Heigh-Ho! Hostas! ABC Wednesday post

I was once told the Hosta is related to the plantain weed found in the lawn.  Because they both have large leaves, I thought it was plausible.  However, there's a distinction between the two types of plants:  "Click" these words for information from Wikipedia on plantain.  Doing a google search will net much more information...  we can eat it!  :-)

Okay.  Back to Hosta!  They are often called Plantain Lily; more often in Great Britain than here in the United States .  (Comments from my UK friends?)

While opinions differ as to the best time to plant, it seems the easiest to divide older plants in the early Spring, just as the plant begins to show itself.  One must make sure to have a root system within each division.  I very often plant hosta in early Fall (now!), as there is still time for the root system to establish itself before the weather turns cold.

Did you know that some people believe the hosta is the number one selling plant in the country?

 Hosta best enjoy being planted in locations with "deep shade"areas with up to 4 hours of sunlight, but seem to prefer mostly dappled sunlight.  Overall, avoid planting in late afternoon direct sunlight.   If your hosta receives late afternoon sun but you notice the leaves turning dry and brown, they are probably experiencing sunscald.  It generally won't kill them, but it does nothing for their appearance!      (The photo below was taken from the University of Minnesota Extension.)

For sunnier sites, plants in the Hosta plantaginea group will fare better, and actually develop more of the fragrant flowers they are known for; ‘August Moon’, ‘Sum and Substance’, ‘Honeybells’ are in this category. Hosta breeders continue to develop new varieties with greater sun tolerance; ‘Sundance’ and ‘Sun Glow’ fit into this category. At the same time these hostas will still tolerate shade, giving gardeners greater flexibility in site location.

The hosta plants below range from mini to small.

Hostas prefer rich, moist soil that is high in organic matter, yet well drained.  Adding organic materials such as peat, composted manure, or leaves will help improve soil structure and tilth. That said, hostas are generally adaptable and survive in a wide range of soils, adding to their ease of growing and popularity.  Mulching with shredded leaves might invite the slug - a pest that enjoys chomping on hosta leaves!

Hostas require an adequate supply of water to thrive. Hosta leaves have a large surface area and, due to transpiration, lose water easily.  If you find yourself needing to water,  be consistent with even moisture equaling an inch or so of water per week. Deeper watering done with less frequency is better than frequent shallow applications that do not penetrate the root zone.

Hostas planted in dry shade will need attentive watering; rain does not always reach under eaves of buildings or through tree canopies in sufficient amounts. Planting hostas beneath shallow-rooted trees, such as maples or spruce will require extra watering to both establish and maintain the health of the plant.

You will find hostas that thrive in growing zones 2 through 9.  My zone has changed in the past few years from 4 to 5 - a little more "balmy!"  ;-)

I'm a Hosta Lover, especially because I have a lot of shade in my backyard.  However, hosta enjoy the company of other plants, too!

The next few photos show some of the new varieties I've planted in these last couple of weeks!  :-)

Hale and Hearty!
Happy Hosta Lover!
SG

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ABC Wednesday - G is for "Gentle Giant"

Can't get more "Gentle" than something this cute and inanimate on a street corner!  :-)

 

Suppose he was looking for a hand-out?

I was Grinning from ear-to-ear as I Greeted him!  :-)

 He's on "North Federal" Avenue, Mason City, Iowa.

Guess you'll have to click on the ABC Wednesday logo to see more "G" posts!

Enjoy!

SG

ABC Wednesday - a Fungus Amungst Us!!

"For Heaven's Sakes!  What in the world??  And what are you doing hanging around my hosta??"

(I'm sure those were my exact words about two weeks ago when I discovered some thick, white, globby stuff growing around on the mulch, all around a hosta's stems...)

I also didn't know what it was, until today.  At lunch with three friends, one of them pulled out her iphone and showed me a picture.  "Know what this is?" she asked.

"No, I don't.  But it was in a flower garden a couple of weeks ago."

"It's Dog Vomit Fungus. (Ugh!)  My daughter found it and looked it up.  It usually starts out yellow, and as it turns white, it gets thick," she said.

"It does!  I was afraid it would hurt my hosta, so I scraped it all up.  It was thick, and gummy, and hard to get out!" I replied.

Here is an excellent link to a site with description and photos.

I didn't take a photo at the time, but I've just now hopped outdoors with my camera.  Forgive these dark, blurry shots... it's getting dark outdoors!  This photo is just part of what I scraped away from my hosta a couple of weeks ago..

