How to grow potted hostas and points to note

  Hosta is also called Yu Chun Bang, Bai He Hua, Yu Pao Hua, Bai Yu Zan, and so on. It is native to China and Japan. It is a perennial herbaceous plant with clustered leaves that are ovate or heart-shaped. The flower stems are drawn out from the leaf clusters, forming a raceme. It blooms in autumn, and the color is white as jade. Before opening, it resembles a hairpin head, and it is fragrant. It is cultivated for ornament. Hosta flowers are pure white and elegant, and they are a kind of flowering plant that people like. Because hosta blooms at night, placing it on a windowsill or in similar spots gives the best visual effect.

  Hosta has verdant leaf color and white, fragrant flowers. It is a very good foliage and flowering plant, and it can be planted in masses or in pots to beautify the home. So how do you grow hosta in home pots? The following introduces the cultivation methods for hosta:

  1. Soil: Hosta is not choosy about soil, but it grows better in moist, fertile, well-drained sandy loam. It requires deep soil layers and well-drained, fertile sandy loam. Hosta is not very strict about soil requirements, but if conditions allow, sandy loam rich in humus gives the best results. The potting soil used can be made by mixing leaf mold, fine sand, and garden soil in a volume ratio of 1:1:1.

  2. Sunlight: Hosta is robust and cold-tolerant, and it likes shady, humid environments. It is not tolerant of strong sunlight, otherwise the leaves tend to turn yellow. Hosta avoids scorching sun, so it is best to plant it in places where sunlight cannot shine directly, such as the shady side of a building or under large trees.

  3. Temperature: Hosta is robust and cold-tolerant. Move it indoors at the end of November, and the room temperature should preferably be above freezing. After autumn, as the temperature drops, hosta leaves gradually turn yellow and begin to wither, but the underground rhizome will not die, and it will sprout again after the weather warms in spring the following year. It likes a warm environment and grows well within a temperature range of 15°C to 30°C. It is not afraid of severe cold and can tolerate a low temperature of -20°C.

  4. Watering: Hosta likes a slightly moist soil environment and is not drought-tolerant. If watering is insufficient, the leaf tips tend to dry out. During the growth period of hosta, it is best to keep the soil moist often. If watered too much, it easily causes root rot and yellowing leaves. In summer, the water supply should be sufficient. When the air is dry, spray water on the leaves every day to prevent the leaves from drying out.

  5. Fertilizing: Start fertilizing hosta in early May, applying a dilute liquid fertilizer about once a month. In July and August, it can be slightly more concentrated, and stop fertilizing after late September. After each fertilization, water and loosen the soil promptly to help keep the soil loose and aerated. It does not need much fertilizer. In addition to applying about 50 grams of base fertilizer such as horse hoof slices at the base of the flowerpot when planting, during the vigorous growth stage a dilute liquid fertilizer should also be applied once every half month. After the plant sends up flower scapes, it can be given appropriately more phosphorus fertilizer, such as potassium dihydrogen phosphate, so the flowers will open better.