The perfect environment for a hosta would be part shade to sun (depending on variety) in Minneapolis. (They have to be in full shade in TX, which is not their preferred environment.) They need cold weather to thrive. They like water, but don't like standing in it. If you live in Illinois, they will grow on the sidewalk. (There are exceptions to this, but common varieties grow very well.) In most cases, it takes a minimum of three years to grow a hosta into a really great specimen. Some varieties take longer.

Most people in zone 8 and 9 grow in pots. They die down in the fall and come back in the spring and make really nice plants.

If you grow in pots, your main problem will be slugs and snails. You can eleminate most of those if you will elevate the pots with some kind of "pot feet". Rabbits, deer and voles like hosta. There is a disease called hosta virus X that occasionally shows up. You can pretty much eleminate that if you stay away from "cheap" hosta, such as the ones in the box or bag that come from the Dutch. Some folks say don't buy from any big box store.

Babka lives in zone 9, south of San Francisco. See if you can pull up any of her postings, as she has lovely hosta and has been growing them for years.

bkay

Welcome to the Hosta Forum.

Start with the Hosta FAQ of this forum. Link below.

Also here is link to American Hosta Society (AHS) About Hosta page.

If you don't see an answer - start a discussion with your question.

Paul

Here is a link that might be useful: GW: Hosta FAQ

I think it's a given that as long as the crowns are not sitting in water, you can't give them too much.
I have a leaky faucet, didn't know it was leaking until after frost knocked down the huge Guardian angel that was hiding the drip....and you should see that GA host this spring...enormous!!
Some people who post here grow hosta in a pond or a stream. They love water and will grow rapidly given enough.
Linda C

Thank you.
Off I go to the FAQ section, which of course I should have read before even askin'....:-))))

the issue in your zone it the requisite COLD dormancy ...

which you may or may not get in your garden ..

they need a winter rest...

ken

I think if you start looking for the "basics", it's going to be misleading for you in zone 9.

There are a few of our gardenweb members in zone 8 and 9 (bkay and babka come to mind) and the way they grow hosta is completely different than what you're going to find in hosta books and publications. Be extremely aware of WHERE the authors of those books garden. Diana Grenfell, for instance, is in the UK. The gardening environment in the UK greatly differs from anything you'll find here in the US since they are a warm zone, but extremely far to the north, so the angle of the sun is greatly different.

In zone 9, you're probably going to have to grow in pots. Hostas require a cooling period during dormancy and in zone 9, your soil probably would not get cool enough to allow the hostas to chill.

You'll have to also be concerned about heat. You probably will have to situate hosta where they'll get no direct sun, or very very little and certainly not in the mid-day.

If you do try planting in the ground, hosta would rather not be in heavy clay soil. A sandy-loam is probably best.

Hostas like water, but they should not be where their crowns are in constant water. Frequent watering will mean better growth.

Good luck!

Here is a link that might be useful: THREAD: Hostas in hotter zones

The only way to know if you can successfully grow hostas where you live is to try some and see. I recommend putting them in pots so you can move them around if they're getting too much/not enough sun. In late Fall, they'll die back on their own. Put them somewhere where it is cool and dry until they poke up their little noses (shoots) in late February or March.

There are so many different micro-climates here in CA, I only know what has worked for me, with years of trial and error, here at the south end of the Bay. Most of the mid-westerners don't understand that you can freeze your buns off in SF in the summertime.

I say, go for it!!! Each glorious hand-painted leaf will reward you ten-fold.

-Babka

First of all, welcome to the hosta forum.
Bkay, hostas grow well here in IL but I must tell you we have extreme weather, both winter and summer.
We can be teens one week and 50 to 70's the next and so forth all winter and the summer is our yearly draught we get for 8 weeks each july and august.
I think if you water well daily and have shade for your plants they will do ok in TX. Just keep the purchases to reasonable and expect to lose a few now and then.

Thank you all.
What a friendly and helpful bunch you are !!!!

I spent this morning putting the hostas I already have into bigger pots and arranging them at the base of the Trident Maple. I think this TM isn't gonna get terribly big (not like the 60' monster out back that has to come down this year before it rocks the cottage next to it right off its foundation). Anyway, it gets lots of light underneath it, so I'm pretty hopeful.

And, Babka, you have it just right; people come to SF in the summer and think they can go to the beach....HA !!!! The coast is only sunny in the winter; who'd a thunk it? But,I shouldn't laugh: 32 years ago I was a transplant myself, and got the shock of my life when everything started getting green in November and December....?????

Okay, I'll be quiet and go back to reading and learning and back outside to dig. I've still got roses and clematis to plant....

Susan

For those hostas I have I found the Hosta Library (Google it) very helpful. I looked up each hosta and found the pictures and all data I wanted to know.

Say, Babka, is it your experience that since our Zone 9 is outside of the "great for growing Hostas" range that only a very few basic Hostas are actually available at nurseries? Do you have to get most or all of yours via mail order? Since Hostas have only been on my serious radar recently, I may have mostly missed them, but now that I've got my eyes open every time I go to the local nurseries (which is rather too often for my bank account), I don't ever see any of the lucious ones that I'm seeing in the photos in all of the wonderful threads on this forum.

Oh, and, does anyone use Hardy Geraniums mixed in with their Hostas? Or maybe not, since it just occurred to me that maybe the HGs aren't so hardy where Hostas do better than here...sheesh....

Susan

I was at a client's house today and next door, saw geraniums blooming next to a white edged hosta. It looked really nice.

If your nurseries are like those here, you'll probably have to order mail order. Home Depot has only albomarginata here. Lowe's has some other varieties (Francee, Paul's Glory, Frances Williams), but not many. A local chain has some common varieties (Guacamole, Night before Christmas, and those listed above) that were cultivated at Monrovia Nurseries and are selling in the $20.00 - $30.00 ramge. but looked really nice.

Most people here buy from Naylor's, Hallson's, and Country Gardens. I've had success with Avalon Acres. I've heard Land of the Giants recommended. I've used Gilbert Wild with mixed results (buy their cheap ones). Others will tell you who they've used.

I would suggest you ask Babka for her recommended varieties. I know she really likes Paradigm. My particular favorites this week are So Sweet and Francee. They've been really fast growers for me and look really good. I would try not to get any really picky ones at first, as some can be really slow growers.

You can see all the varieties on hostalibrary.org. On the top left hand side of the page, you can click on the hosta database. It will tell you how big they get.

Good Luck

bkay

Thanks, bkay. I did find an aureomarginata at a local nursery on Saturday: http://peacockhorticulturalnursery.com/

Definitely not a big box place, but a small local treasure. I will probably just keep my eye out for his periodic offerings for increasing my collection.

And as for slow growers? Ha....I'm too old for them.

Susan - Sorry for the late response, but we were away, spending a couple snowy nights up in Yosemite Valley. I have about 80 + different varieties of hostas. Most all of them are mail ordered. They get here in 2 or 3 days in fine shape w/o soil, even when I order in Summer. Get whatever tickles your fancy.

-Babka