Planting Depth

8 years ago

This Hanky Panky looks to be planted a little too deep to me, but the eyes are bursting forth in this second spring since I planted it and it has more of them. I may have planted it in a little bowl that filled up with sediment this past winter. I did clear some sediment away. I hate to fix something that isn't broke, but should I try raising this up a little, leave it be, or wait until fall?

Featured Answer

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

8 years ago

hosta have 3 parts... the crown.. a potato like structure in the middle.. roots below.. leaves above ...

i cant see the crown in your pic.. so who knows ...

let the soil dry a bit.. and go all indiana jones archeologist on it with a stiff brush and find out where the crown is ...

or forget about your inner child.. and just pop it out. and reset it.. in native soil .. and be done with it ...

or just wait until mid summer.. and if it looks squat ... then it would be too deep ...

unless its an inch or two to deep.. i wouldn worry about it ... it need not be an exact science ...

of course.. you could also dig it up.. and leave it on the driveway all summer.. just for being a problem ....

ken

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Comments (6)

mae (zone 5b On)
8 years ago
Steve, This very same thing has happened to me... the plants seem to have settled into a "bowl". Maybe I add too much mushroom compost to the hole at planting time which then breaks down quickly leaving the plant sitting in a depression. Also, I always just pop the new plant straight out of the pot and into the prepared hole without knocking off any of the nursery mix. Maybe this also contributes to a sinking problem. The bottom line...I don't know what to do either!
steve duggins(Z6a) - Central Ohio thanked mae (zone 5b On)
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popmama (Colorado, USDA z5)
8 years ago
*giggle. I was forced to dig up a portion of a rather large hosta the other day. When I threw the clump onto the grass, I kept thinking to myself that I should go throw it on the driveway and take a picture just for Ken. I ended up putting it in a pot under my lilac bush for now.
josephines167 z5 ON Canada
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
LOL! I did that very thing shortly after joining this forum back in 2013, Popmama! LOL! I had a teaser subject line just for him and it caught Ken's eye. Too bad I can't recall what it said so I could look it up... I placed a bare-root division of a hosta right on the asphalt driveway (on a hot day) and had a good giggle.

Steve, I also have the same problem (going on for 3 years now) with On Stage but I didn't want to disturb it so it is still sitting rather low. It is growing nicely so unless it gives me trouble, it's staying as it is. I just ensure that mulch doesn't smother the crown. Yours appears to sit higher than mine so I'd be tempted to leave it alone if it were mine... beautiful-looking pips by the way!
steve duggins(Z6a) - Central Ohio thanked josephines167 z5 ON Canada
steve duggins(Z6a) - Central Ohio
Original Author
8 years ago
Thanks all. Those were my thoughts exactly, Ken. Albeit with more ... ... ... and in the middle of the night ... while normal people are sleeping. (Actually, I haven't lost much sleep over this, but other Hosta thoughts have kept me up). I'm a big fan of wait and see. I still haven't made it to throwing Hostas on the driveway. Closest I've come is throwing them on the sidewalk, on top of the shovel handle, in the shade. But I'll save that Hosta adventure for another day.
Babka NorCal 9b
8 years ago
Ken wrote: "or just wait until mid summer.. and if it looks squat ... then it would be too deep ..." Never heard it described that way, but sure enough a hosta that is planted too deep will look squat. Perfect description. ;-)

-Babka