Lessons from a challenging year growing hostas.
Every hosta grower hopes for a smooth, predictable season. Strong spring growth, steady moisture levels, and perfect leaf development. But some years don't cooperate. Recent growing seasons have been a reminder that even experienced nurseries are at the mercy of the weather.
While a difficult growing season is frustrating, it also offers valuable lessons that make us better growers in the long run.
Challenging conditions reveal which varieties are genuinely robust. Some hostas cope better with temperature swings, excess moisture, or dry spells, while others need more protection.
A bad season helps us identify:
These insights directly influence what we grow and recommend to customers.
When the weather turns against you, good soil is your greatest asset. This season reinforced the importance of:
Strong roots are the foundation of healthy hostas, especially in unpredictable seasons.
Not every plant performs on schedule in a difficult year. A bad season teaches restraint:
Good nurseries grow plants, not force them.
A challenging year sharpens observation, improves decision making, and reinforces good horticultural practice. It reminds us that growing quality hostas is about long-term care, not short-term perfection.
When conditions improve, the plants and the grower are stronger for it.
At the end of the day, a bad growing season doesn't define a nursery, what you learn from it does.
