Name:
Hosta’s botanical name is also the most widely used and most common name. It also has names that include funkia, plantain lily and August lily.
Botanical name:
The botanical name, Hosta, is named for an 18th-century Austrian botanist by the name of Nicholas Host. From the early nineteenth century, this plant was named funkia (after a German botanist called Funckia). There are many species of hosta and even more hybrid varieties. Siebold, another German botanist, had the variety Hosta sieboldii named after him.
Family:
Hosta was originally part of the greater lily family. A revision of names now places it, along with most other lily family’s less similar plants, in the asparagus family. This all seems strange, because the plant couldn’t be less similar to other lilies.
Garden value
Looking at a nicely grown hosta these summery days, as the foliage expands to full size - new and dewy fresh - it is easy to see where the initial rush of enthusiasm for the plant came from. This is a very showy and beautiful plant; it has great character and style. Its foliage appears so quickly — in a matter of a few weeks — that it draws attention to itself. The leaves have good colour of an appealing broad, rounded shape and good texture. The plant’s shape, a mound of overlapping leaves, makes it a fine contrast for fussy shrubs and small flowers.
Hosta is a very versatile plant — it can be grown in flower beds or borders, in conjunction with flowers or shrubs or both; it is excellent in large pots set on a paved area, doing very well in less sunny spots, and it can even be used in pots in a greenhouse or conservatory. In pots on a paved area or in a greenhouse, the superb shape of the plant and its lovely foliage are enhanced by being raised to the height of the pot. Being fond of moist soil and tolerating light shade, the hosta is an excellent plant for most Irish gardens.
Growing hostas
Although easy to grow, hosta does have a couple of problems. Frost is a problem in colder districts and although it has not suffered much frost damage in recent years, all varieties are prone to having their first unfolding leaves cut back to the ground after a hard frost. A second batch of leaves will be thrown up, but damage year after year can put off even the keenest of growers.
Slugs and snails are very attracted to hostas and after a wet spring and summer, the leaves can be reduced to a lacework of holes and look very tatty. Some form of control is normally essential. If the plants are grown in a big group, they often outnumber snails and the damage will be reduced. Some of the plainer small and mid-leaved kinds are not as badly damaged.
Flowers
While the emphasis has mostly been placed on the beauty of the leaves, especially the variegated and gold-leaved forms, many of these varieties are not great for flowers. The hosta’s flower colour is mostly pale lilac or white, but many kinds do not show the flowers well as they barely reach over the leaves. It is not unusual to have flowers among snail-tattered leaves - and the effect is lost. But some are good for flowers and they should be grown for this purpose as much or even more than the foliage.
Two of the best kinds of hosta for flowers are the varieties ‘Royal Standard’ and ‘Tall Boy’. The first has beautiful white flowers that are held well clear of the grass-green foliage. ‘Tall Boy’ has pale lilac flowers that are borne in large numbers. The species Hosta sieboldiana has very large blue-green leaves and good lilac flowers over them in late summer. Hopefully, hostas will continue to be a standard item in gardens, because few plants can offer such fine foliage and lovely flowers.
Kitchen garden
Even though fruitlets may form on apple, pear and plum trees, this is often too many for the tree to support and bring fruit to maturity of size and flavour
Thinning fruit
Although it can be a bit of a drag, the thinning of garden fruits is worthwhile. The tree fruits of plum, apple and pear are the ones to consider. The soft fruits - strawberry, raspberry, gooseberry and currants - are more self-managing than the tree fruits, which have a tendency to overproduce in one year and have few or none in the next year. This is called biennial bearing and it reduces the quality of garden fruit considerably.
When the tree flowers, it produces many more than are needed for pollination. Even though fruitlets may form on apple, pear and plum trees, this is often too many for the tree to support and bring fruit to maturity of size and flavour. Fruit trees often shed the excess fruitlets.
Wait until the June drop takes place as it is a natural dumping of unwanted fruitlets. Although known as the June drop, it often takes place well into July, depending on the weather. Thinning of apples and pears should be an average of 10 to 15cm apart. Note, this is an average, and the number of fruits left on the branch should meet this average. In the case of plums, the plum fruitlets should be left at an average of 5 to 10cm apart. The fruitlets can be pulled away or snipped off with secateurs. Although it might seem wasteful of the trees’ efforts, it can achieve better results.
Flowers
Cut down the flower spikes of lupins and delphiniums that have flowered - they might give some late flowers. Pots and containers of all kinds will need frequent watering. Every day, if the weather is hot and dry. Warm sunny weather greatly improves the growth of flowers in pots.
Lawns
After a cold spring, lawns have responded to sunny days and showery weather. However, the hot, dry weather of recent weeks has left many lawns scorched; often with only clover growing. Lawns recover very fast when reasonable quantities of rain fall, so watering should not be considered.
Trees, shrubs and roses
Check young trees and shrubs to make sure they are not too dry and water heavily, if necessary. It’s almost time to clip hedges of all kinds before the wood gets tough. Any heavy cutting back should be left until the start of the growing season next year. Roses have suffered a lot of blackspot disease.
Greenhouse and house plants
Cuttings of various kinds can be taken over the coming few weeks from many kinds of shrubs and tender plants. Continue watering and feeding greenhouse plants. Be especially careful to water tomato plants in pots or grow-bags regularly. These can easily dry out. Train and side-shoot tomatoes.
Fruit, vegetables and herbs
There has been quite a bit of potato blight and control should be kept up. It is less of a problem with early varieties. Remove vegetables that have gone over. There has been good growth, recently, of sweet corn after the good weather. Make some late sowings of lettuce and radishes.
Read more
Gardening with Gerry: the robust yellow stone crop and an easy to grow rhubarb
Gardening with Gerry: double daisies and this week in the kitchen garden
Name:
Hosta’s botanical name is also the most widely used and most common name. It also has names that include funkia, plantain lily and August lily.
