N E W S L E T T E R N ORTH C OAST H OSTA S OCIETY. President s Message. Spring 2016

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1 N E W S L E T T E R Spring 2016 President s Message N ORTH C OAST H OSTA S OCIETY Hello hosta lovers! Almost time for our favorite perennial to start unfurling themselves. I hope they wait until the danger of frost has passed. It could be tricky this year. Don't forget to replant any hosta that has heaved it's tender crown out of the ground or it will dry out and die. Those of you who tried your hand at hybridizing this year are seeing the results of your labor right about now. Send pictures to either Cindy Hughes or Dave Bowe to put on our website or Facebook page so the rest of us can enjoy them. I will be starting some vegetable seeds soon. It's nice to do something garden related again! But nothing beats actually being outside, close to nature. Cleveland Metroparks has a program you can join called Tour of Wildflowers. You sign up and they send you a list of flowers to search for, take a picture of and then verify it with a metroparks naturalist. There is a party at the end of the tour, you turn in your completed list and a t-shirt. They will print their Tour of Wildflowers logo on it for you. I've enjoyed this for a couple years now. The pictures in the newsletter are of skunk cabbage and colts foot (yellow flower) which are about the only thing blooming this time of year. You get a bonus picture of my Border Collie, Taffy! At the last meeting we took a show of hands to get an idea how many members are going to Hosta College and it seems there will be a good turnout from our group. I'm sure they will enjoy the weekend and learn a lot about Hosta and other plants. This year we will enjoy two trips to Emerald Forest Nursery. Tom Rabung will host our picnic after the garden tours, and will also host a craft day to make hypertufa troughs. Tom gave a very informative talk at the February meeting, and never asks anything in return, so my request to you this gardening season is to tell EVERYONE you know, all about his nursery and how very generous he is to our club and that they should go check out his healthy plants and that "NCHS sent you". Hope to see you at our next meeting April 16 at the Parma library on Powers Blvd. across from Parma Hospital. Enjoy finger foods and hosta friends! Barb Rauckhorst, President Vice President, Mike Kovach, advises our guest speaker will be Theresa DeVries. Theresa has been the artist/owner of Stone Soul Garden for over four years with a studio in Berea, Ohio. Her topic is Hypertufa Vessels (not just for Summer). She specializes in hypertufa vessels and she will demonstrate/talk about how to make the vessels and how they can be used all year round instead of just in summer. She will have examples of her work on display and for sale. Her talk should be a great lead in to our summer activity at Emerald Forest Nursery.

