Something is eating my Hosta!  Usually those words would bring a smile to my face because I am not a big Hosta fan.  I have been known to dig up Hosta, drive the car over them, hack them down,  even spray them with “Round Up” but, much to my surprise, they always return the following season!  Really!......But now, this spring, I finally discovered that there may be a useful purpose, or at least some redeeming value to Hosta. 

I had a plan for my yard that included some sort of a dividing line between the formal grass lawn area and the beginning of my adjacent composting / woodland area.  I was not entirely sure what I would use to create this demarcation line, but when my sister told me that she was dividing up some of her Hosta plants and offered 12 to 14 potted Hosta, I jumped at the opportunity mainly because the price was right and the work was done.  She even delivered the 14 requested plants to my driveway all the way from Prides Crossing, MA the next weekend. 

The speed with which she deposited the plants in my driveway belied her efforts to get rid of these plants which  had multiplied like rabbits in her back yard and she was just tired of them and wanted something new and different.  So, now I had all of these Hosta waiting to become part of my Grand Plan. 

But then it got “buggy”.  Then it got “rainey”.  Then it got “cold”.  Then I got “lazy” and so they sat for awhile.  Then one day everything was ‘Just right” and I began to mark my demarcation line, got out the shovel,  got out the rake and the wheel barrow and started digging.  Well, I didn’t get too far.  The ground was full of woodland tree roots, rocks and hard soil.  

So my “solution” has turned into my Horticultural Tip for July.    I went to my local Farm Store and purchased 14 bags of “Moo Dirt” for $3.99  a bag.  When I got home, I dropped all 14 bags of dirt along my demarcation line.  I then split each bag and dumped the soil out on top of the ground approximately 3 – 4 feet apart.  

I then placed one Hosta plant in the middle of the new top soil and mounded it up around the plant and watered them all in nicely.  Time to plant 14 Hosta using my method: 45 minutes. Time to plant the Old Method: (digging holes), DAYS!!  

So, now I must say that I really like how this line of Hosta look, and I know that they will surely survive in their new home of yummy Moo Dirt, shade and of course the thing they like best…Neglect.  Over all I spent about $40 for the 14 bags of dirt.  No heavy work was required which left the rest if the afternoon free to go play Pickleball!

One final footnote:  I have gone from a Hosta Avenger, to a Hosta Defender.  Because my nice row of Hosta plants is now being nibbled on by some furry creature with a fluffy tail, either Bambi or Peter Rabbit, not sure.  Beware you guys, don’t mess with a reformed Hosta-holic, and stay away from my tomatoes too.

Cheers,
Deb (July 2018 Horticultural Newsletter)