IMHO,I think Fine Gardening magazine is full of it! I couldn't grow hostas if didn't have Oaks and Poplars,as they grow just fine under them every year! I think I will just neglect to tell my hostas that they can't grow there,so they will continue to grow every year. Looking forward to seeing my hostas next year. Phil

I agree with Phil. My hostas and 10 ft tall rhododendrons love all of my white oak trees. The trees seem quite happy also. If we do not tell them, they will be fine.

"IMHO,I think Fine Gardening magazine is full of it! I couldn't grow hostas if didn't have Oaks and Poplars,as they grow just fine under them every year!"
Phil

The point is not that they won't grow, the point is there are issues that must be addressed. AND, it only says they will not grow well at all "some times" AND they will grow smaller than in the sun.

The article list trees that are more difficult than others, if you want hosta under shade then you may want to consider planting one tree over another. If for example your favorite tree is a silver maple so you plant a forest of silver maple then you WILL have a battle growing hosta. BTW, this doesn't address your particular situation.

Also, unless I missed it oak and poplar are not the most difficult trees to grow hosta under? I think the point of the article was to protect trees rather than how to grow hosta.

Rhodies are actually forest understory plants and enjoy growing in a forest. I'm sure there are trees that rhodies do better under than others.

I didn't see anything saying Oaks are bad. Like Butch said, the article seams geared more toward tree health than anything.

I said elsewhere on the forum...my ideal hosta garden would be grown under artificial shade, not trees. Even good trees like oaks and redbuds compete to the point of effecting the hostas.

"Even good trees like oaks and redbuds compete to the point of effecting the hostas."
Josh

Tks, that is the point!

I've been trying to manipulate planting to avoid roots, competition of any form. The pot in the soil without holes creates a mini bog leaving the tree to do whatever it wants.

Since I believe that hosta are "Heat Intolerant",I've also wondered about shade houses holding heat? Haven't done a thing that would recommend a method but it would seem that methods to allow or even direct heat out of a an artificial shade area would be good idea.

The shade or lathe area I built had 1X5 boards spaced to give only 30% shade and did well and allowed as much air movement as one might want.

I'll email you privately with a method for growing commercially that covers most aspects of increased size, growth AND appearance.

I dug out a bed under one of my silver maples to about 15" and laid down two layers of landscape cloth, enhanced the soil with compost and replanted the hostas. (I was having a forester in to trim the tree and wanted to protect my hostas) They have thrived ever since, and there seems to be fewer roots from the maple now than there were before (at least for the time being - it has only been three years) The hostas are happy - and - ergo- so am I!!!

"I dug out a bed under one of my silver maples to about 15" and laid down two layers of landscape cloth, enhanced the soil with compost and replanted the hostas."

Interesting,
How large is the tree?
How far from the trunk?
How thick is the landscape cloth?
How much of the root area is covered?

You may be on to an answer for silver maple?

I don't know Silver maples,or others you have up nawth,but I have one maple in my garden,and it is a red maple. I have many hostas under it,from right against the trunk,to out anywhere beyond that point,and they all grow well. I guess it matters what kind of maple you have! I only know it works for me;this is not a plug for maple trees. Phil

One thing forgotten in this whole thing is attention given to the plants under the shade. Oaks might not like being underplanted, Maple roots are horrible to deal with, so are pines, I am dealing with it. Trees do compete...they are super-competitors, some more than others.
The good thing about growing Hostas (if you are serious about it) is the trees get way more in the form of water or fertilizer if our Hostas are under there! There is no way I would be out watering under those pines all summer, fertilizing (sometimes) in spring, and taking out every single weed mulberry seedling tree I see by shovel, one at a time. I do let the pine needles stay, never cut off nary a leaf for winter, but I have even told my husband that there's quite a few of the same pine that are in our yard planted locally as windbreaks for farms, same height, age, etc. I do believe ours look so good because of all the extra water I have dumped on for over 10 years, where the rain doesn't get it wet, hardly ever.