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My Roots are showing ( my hosta ones)

almosthooked zone5

8 years ago

I need input! I have so many hosta that have their roots showing this year. It is on level ground and we had very little frost because of the snow cover from shoveling our decks. Should they all be sprinkled with soil or left as they are? I want to fertilize and spread oak mulch but need to know this first. These are all established hosta that are doing this too. Help!

Thanks, Faye

Featured Answer

Jon 6a SE MA

8 years ago

You should never have bought hosta mail order from Australia.

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Comments (9)

tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
8 years ago
If roots on the sides are showing I'd cover them but leave the center alone.

tj
don_in_colorado
8 years ago
What TJ said. I get that on a lot of my hostas. Some roots just like to go up, I think. : )
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josephines167 z5 ON Canada
8 years ago
My Sagae especially looked like that last year and I think I commented on that too. I do recall sprinkling some soil around ... just because I was taking more pics and the black earth really made the shoots stand out! But I am fussy that way. It certainly wasn't necessary. If it was, I'd be busy covering a whole bunch of hostas in the spring. I'm with the fellas on this one.
almosthooked zone5
Original Author
8 years ago
I must have stripper hosta this year or some are having hot flushes and kicking off their covers lol. Always a challenge but so far no vole damage I can see. Thinking two of my three cats are doing their jobs and then there is" my chubby"
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
8 years ago
i dont think you said how long they have been in the ground ...

regardless ... plants put roots... WHERE THEY WANT THEM ... who the heck are you to try to outwit them???

the only issue is.. did you plant them properly .. and after that.. mind your own freaking business.. lol...

this is much better.. than having them buried too deep ..

ken
windymess z6a KC, Ks
8 years ago
FWIW- a couple of my potted hostas in the garage (in addition to pushing up pips pretty early) are waving their roots around atop the potting media. I think they're trying to get my attention.
almosthooked zone5
Original Author
8 years ago
Ken , I hadn't heard anything from you for such a long time! Thought you never loved us all anymore lol

As far as the age,they have been planted since 2012, 2013 and 2014 so are not some of the newer ones. All those roots sticking out may temp those voles to take a hike down the hill from Myrle's place and that would never do. Just born to worry about everything as if that makes it better . Could be my clay based soil needs lighter mix in it again
mctavish6
8 years ago
That's what you get for being such a successful gardener! Your plants have grown so well, so quickly they are just confused.

So far so good in the vole department. I have been brave enough to look at the worst places from last year and so far I see no damage. One of the four or five treatments I tried must have worked. Now I'll have to figure out which one.

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