Hosta 'New Hybrids'

Grown predominantly for their outstanding foliage, from leaves as small as a teaspoon up to those larger than a dinner plate, from wide flat mounds to upright or cascading formations, colours range from deep blues to silvers, darkest shiny greens to bright yellows, from a single solid hue to the myriad of variegations the choice is almost overwhelming.

This premium selection of seeds is collected from a range of solid green, gold, blue and variegated leaved Hosta varieties. A wide range of plants can be grown from seed and the plants you grow will be new hybrids. This uniqueness and variation in leaf shape, size, colour and texture is part of the enjoyment of growing your own Hosta from seed.

Hardy perennials, coming up year after year with fresh new leaves each spring then going dormant in the autumn, hostas are easy to grow and maintain. All hostas flower, with colours ranging from deep purple through to white, some spectacularly, a number with fragrant flowers. The flowers are sometimes held on distinctively coloured or particularly tall scapes and can be an attraction in themselves.

Where to use Hostas:

• In Japan hostas are grown as pot plants for both indoor and our door use.
• They can be planted on the edge of a gravel path under the shade of a hedge.
• Small hostas can be used in the wet areas of a rock garden or rockery.
• A woodland setting is often best with key elements of shade and moisture being available.

Sowing: Sow in late winter/late spring and late summer/autumn.
Seed is best sown in spring or late summer, they need 20°C (68°F) to germinate and 10°C (50°F) at night air temperature. You can also winter sow indoors and provide extra light by fluorescent lamps at a height of 1 metre (36in) over the seedlings for 16 hours per day.
Use fresh seed compost, and, if you wish add 10% fine vermiculite and mix well. Add water to make the mix moist lift a handful of compost in your hand and squeeze, no water should come out. Use well sterilised seed trays make sure the container is dry before filling with the moistened compost. Overfill the seed tray, tap the tray once on the bench to settle the compost, level the compost and firm the compost down.
Sow the hosta seed evenly over the tray and sieve compost over the seed just enough to cover the seed. Water the tray in with luke warm water using a fine rose on your watering can. Place a seed tray cover over the tray or use newspaper. This will help keep the heat and moisture in the compost.
The compost should be kept slightly moist, but not wet at all times. Germination may begin after only two weeks but is often slow and irregular, between 30 and 90 days. Remove the newspaper and water well each day during warm spells.
Prick out each seedling as it becomes large enough to handle, transplant into 7.5cm (3in) pots. Gradually acclimatise to outdoor conditions for 10 to 15 days before planting out in the early summer. Space 30cm (12in) apart.
Juvenile leaves will have different shaped leaves, usually pointed, and will not display the intricate colour patterns that you can expect of the larger leaf hostas. They take one to two years to mature and reach their full size and colouration.

Position:
Grow in fertile, moist but well-drained soil with shelter from cold, dry winds. Best in slightly acid or neutral soils; it will grow in alkaline soils if enriched but shallow, chalky soils can cause leaves to yellow. A good loamy soil about pH6 is best make sure to prepare your soil well before planting as they are shallow rooted the surrounding area where you plant the hosta needs to be cultivated before planting.
Hostas are shade tolerant plants and many will thrive and multiply rapidly in full sun if they are given enough moisture. If the soil is not well endowed with organic matter or is sandy, the hosta leaves will usually scorch in full sun. However, put plenty of compost, leaf mold or other organic material in the soil before planting and water them regularly and they will thrive. Mulch the plants in spring.
For hostas in containers you will need to be careful they don’t dry out. If they are in the shade, they are less likely to dry out, but, it may still be worth adding a few water retaining capsules.

Cultivation:
Hostas respond very favourably to fertilisation, but like most perennials, over doing it will lead to weak growth. Fertilise in a ring around the plant just as the leaves are emerging in the spring.
Hostas require a dormancy period over winter of below freezing for six weeks or so to allow the plant to get prepared for the upcoming spring.
Hostas are not prone to many diseases; their worst enemies are slugs and snails which proliferate in dark corners, shady areas and moist soil conditions. There are many organic proprietary brands of slug and snail repellent on the market and a watchful eye should be kept on emerging plants as damaged leaves will ruin the appearance of the plant for the whole growing season.

