Content
It is necessary to prepare the hosta for winter so that the perennial plant can safely withstand the cold and produce healthy stems in the spring. It is a cold-resistant perennial, but it also needs some care.
What to do with hostas in the fall for winter
The point of caring for a hosta in the fall is to prepare the plant for cold weather and maximize its endurance. For this purpose, from the beginning of autumn until the first snow, several procedures are performed:
- cut off the above-ground part of the perennial;
- water the plant;
- add organic and mineral fertilizers;
- carry out preventive treatment against pests and fungi;
- mulch the soil in close proximity to the roots;
- cover the plant with insulating material.
Some procedures are important; others are controversial.
It is quite easy to prepare the hosta for winter, since it is one of the cold-resistant
How to care for hostas in the fall
They start caring for hosta early in the fall, long before the cold weather. To conduct autumn preparations correctly, you need to carefully study each of the stages.
Trimming
There is no consensus in the gardening community as to whether hostas require drastic pruning in the fall. But usually the procedure is still carried out so that pests do not overwinter under the withered leaves.
The plant is pruned around the end of October, 3 weeks before frost. At the same time, all wilted leaves and stems are cut off flush with the ground. If for some reason you had to skip pruning, this is not a disaster; in this case, the dried parts of the plant can be removed in the spring.
Dry perennial stems can be trimmed, but this is not a necessary procedure.
Watering
Before the onset of winter, the host needs to be properly saturated with water and moisten the soil to about 50 cm deep. Watering will not only strengthen the endurance of the hosta, but also protect its roots from freezing, since heat is better retained in moist soil.
Watering should be carried out in September, during the period when the weather is quite warm and dry. In October, it is better to reduce watering, since natural precipitation already moistens the soil well. If the roots become waterlogged, rot may develop, which will be a bad result of pre-winter preparation.
In September, the plant needs to be well watered
Preventative treatments
Harmful insects and fungi pose a danger to garden hostas.Although pests and diseases attack the plant mainly in the spring, in the fall larvae and fungal spores spend the winter in the soil and in the remains of plant debris.
Preventive spraying of perennials is carried out in October. To combat insects and fungi, gentle agents are used - Bordeaux mixture, copper sulfate, soap or onion homemade solutions. It is better not to spray the plant with strong chemicals in the fall, as this may weaken it before winter.
Before wintering, the area with hosts needs to be sprayed against pests.
An important part of preventive treatment against diseases is cleaning the area. In the fall, it is necessary to collect all plant debris in the flowerbed with hosts - fallen leaves, old stems and flowers, small twigs. The garbage is taken to the far corner of the garden and burned. The soil around the hosta in the fall should remain completely clean, this reduces the likelihood that fungi and pest larvae can overwinter in it.
Top dressing
Before the onset of winter, perennial hostas need to be fed with fertilizers. The timing of the procedure depends on the region. In the middle zone, southern regions and Moscow region, fertilizing is carried out in September. In Siberia and the Urals, it is better to add minerals at the end of August, since cold weather sets in early here.
The most important fertilizers for plants in the fall are potassium and phosphorus. They strengthen the root system, increase endurance, and make the perennial more resistant to cold weather. You can use potassium sulfate or superphosphate, as well as complex mixtures designed specifically for autumn feeding.
You can also add wood ash or bone meal as a top dressing for the hosta; these fertilizers contain calcium, phosphorus and potassium.The powders are simply scattered in a circle near the trunk. Ash and bone meal are especially beneficial for hostas growing in acidic soil, as they make the soil more neutral.
The most important rule for feeding perennials in the fall is that nitrogen cannot be added to the soil. Fertilizers containing this substance promote the growth of green mass and are used only in the spring. In the fall, nitrogenous fertilizers will force the hosta to begin vegetative processes again, and as a result, the plant will not be ready for cold weather.
Nitrogen is contained not only in appropriate mineral fertilizers, but also in some organic fertilizers. In autumn, perennials cannot be treated with manure and chicken droppings.
In August or September, the perennial is fed with potassium and phosphorus.
If fertilizing is carried out in August or early September, then mineral granules can be scattered on the ground around the hosta. When fertilizing in September, it is better to apply fertilizers along with watering, then the plant will have time to absorb the nutrients before the onset of cold weather.
Mulching
Mulching the tree trunk circle is a very important stage in preparing the hosta for winter. Although the hosta overwinters calmly in open ground and belongs to the category of frost-resistant plants, the roots can still be damaged if the soil freezes strongly. Properly carried out mulching protects the root system of the hosta and creates insulation.
You can use grass clippings, peat, bark or compost as mulch. The selected material is poured in a dense layer around the plant; the thickness of the layer should be at least 10 cm. The procedure is usually carried out at the end of October, shortly before the first frost.
