cerveza
Hole Mole
Avocado
Fragrent King
Fragrant Dream
Fragrant Queen

You could cover an awful lot of garden area with these and have the added benefit of masses of large white and near-white fragrant flowers in August and September.

One more note about this... The year I lost a big chunk of oak, exposing a bunch of the hostas to direct midday sun, they burned up pretty bad. It took a second year to see which ones could adapt and grow stand up to the sun the next year and which ones would continue to burn up more than I wanted to put up with...
idiothe
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Come on over and I'll show you what I mean! Might give you some hope and some ideas... Some hot sun hostas and also a nice, simple, inexpensive hosta shade shelter...
jodikay
Original Author
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Thank you for the offer. I would love to see what you have done. I am in need of ideas and HOPE! Let me know how to get in touch with you.

Thank you so much,
Jodi
idiothe
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
is there any way to do private messages on this forum???
jodikay
Original Author
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
You can just email me at jahernsathotmaildotcom. Just make sure subject line is clear as it will show up in junk mail and I don't want to accidently delete it. I don't know how else to make it work and this way is not a problem for me.

Thanks,
Jodi

MN z4 full sun question

Comments (9)

alyciaadamo

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

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MN z4 full sun question

Comments (9)

alyciaadamo

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

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Teresa_MN

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