When it comes to getting your hostas and their leaves to stay strong, bright and vibrant all summer long, fertilizing your plants at just the right time throughout the growing season can play a major factor – and as you will see below, it all starts in early spring!
Hostas are one of the most commonly planted perennials in the landscape. With their ability to grow and flourish without the need or want of full sun, they are a popular choice for filling flowerbeds with color and interest in the shadier portions of the landscape.
It truly is hard to beat the gorgeous beauty of the massive leaves of a hosta plant. But for all too many gardeners, the hardest thing about growing hostas is finding a way to keep their leaves from withering away in the middle of summer.
Why Hostas Often Fail In Mid Summer
Unfortunately, hosta plants are notorious for fading in the summer. And fast! Although they can be easy prey for insects and hungry deer, a large majority of the time, they lose their luster because they simply run out of energy.
When they do, they not only start to look less than ideal – they also become an even easier target for pests and disease to strike.
One of the best ways to solve this issue is to simply provide your hostas with a gentile but steady supply of the power they need. Not just in the early spring, but through the summer too. The best part of all? It couldn’t be more easy to do with basic fertilizers.
Fertilizing Hostas – How To Get Hostas To Stay Healthy & Strong
Giving Hostas The Nutrients They Need – When They Need It
Unlike heavy flowering annuals, hostas do not require massive amounts of energy. But there are a few critical times when giving them a steady, low, slow dose of power can really help to boost their performance.
The first is in early spring when they begin to sprout through the soil, while the second is in mid summer – right after they bloom. At both of these points, hostas need and use quite a bit of energy. For these feedings, a simple granular all purpose fertilizer is the answer.
But hostas can also benefit greatly from a few light feedings in addition to the early spring and post-blooming times. For these “extra” feedings, it’s all about using liquid fertilizer. This gives them an instant jolt of energy that is specifically designed to keep their foliage bright and full!
Here is a look at just how and when to power up your hostas for each specific time – and the best fertilizers to use to do it!
Fertilizing Hostas In The Spring
One of the most crucial times of all to give your hostas a dose of nutrients is in early spring, right before – or just as hosta plants begin to leaf out.
As a hosta comes out of dormancy, it uses energy to put forth its new foliage. Energy that has been stored in its root system since last fall. But by feeding your plants early, it not only helps power bright, early foliage, it also helps to replenish the power in the roots of the plant. Energy it needs to stay healthy and strong through the summer months.
For spring fertilizing, it’s best to use a basic, all-purpose granular fertilizer. This type of fertilizer not only feeds slowly but also gives the perennial a good base of the three main ingredients it needs most – nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. Affiliate Link: Dr. Earth 1 lb. 5-5-5 All Purpose Fertilizer
Before applying the granules around the plant, always be sure to remove any decaying foliage from last year. Once cleared, simply sprinkle the granules around the base of the plant. For an average size hosta, 1/8th to 1/4 of a cup of granules is ideal.
Fertilizing Hostas After They Bloom
Hostas usually bloom in mid to late summer shooting up a long wispy stem with multiple flowers. It’s not the showiest of perennial plant blooms, but pollinators and hummingbirds love them.
If you prefer the gorgeous foliage over the blooms, you can actually snip the bloom stems off when they first appear. This will conserve power to the plant’s leaves and not expend it on flowering. However, by simply fertilizing after they bloom – you can enjoy both the flowers – and replenish the nutrients it needs for strong foliage the rest of the season.
Once the blooms start to fade, begin by cutting the bloom stems back below the canopy of foliage. This will stop the plant from using valuable resources trying to “heal” them. Unfortunately, as long as the old flowers or stems remain, the plant will continue to burn energy on them.
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Next, just as in the spring, sprinkle 1/4 to 1/8th cup of fertilizer around the base of each plant. Since the foliage will be up this time, spread the leaves apart to get the granules down to the soil near the base. Be sure not to leave any granules on the leaves as it can burn them quite easily.
It’s a great idea at this point to water your plants. This will also help wash off any fertilizer that may have landed on the foliage. But in addition, it will help to start allowing the granules to work their way into the soil and to the plant’s roots.
Fertilizing Hostas With Liquid Fertilizer
Beyond spring and post blooming fertilizing, you can also help keep your hosta plants foliage strong with light doses of liquid fertilizer. Liquid fertilizers feed in two separate ways – both through the roots – and through the foliage. And the foliage feeding is key for keeping leaves healthy and vibrant.
For this dose, use a liquid fertilizer that has a light but near equal balance of nutrients. One with a slightly higher first number (nitrogen) will help with stronger leaf growth. Affiliate link: Fox Farm Liquid Concentrate Fertilizer NPK 6-4-4
A light dose of liquid fertilizer every month can do wonders to keep the foliage of hostas bright and colorful. But the key is to not overpower the plant. Instead, dilute the liquid fertilizer to one-half or even one-third of the recommended dose.
As a light feeder, this is all your hosta plants will need to stay strong and healthy. And if your plants happen to fall victim to pests or an untimely deer attack, simply cut back the foliage to the ground. This will let the hosta quickly grow new leaves and a bright look for the rest of the year.
Here is to fertilizing your hostas to keep them beautiful all summer long this year! Happy Gardening – Jim and Mary.
Old Word Garden
Jim and Mary Competti have been writing gardening, DIY and recipe articles and books for over 15 years from their 46 acre Ohio farm. The two are frequent speakers on all things gardening and love to travel in their spare time.
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