Please be aware that some varieties will now be cut back before delivery.

To Do List, Part 2 - April to June

Part 2 of a series of articles which will give you a month by month guide on caring for your hostas. This will include tips for you to use at home and an insight into the growing methods we use at the nursery.

In the second instalment we look at everything that you need to do with your hostas between April and June. This is the time that hostas are looking their best and when all the little jobs you've been doing between January and March start to show results.

April

April will be when your hostas will start to come into leaf, you may have some that are a little late and haven't started to appear yet, but don't worry just yet. Here are some things to bear in mind in April.

As your plants start to come into leaf, keep a close eye on the overnight forecast. Although April can be fairly warm in the day the chances of on overnight frost are still there. Hostas in leaf should be fleeced to avoid damage to fresh leaves.
Continue applying your Garlic Wash, this is vital at this stage to protect emerging foliage.
Apply Vine Weevil larvae nematodes if you had any Vine Weevil damage the previous year. It is advisable to do this in addition to an Autumn application.

May

Easily the month that hostas are looking at their best. Providing you're up to date with you 'To Do List', we would recommend just simply enjoying them for this month. Don't make them a chore, just enjoy them at their best! Here are a couple of things you may still need to do.

Continue applying Garlic Wash, once a week.
You may need to start watering if the temperature starts to rise. In recent years we've had days in May when the temperature hasn't gone above 20 degrees C but we have also had others where it has gone over 25 degrees C.

June

Your hostas should still be looking fantastic at this time of year and you should be able to continue enjoying them in their prime. If they're not, they may not be in suitable positions and you may want to make a note to move these plants in the late Summer/early Autumn or right away if in pots.

Some of your hostas may come into flower towards the end of the month. If you're not keen on the flowers, we would recommend removing them straight away to allow your plants to put their energy into their roots and foliage.
Regular watering will now be necessary for lush, healthy plants. This is especially true for hostas grown in pots as they're not able to hold as much moisture.

Checkout part 3 of the To Do List - July to September.