Speaking of fungus, look at what I found in the backyard a couple of days ago!!  In doing a little on-line "search and re-search,"  I found what I believe to be Omphalotus commonly known as the Jack O' Lantern mushroom.  According to my reading, these are deadly poisonous, causing difficulty in breathing, a drop in blood pressure, irregular heartbeat and respiratory failure.  They also exhibit bioluminescence by glowing in the dark.

This is "hearsay" only, because by the time I discovered these facts, the fungi were already a few days old and looked more like this

I noticed another type of fungus outdoors this morning.  I've seen these before, but not for a couple of years.  These are Mutinus caninus stinkhorns.  They are odorous (stinky) but loved by flies and other insects!  This is a link that will show you what they look like after they "sprout."

And this is what they looked like a few hours ago. 

Frankly Friends,
these are most of the Fungus that I've noticed Amungst us!  :-)

SG

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ABC Wednesday - E "The Entertainer"

When I think of "The Entertainer," I think of Scott Joplin. What a musical genius!  Click on the photo below to listen to a Youtube recording.  :-)

A true Garden Entertainer is Lycoris squamigera (resurrection lily).  This plant is in the amaryllis family.  Often called Surprise Lily or Naked Lady, the early spring foliage appears alongside that of daffodils.

Where daffodil leaves have a more pointed tip, Resurrection lily leaves have a rounded tip.  The other, most significant difference in these plants deals with their blossoms.  Daffodils bloom in early spring, whereas Surprise Lilies are blooming right now.  They began growing here a week or so ago.  Pretty much the first of August.

Called Naked Ladies by many people, there is no sign of foliage when these plants bloom.  A stem with a flower bud suddenly begins to show through the soil, growing taller every day.  At about 2 feet tall, the flowers begin to appear!

Enjoy the "Garden Entertainer!"  :-)

An Exceptionally beautiful flower!  :-)
Thank you for your visit today.
SG

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ABC Wednesday - D is for Destination Hosta Farm!

Three friends and I were Determined to make garden forays to a couple of "garden centers" in extreme SE Iowa.  They area both located on Highway 2, west of Fort Madison a ways.

Hobbs Hilltop Gardens is owned and operated by Gerald Hobbs.  Gerald has been a daylily hybridizer for many years.  This link will take you to a list of his nursery stock.  Here are a couple of photos taken on Monday's trip.

 These little tree toads were Decidedly Doubtful about their territory being invaded!  :-)

Credit as to the owner of this photo, etc. is in the photo below.

I came home with Volcano (spider daylily) from Hobbs Hilltop Gardens.

Today's foray found us exploring hosta heaven at Hillcrest Hostas, a couple of miles west of Hobbs  Hilltop Gardens on U.S. Highway 2, on the south side of the highway.  This is a link to their website.  Make sure you click on each of the tabs for more photos!

 ***

 They also have a few daylily beds, but are not yet selling them.  They do not wish to compete with Mr. Hobbs.  However, this is another photo of a Dainty tree frog hiding in a Daylily!

I believe he Definitely resented the interruption of his afternoon nap!  :-)

Okay!  Do you want to see photos of the hostas I brought home today?  Here you go!

Names, not in any particular order, are:  'Autumn Frost', 'Grant Park', 'Happiness', 'Korean Snow', and 'Choo Choo Train.'

  Happiness Is . . .  

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Decidedly Happy!  :-)

SG

ABC Wednesday - The word is C for Curious!

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Curious, indeed!

 I had earlier thought it curious . . . once the phlox began to bloom.

Even though, last fall, I had dug out a particular clump or two of

phlox that mildewed badly over the previous three years,

there seemed to be Many More plants, and groups of plants, than I'd remembered there being . . .

Curious, indeed!

We will begin by taking a look at the number of  "clumps" of phlox we see in these front beds.  Yes, we can see some across the yard... but for now, look at these closeups!

Now, let's look over the following photos.  What do you notice?

Here, in a shady bed that was once dominated by David (white) phlox, we see something that has been transpiring over the past three years . . .

 

And this is in the Shady "Raised Bed" area, not far away, where lavender David seems to be enlarging his territory . . .  thanks to the pollinators?

 A CURIOSITY?

P.S.  I'm trying to keep these two phlox "out of the mainstream!"  (Both given me by my Aunt MEA)

 'Laura'

 and "Mattie"

Enjoy a Day of Curiosity!
:-)  Shady Gardener