You can mulch the plant not only with peat and compost, but also with bark
How to prepare hostas for winter
With the arrival of November, the last stage of preparation begins before wintering the hosta in the open ground. The plant must be protected from the cold with insulating material.
How to cover a hosta for the winter
The perennial usually does not require careful winter covering. Basically, the procedure comes down to mulching the root zone; freezing of the soil near the roots is especially dangerous for the plant. As a rule, arranging mulch 10 cm thick is quite enough for a safe winter.
You can also use your own hosta leaves as mulch.
If the winter is expected to be particularly cold and with little snow, it makes sense to additionally cover the hosta for the winter. Spruce branches are usually used as insulation material; spruce branches are simply thrown onto the flowerbed with hosta on top of the mulch layer.
How to prepare a hosta for wintering in the regions
Autumn procedures for preparing hosta for winter depend on the region where the perennial grows. In the south, in the middle zone and in the Siberian regions, caring for hosta in the fall has certain differences.
In the Moscow region and central zone
Winters in the middle zone create quite harsh conditions for the hosta. On the one hand, winter temperatures rarely drop below 30-35 °C. But at the same time, the Moscow region is characterized by sharp temperature changes - a thaw period can be replaced by severe frosts.
In the Moscow region, it is better to trim perennials and mulch them properly
Climatically, winter in the middle zone usually begins at the end of November or beginning of December.Therefore, hostas are prepared for winter in the Moscow region within an average time frame. Watering and fertilizing are carried out in September.
In the Moscow region and the middle zone, hostas should be covered for the winter in mid-October with a thick layer of mulch. If the winter is expected to be harsh, you can also throw spruce branches on top.
In Siberia and the Urals
The weather conditions of Siberia and the Urals differ from the middle zone in greater severity. Winter temperatures here drop down to -45 °C, so the host needs to be covered for the winter, and not just mulched with peat or compost.
In Siberia, the hosta should be additionally covered with spruce branches for the winter.
Winter in Siberia and the Urals comes quite early. The first frosts can come as early as late September or early October. Therefore, procedures such as pruning, watering and fertilizing are usually carried out in August, in which case the host will have time to receive nutrients before the onset of cold weather. It is best to prepare the hosta for winter in the Urals, namely, by covering and mulching the perennial, in mid-September.
In the southern regions of Russia
The southern regions provide the best conditions for growing hosta - caring for the perennial in the fall is very easy here. Preparatory work, such as watering, fertilizing and cutting, can be carried out here until mid-October; the climate allows you not to rush into deadlines.
In the south of Russia, mulching will be sufficient for trimmed hosta
In the Krasnodar Territory, the hosta can hardly be covered for the winter; even mulching the root zone is more of a safety measure.
In the Volga region
The climatic conditions of the Volga region are somewhere between the south of Russia and the middle zone. Therefore, care is similar to preparing the hosta for winter in the Moscow region.In winter, it is better to cover the perennial with spruce branches on top of mulch, since frosts can be quite severe.
In the Volga region, it is better to cover the plant more thoroughly for the winter
Preparatory procedures in the fall are carried out in the middle period, from September to the end of October. It is important to complete all basic hosta care work several weeks before the onset of frost.
In the Leningrad region
The northwestern part of Russia and the Leningrad region are characterized by fairly mild and warm winters. Usually, during the winter, the hosta needs an insulating layer of mulch to protect the roots from frost.
In the north-west it is worth mulching the plant with fallen leaves or peat in mid-autumn
Advice from professionals
To ensure that the hosta overwinters safely and the plant begins to grow rapidly in the spring, you should adhere to several recommendations:
- One of the main mistakes gardeners make is neglecting autumn watering. Although the perennial goes dormant in the fall, it still needs moisture. In overdried soil, the roots of the plant are not protected from frost and may freeze. Therefore, by mid-autumn you need to saturate the ground with water by at least half a meter.
- Late transplant. Bushes moved to a new site in mid-autumn do not survive winter well; their protective functions weaken. The hosta should be replanted no later than August or early September.
- Greenhouse conditions. It is recommended to cover the perennial for the winter only with mulch and spruce branches; it is also allowed to cover the flower beds with bark or a thick layer of fallen leaves.But you cannot cover the hosta with film, because it creates a greenhouse effect, and the plant begins to rot from the roots.
Before wintering, the plant cannot be replanted - it needs rest
In autumn, complex minerals containing nitrogen cannot be added to the soil under the hosta roots, as this will disrupt the life cycle of the plant.
Conclusion
Preparing the hosta for winter is not difficult; you only need to perform a few procedures. The perennial is one of the cold-resistant plants, therefore, with basic care, it tolerates winter well.
