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Okay to cut back leaves of declining hostas?

linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago)

12 years ago

I usually leave them alone, but want to plant some bulbs around them that will bloom before the hosta get up and running. 3 kinds were all yellow, so those I figured were okay to do, and I did it. But I am not sure about the ones that are still mostly green, three or four, which I think are Abby. I hope to plant bulbs tomorrow, so hopefully some one can tell me. Thanks!

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Comments (6)

Steve Massachusetts
12 years ago
I don't take off leaves unless there is no green left in them. If they are still green then they are providing food for the plant and it's still growing. If you are wanting to plant in the Hosta root zone, as it sounds, just move the leaves aside and use a bulb planter to make a hole.

If you decide to cut leaves remember to wash your tools in a 10% bleach solution before moving from plant to plant. This will prevent spread of Virus X or other diseases.

Steve
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
12 years ago
just take some masking tape.. and tape up the green ones.. so you can work near them.. then when the turn to mush.. you can just grab the whole and toss it ... make them look like a bunch of celery ... though you can probably do it.. they are still storing energy... for next springs flush ...

in theory.. you can spread disease by going plant to plant ... so i usually wait.. until after the first freeze.. when the whole can be grabbed and simply pulled off.. thereby avoiding the hole tool cleaning issue ...

as i recall you only have a few.. so i would not worry too much about the whole disease issue ...

ken
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Leave them alone. They are still helping the roots to grow. Don't expect anything this year. It is all about ROOTS, so if you got a lotsa them you will have a nice hosta next year. If you got lotsa tops and few roots, you will still have a nice hosta next year, only smaller leaves. HOWEVER, years ago when someone would transplant a hosta, they cut it back to look like celery and plopped it into the ground. Those did just fine the next year too!!!! If it had been taped with masking tape when divided, (ala Ken's advice) it might have stayed more erect, but once flopped, it probably won't come back upright this year. Look for good things next Spring! -Babka
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hosta_freak
12 years ago
I never cut back anything,except maybe Peony leaves. I wait until spring to take off hosta leaves,as they protect the hostas during the winter. I also leave all the tree leaves til spring. Voles are not a big problem here,so they do their thing in winter,and so do I. That's just my opinion,and I'm stickin' to it! Phil
linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago)
Original Author
12 years ago
Good idea about the masking tape! That will work great. Or I can just rubber band them, then cut off the rubber band. They are a small leaved variety. I forgot about the disease spreading issue.

Yes, compared to you enthusiasts, I don't have many: maybe 30. It's enough to make people around here notice I like them, but not enough to make them think I have an obsession. If they count the lilies, then they would register an obsession.
Gesila
12 years ago
LOL, on your comment regarding that you don't have enough to make them think you have an obsession. I guess we're over the top now since my neighbor recently told me that she never met a "hosta hoarder" before.

I have never cut mine back in the fall or cleaned them up in the spring. I guess I never thought about it before, I wonder if my lawn service guys do something with them during their fall or spring clean-up. I'll have to start paying attention.

I will be out there after they all die back shortly looking for slug eggs with my trusty toaster tweezers though.

Gesila
tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
12 years ago
I also wait until the green is gone before removing the leaves. I used to leave them lie until spring, but with the advent of the widespread foliar nematodes (who overwinter in dead leaves) I now throw them into my compost where they get more than the requisite 120 degrees (either now or in spring...or both) when the compost heats up.

tj

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