my patio hostas...

11 years ago

Earlier in the spring I posted questions about my potted hostas and you all gave me some great info so I wanted to follow up --

Wheee! is looking pretty good, in spite of the chipmunks that sneak up there and dig (I don't know what they're looking for!) and throw dirt (medium) out of the pot onto the deck!!! I keep sprinkling cayenne pepper, but it keeps on raining, so I'm challenged to keep up. Blue Mouse Ears seems happy even though I was worried about it having gradually heaved itself up to the surface - I'll just assume that's how it prefers to grow.

There are two new ones. The littlest is Prairie Sky. I think I'll keep it in the pot until I have a good location in the garden (with enough shade) - at least till next year, maybe longer.

But I have a question about the Fire Island - maybe you can see the browning leaves around the base. This was an impulse buy -- when I saw it, I just couldn't help myself!!! Gorgeous chartreuse/yellow leaves on red stems. I thought it would look pretty in the blue pot. And it has really really grown! I think it still looks really pretty, even though it's greening-up a bit. It gets some sun at different times during the day - but not so much that it bothers any of these other hostas, as you can see. And, as I was saying - it just keeps on raining, and raining, and raining (not that there's anything wrong with that - LOL)).

So - the browning leaves around the base... too much water? sun? just the way it is? any ideas?

Thanks!

Featured Answer

Babka NorCal 9b

11 years ago

last modified: 11 years ago

Take those water trays out from under the pots and let the pot drain freely. I use little 1/2" thick redwood sticks to keep them off the deck and let air circulate. If you don't like the look of sticks, you can get clear plastic 1/4" thick ones from Tap Plastics. Saw them off to be just a little shorter than the bottom of your pots and you won't see them. Those ceramic dishes will leave a wet spot on your wood and stain it.

-Babka

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Comments (9)

windymess z6a KC, Ks
Original Author
11 years ago
BTW - immediately after taking this photo, I cut off all those browning leaves. And it occured to me - maybe they are dying away because they're the oldest leaves, and the plant has really grown like crazy in just barely 2 months - with lots and lots of new leaves. When I bought it, it was about the size of the Prairie Sky (which has barely grown). Elementary, my dear? (I really am new to hostas.)
newhostalady Z6 ON, Canada
11 years ago
Windymess, I like your pots and hostas! They look so cute. The problem with Fire Island may be that it just is too wet for too long. I would ask what your potting media is made of?

I also have Fire Island which I purchased a couple of years ago. I haven't seen a lot of growth on it. Just repotted it this year and found some rotted roots. It is in the same potting media as my other potted hostas. I think it likes a very well draining potting media so I added more pine bark when I repotted.
windymess z6a KC, Ks thanked newhostalady Z6 ON, Canada
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Deb 215 SEWI5
11 years ago
Zany thought to keep the chipmunks out: Bury clear plastic forks with the handle down, tines up. It is working to keep the chipmunks out of my mom's annual pots. Root systems are different of course, so maybe break the handle off so it doesn't interfere with the roots and you can bury them deep enough to hide them.
windymess z6a KC, Ks thanked Deb 215 SEWI5
windymess z6a KC, Ks
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks all! Plastic forks = genius! and easy!

I will remove the saucer from under the BMEs - that's the only one that has it. Wheee! is actually sitting on one of those plastic rings that raises the pot off the deck, and Fire Island is just on a little iron stand. Prairie Sky needs raising - I'll try to rig up something for that one and the BMEs.

I did mix pine bark mulch in with the potting medium for those two new ones when I first got them this spring (after the good advice I received from you all). Maybe I'll move the Fire Island over a little to where it will be under the roof over-hang when it rains. It's possible that I put it in too large of a pot also. At least it's growing!
TheHostaCottage
11 years ago
Your hostas look happy! My Fire Island also burns like yours and is in almost full sun. It's just one of those hostas :) I love the way the leaves bleach out from yellow to white.

Vanessa
windymess z6a KC, Ks thanked TheHostaCottage
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
11 years ago
are those pots ceramic???

whats your plan for winter .???

are you in ground freeze z5??

ken
windymess z6a KC, Ks
Original Author
11 years ago
Yes, they are ceramic... last year I just kept them (Wheee! and BMEs) in the unheated garage and left them alone until spring. I can't remember when I moved them to the screened porch... but it was still pretty cold/changeable temps - I guess in March sometime. They were somewhat protected there and started coming up gradually, and then I moved them out onto the deck.

Yes, it gets really cold here! And we usually have a pretty long fall and spring, with lots of unpredicability.
windymess z6a KC, Ks
Original Author
11 years ago
I have a pretty sizeable rosemary plant in a ceramic pot and I don't want to bring it in for the winter because it makes such a mess.... so I just bury it in one of the beds. But I have a pretty good spot for it - protected by a little corner of the house, and yet in full sun. So it survives and does well like that, but it may eventually get too big to keep burying and digging up.... then it will be time to use it up on the grill and get a new rosemary.