Re: in the sun
- Subject: Re: in the sun
- From: E*@aol.com
- Date: Wed, 11 Sep 2002 12:02:54 EDT
In a message dated 9/11/02 11:07:36 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
flowers@simplegiftsfarm.com writes:
> sunshine. ;-) Acres and acres of hosta and you-name-it - all rowed out and
> grown under irrigation. They do make great clumps - if not pretty ones -
> in a relatively short period of time.
I remember visiting a large wholesale nursery in Connecticut with fields of
hosta grown in full sun. It was a group trip, Sunny Borders I think, and the
owner said the plants increased to saleable size much quicker in those open
fields. They did not look green and lush, in fact looked rattty and dried
around the leaf edges but they were of good size.
Since I have discovered that a hosta, and there are gardeners who specialize
in this plant, will grow anywhere in my garden. They tend to look quite good
emerging in the spring and become ragged as summer comes on if not sited in
some shady corner. The thing is that they do not die or even become less
vigorous, just less attractive.
If you observe certain plants which are natives you see where the plant
naturally chooses to do well so I guess we think that is best for it in the
garden. Joe Pye Weed (eupatorium) is native all over my area and there is
lots of it growing in the roadside ditches. It clearly likes wet places, it
is not in the dry fields or woods. I have several large stands of it below a
natural pond where it grows high and healthy. The same plant will grow in
your garden and will do OK in a variety of sites but in a watery ditch in
full sun, this plant is seven feet tall and commands attention.
I think we want the plant to show it's best qualities so find a site it likes
though wholesale growing does tend to be quite different.
The day we were at Sunny Borders, it was nearly 100 degrees. Some of the
field plants had been cut down to the ground for second growth and some were
being split in midsummer. Those being shipped were in the shade in pots
looking much better.
I have had respect for the vigor of a Hosta for a long time. Also Hosta
seeds. If you do not get the seeds cut off before maturity, you have
seedlings all over the place. I live where the season is short and this
short season does not inhibit the growth of Hosta one bit.
A water line dug here by a backhoe displaced a whole bunch of old erromena
(Hosta) and used this soil to build up an area elsewhere. Several years
later, the built up area behind the barn sported Hostas through rock and
gravel. There may be some more delicate plants through extensive
hybridization but the older Hostas are the toughest plants we grow.
Claire Peplowski
NYS z4
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