Botanical name:
The botanical name, Hosta, is named for an 18th-century Austrian botanist by the name of Nicholas Host. From the early nineteenth century, this plant was named funkia (after a German botanist called Funckia). There are many species of hosta and even more hybrid varieties. Siebold, another German botanist, had the variety Hosta sieboldii named after him.
Family:
Hosta was originally part of the greater lily family. A revision of names now places it, along with most other lily family’s less similar plants, in the asparagus family. This all seems strange, because the plant couldn’t be less similar to other lilies.
Garden value
Looking at a nicely grown hosta these summery days, as the foliage expands to full size - new and dewy fresh - it is easy to see where the initial rush of enthusiasm for the plant came from. This is a very showy and beautiful plant; it has great character and style. Its foliage appears so quickly — in a matter of a few weeks — that it draws attention to itself. The leaves have good colour of an appealing broad, rounded shape and good texture. The plant’s shape, a mound of overlapping leaves, makes it a fine contrast for fussy shrubs and small flowers.
Hosta is a very versatile plant — it can be grown in flower beds or borders, in conjunction with flowers or shrubs or both; it is excellent in large pots set on a paved area, doing very well in less sunny spots, and it can even be used in pots in a greenhouse or conservatory. In pots on a paved area or in a greenhouse, the superb shape of the plant and its lovely foliage are enhanced by being raised to the height of the pot. Being fond of moist soil and tolerating light shade, the hosta is an excellent plant for most Irish gardens.
Growing hostas
Although easy to grow, hosta does have a couple of problems. Frost is a problem in colder districts and although it has not suffered much frost damage in recent years, all varieties are prone to having their first unfolding leaves cut back to the ground after a hard frost. A second batch of leaves will be thrown up, but damage year after year can put off even the keenest of growers.
Slugs and snails are very attracted to hostas and after a wet spring and summer, the leaves can be reduced to a lacework of holes and look very tatty. Some form of control is normally essential. If the plants are grown in a big group, they often outnumber snails and the damage will be reduced. Some of the plainer small and mid-leaved kinds are not as badly damaged.
Flowers
While the emphasis has mostly been placed on the beauty of the leaves, especially the variegated and gold-leaved forms, many of these varieties are not great for flowers. The hosta’s flower colour is mostly pale lilac or white, but many kinds do not show the flowers well as they barely reach over the leaves. It is not unusual to have flowers among snail-tattered leaves - and the effect is lost. But some are good for flowers and they should be grown for this purpose as much or even more than the foliage.
Two of the best kinds of hosta for flowers are the varieties ‘Royal Standard’ and ‘Tall Boy’. The first has beautiful white flowers that are held well clear of the grass-green foliage. ‘Tall Boy’ has pale lilac flowers that are borne in large numbers. The species Hosta sieboldiana has very large blue-green leaves and good lilac flowers over them in late summer. Hopefully, hostas will continue to be a standard item in gardens, because few plants can offer such fine foliage and lovely flowers.
Kitchen garden
Even though fruitlets may form on apple, pear and plum trees, this is often too many for the tree to support and bring fruit to maturity of size and flavour
Thinning fruit
Although it can be a bit of a drag, the thinning of garden fruits is worthwhile. The tree fruits of plum, apple and pear are the ones to consider. The soft fruits - strawberry, raspberry, gooseberry and currants - are more self-managing than the tree fruits, which have a tendency to overproduce in one year and have few or none in the next year. This is called biennial bearing and it reduces the quality of garden fruit considerably.
When the tree flowers, it produces many more than are needed for pollination. Even though fruitlets may form on apple, pear and plum trees, this is often too many for the tree to support and bring fruit to maturity of size and flavour. Fruit trees often shed the excess fruitlets.
Wait until the June drop takes place as it is a natural dumping of unwanted fruitlets. Although known as the June drop, it often takes place well into July, depending on the weather. Thinning of apples and pears should be an average of 10 to 15cm apart. Note, this is an average, and the number of fruits left on the branch should meet this average. In the case of plums, the plum fruitlets should be left at an average of 5 to 10cm apart. The fruitlets can be pulled away or snipped off with secateurs. Although it might seem wasteful of the trees’ efforts, it can achieve better results.
Flowers
Cut down the flower spikes of lupins and delphiniums that have flowered - they might give some late flowers. Pots and containers of all kinds will need frequent watering. Every day, if the weather is hot and dry. Warm sunny weather greatly improves the growth of flowers in pots.
Lawns
After a cold spring, lawns have responded to sunny days and showery weather. However, the hot, dry weather of recent weeks has left many lawns scorched; often with only clover growing. Lawns recover very fast when reasonable quantities of rain fall, so watering should not be considered.
Trees, shrubs and roses
Check young trees and shrubs to make sure they are not too dry and water heavily, if necessary. It’s almost time to clip hedges of all kinds before the wood gets tough. Any heavy cutting back should be left until the start of the growing season next year. Roses have suffered a lot of blackspot disease.
Greenhouse and house plants
Cuttings of various kinds can be taken over the coming few weeks from many kinds of shrubs and tender plants. Continue watering and feeding greenhouse plants. Be especially careful to water tomato plants in pots or grow-bags regularly. These can easily dry out. Train and side-shoot tomatoes.
Fruit, vegetables and herbs
There has been quite a bit of potato blight and control should be kept up. It is less of a problem with early varieties. Remove vegetables that have gone over. There has been good growth, recently, of sweet corn after the good weather. Make some late sowings of lettuce and radishes.
Read more
Gardening with Gerry: the robust yellow stone crop and an easy to grow rhubarb
Gardening with Gerry: double daisies and this week in the kitchen garden
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