Any Hosta Experts out there?

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

I have always dreamed of having hostas but we have never had an area with enough shade for them to survive!
I think i do now but need some hosta expert opinions please!
The back side of my chicken run 20' long gets morning to mid day sun only.
I have a trench dug to help with the wetter seasons so that the run doesn't get flooded but it is also on a slight hill.
Here's a pic for better understanding.
Behind the chair on the left Ithere are some potted herbs. Then I have laid down cardboard all along the run to help with weeds and add to soil.
I have the wood frame layin there that is 6" deep (old shelf hubs made long time ago and he was gonna trash).

● Is 6" deep enough for the hostas to get growing and established and then their roots can grow on down into ground over time?
● Is that too much sun or just enough?
● will the trench there just in front of the cardboard cause any growing problems with the hostas?

 

[MadGardener]

I wouldn't call myself an expert by any means but I can share some of my (limited) experience with hostas.

Your sun exposure sounds good, hostas like shade in the afternoon. I think the slope will help with drying out the soil. My current house has hostas on a small hill and they're thriving.

I'd dig down and expose the cardboard. Cut an X if needed to plants at the same depth they were in the pot. You will have better results if you wait to plant after the hottest part of the summer is over. I have divided in the summer and they do stress pretty badly.

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

I wouldn't call myself an expert by any means but I can share some of my (limited) experience with hostas.

Your sun exposure sounds good, hostas like shade in the afternoon. I think the slope will help with drying out the soil. My current house has hostas on a small hill and they're thriving.

I'd dig down and expose the cardboard. Cut an X if needed to plants at the same depth they were in the pot. You will have better results if you wait to plant after the hottest part of the summer is over. I have divided in the summer and they do stress pretty badly.

Awesome thank you! I have been growing my hosta from the bulb (or whatever theirs is called) so it's just a baby!
I waa hoping not to dig down cause it is rocky there...and hoped they would be able to do the hard part for me.
What u think?

 

[MadGardener]

Awesome thank you! I have been growing my hosta from the bulb (or whatever theirs is called) so it's just a baby!
I waa hoping not to dig down cause it is rocky there...and hoped they would be able to do the hard part for me.
What u think?

I'm a bit of a neglectful gardener and would try it if it was me. My last house had thriving hostas in the very rocky fill dirt around the foundation. Mulch (wood chips, leaves, straw) would be a good idea.

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

I'm a bit of a neglectful gardener and would try it if it was me. My last house had thriving hostas in the very rocky fill dirt around the foundation. Mulch (wood chips, leaves, straw) would be a good idea.

Awesome I'm gonna go for it!
Thank ya!!!

 

[Dinogrrl]

My hosta bed had an old garden tarp down under the soil, with rocks under that (pretty sure they used all the spare gravel in the county to fill these lots when they were made 9_9), and mine probably get a bit more sun than yours because I didn't plan properly (though I've always grown hostas in almost full sun here...), and they're all doing great. So great that I need to split them this fall. So great that they actually out-competed a daylily that I will need to rescue when I can find it again.

Anyway my point is in my experience hostas are pretty forgiving, as long as you baby them the first season you plant them.

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

My hosta bed had an old garden tarp down under the soil, with rocks under that (pretty sure they used all the spare gravel in the county to fill these lots when they were made 9_9), and mine probably get a bit more sun than yours because I didn't plan properly (though I've always grown hostas in almost full sun here...), and they're all doing great. So great that I need to split them this fall. So great that they actually out-competed a daylily that I will need to rescue when I can find it again.

Anyway my point is in my experience hostas are pretty forgiving, as long as you baby them the first season you plant them.

So good to know!!! Thank u!
I luv hostas and am so looking forward to havin a lot more!!!

 

[NanaK]

Keep them watered well after you plant. Be aware deer love them too! The deer here decided I didn't need quite so many.

 

[Dinogrrl]

Oh yeah deer love snacking on hostas. We don't have deer in my neighborhood (yet) but my parents do and they have a tough time keeping them away from the hostas!

And yes hostas are super addicting! We have a hosta seller who comes to our local farmers' market and he has endless hosta info and a bazillion varieties to sell and it's so hard to not buy a new one every week!

 

[Tonyroo]

There's a wide variety of Hosta that take full sun and filtered light. Generally the variegated variety will do fine in full sun and the giant leafed one color plants do shade.