Hostas in Sun:
Hostas are shade loving plants mostly so it is important to place your plants out of hot mid-day sun.
You are better off choosing different plants for a hot sunny position. If you really want hostas, generally yellow / golden varieties will do better and most variegated hostas look best with some sun, preferably early in the day.
Blue hostas need early-season sun but are the most vulnerable to full sun. You will find that exposed to full sun, they are liable to lose their blue coloured leaves.
If your hostas show signs of browning leaves or drying out, this is an indication that they are exposed to too much sun

Hostas in Containers:
Hostas can easily be grown in containers but you will need to be careful they don’t dry out. If they are in the shade, they are less likely to dry out, but, it may still be worth adding a few water retaining capsules.
The fundamental problem of hostas is the old enemy the slug. The advantage of growing in pots is that it is much easier to protect them from slugs. If slugs and snails are prevalent in your area you may consider using copper tape to wrap around the container to deter the blighters.
Soak the hosta for a minute before potting up to allow the roots get adjusted to shock of moving. Place your compost straight into the container if the container is less than 20cm (8in) wide over this add broken crocks or packaging chips at the base then a couple sheets of newspaper over this and some compost. Add water storing crystals to the compost before planting.
Hold the hosta division by the eye(s) and fill in the compost around the plant overfilling the pot then gently with your index fingers push the compost down lightly and give the container a gentle tap this will settle the compost enough without over compacting it. Fill the compost up to about 2.5cm (1in) from the rim with the eye(s) of the division level with the top of the pot then fill with 10mm (½in) size or bigger grit to mulch the container. The stones on the top of the pot help to keep moisture in the container and stop moss growing on the surface of the pot. Water your pots and leave to drain.

How to Divide Hostas:
Hostas usually should not be divided too often as it takes a few years growth before plants attain their full size and form. Early spring is the best time of year to dig your hostas up and divide them. Use a garden fork and loosen the soil gently right around the hosta clump then gently place your fork in below the clump and lift it up give it a shake with the fork to loosen the soil. Wash the clump as this serves to make it easier to see the main eyes (growing points) of the hosta plus it also cleans the roots from weed seed and any slug eggs that might be tucked in around the eyes.
If you clump is large say 60cm (24in) in width the best method to split the clump is two forks placed back to back in the centre of the clump and pull apart. If the clump is smaller, use an old putty knife, it is ideal for placing in between the eyes and cutting down through the side of the crown then pull the division apart. Make sure to clean and sterilise your tools before each division to stop the spread of any disease. Once you have divided the clump soak the divisions in water with a weak solution of a garden fungicide for a few seconds this helps stop root rot.
Plant your division right away do not let the roots dry out. You can also pot the extra divisions up until you have time and room to replant in the garden or grow on in containers. Do not feed at this stage with a high nitrogen fertiliser you want to encourage root growth first so a good organic slow release fertiliser is ideal at a low rate. Prepare your ground well by double digging and allow at least twice the size of your clump you are going to plant as the size of hole to make to plant the division in.

Plant Uses:
City/Courtyard Gardens, Cottage/Informal Garden, Flower Arranging, Flowers Borders and Beds, Ground Cover, Patio/Container Plants or Under-planting shrubs and trees.
Good patterns can be found amongst the leaf arrangements and that is one reason the foliage is often used by florists.
Combine variegated Hostas with Arum italicum Pictum or other variegated leaved plants. Other companion plants include Epimedium, Acorus, Astilibes, Berginia, Brunnera, Primula, Pulmonaria and, of course, Ferns

Origin:
Hostas are native to northeast Asia, mainly Japan, China and Korea. The species of which there is about 70 are so far subdivided in more than 3500 to 4000 different, registered varieties. These mostly clump forming perennial plants with lily-like flowers grow on forest margins or in woodland settings.
Hostas first appeared in Western Europe around the late 1700's to early 1800's then soon after in USA. The first hostas that were brought to Europe were H. plantaginea, H. lancifolia,H. sieboldiana and H. ventricosa. They have been known in Japan as garden plants for centuries and are now collected by enthusiasts intensively.

Nomenclature:
The name Hosta is in honour of the Austrian botanist Nicholas Thomas Host.
Common names that they used to be known by include Funkia, Corfu Lily, Day Lily or Plantain Lily but today they are called Hosta.