2 Hostas are more than just interesting leaves Have you looked closely at the scapes, lately? by Jim Wilkins, reprinted from the Mid-South Hosta Society newsletter (and others in the Hosta Network) With each passing season I notice more and more the differences among hostas. Part of that skill has been acquired by looking at more than just the leaf. Don t misunderstand me: The most dramatic and significant impact of hostas comes from the leaves. However, by emphasizing the foliage, we may miss the subtle beauty and some fun. As a hosta society we honor the leaves. If one of our hybridizers were to create a hosta with a yellow or red flower, all of us would likely want such a plant. But if its leaf was not unique, it would not win an award in the seedling class at the cut-leaf show. Consider the scape Consider the flower scapes. Some are rigid and some arch. Some have orderly ridges. Some are very tall compared to the plant s height. Others may be so short as to have all or part of the blooming under the plant s foliage. Some plants have several flower scapes per division. The color of the flower scape often mirrors the color of the central part of the leaf and petiole. The hosta bloom Some hosta leaves have a waxy coat called bloom, which is what makes blue leaves blue and which, after time, may melt off and create dark green leaves. Have you noticed that flower scapes and even seed pods also have a bloom? The bloom on a scape persists long after the bloom on the leaf is gone. Flower scapes can also have red pigment. This can vary from a light stippling to an intense uniform color such as seen on H. Sparkling Burgundy. In some cases the purple color extends to the seed pods. This is the case with H. Purple Passion, making it a very striking plant when the seed pods are left on the scape. Several of my seedlings from H. Kikutii var. caput-avis have purple flower scapes. One of them has a very unusual modification: development of the purple appears to be photo (light) dependent. The portion of the scape below the foliage is green and that above the foliage is purple. Some flower scapes have leaves arising from them. These vestigial leaves or scape foliations can be very striking. They often mimic leaves that arise from the crown. Herb Benedict has commented that they are often seen in young, vigorous plants, and become insignificant in established clumps. Splashed vestigial leaves can be a useful guide as to which flowers are apt to produce variegated progeny. We regularly talk about flower color, shape, size and fragrance. Other flower attributes might distinguish one hosta from another. Do most of the flowers arise from one side of the scape or are they regularly distributed around the scape? Do spent flowers readily drop off the scape or are they retained until they shrivel and dessicate? Are the flowers closed? This can be very beautiful because the flowers are not pollinated and seem to be retained longer before dropping off. Orientation of the individual flowers has great influence on the beauty of the bloom. Some flowers droop with their open end down, while others face straight out or even face up, making a more dramatic presentation. Remove the scape? Miss most of the interest! Some hosta growers remove their flower scapes just after they emerge, and miss most of the interest. Many hostaphiles remove their flower scapes as the last few flowers are spent. This, it is felt, puts more energy into the plant and promotes more rapid growth. It is also good to remove the scape unless you want to grow the seeds, before the seed pods ripen and the seeds are spread all over the garden. It can be difficult discriminating between a volunteer seedling and one of your prized hostas. By cutting flower scapes early, you will miss some beauty and interest in the seed pods. Some are a lovely dark purple, some are striped, some are gold, some are large, and some might have a waxy coat or bloom. Dr. Wilkins (a dermatologist) from Jackson, Michigan, is a past president of AHS ( ), a past international registrar for the genus hosta, and recipient of the Alex J. Summers Distinguished Merit Award in Among the cultivars he introduced are Curtain Call, Fort Knox, Leading Lady, Spartan Glory. Ultraviolet Light and Wolverine. Colts Foot Photo by Barb Rauckhorst Collie a bonus! 2

3 We are never too old or experienced to have a primer on what-to-do in the Spring. Tom Rabung gave us some good ideas and reminders at the last meeting. Here is more from Bob Solberg s, Hosta Gardening Calendar republished by several hosta societies over the years. Spring/Foliage Emergence begins: March-April-early May As the ground warms under spring s ever increasing light intensities, the dormant buds of the hostas begin to swell and break through the mulch, looking like bullets coming out of the ground. The small bud scales that protect the true leaves open and recurve allowing a cigar-shaped flush of usually three to four leaves to emerge well above the ground. Soil temperature and moisture seem to affect the timing of the emergence of hostas the most. In very dry winters the emergence of hostas will be delayed unless the garden is irrigated. As the new hosta leaves expand, ample water is also needed for them to gain maximum size. Labeling: Check for lost labels and replace as needed. Light: Full sun, moderate intensity. Usually no shading is necessary. Nutrients: Apply slow release fertilizer (e.g. Osmocote, Nutricote, organic fertilizers) or granular fertilizer around clumps as the hostas emerge. If you only use a liquid fertilizer, then apply weekly beginning as the first leaves start to unfurl. Pests: Begin slug control before hosta leaves emerge. The slugs will be active on warm nights before the hostas will. Try to limit their populations before they hide in the hosta foliage. If early attacks by deer are a problem, spray a repellent. Little is needed at this time but it may need to be repeated every 10 days as the hostas enlarge. Stay on vole patrol. Protection: Finish your spring clean-up of fallen branches, old hosta foliage and scapes. This is your last chance to mulch. Pull mulch away from emerging hosta shoots to reduce the risk of petiole rot, especially if hardwood bark is used as mulch. Protect from late freezes with frost cloth, nursery pots, boxes, lightweight bed sheets or newspaper. Hostas with unfurled leaves can be protected by covering with mulch. Propagation: Hostas may be divided in half or quarters as they begin to emerge. Be prepared to provide them with extra water and care as they will have oversized leaves for their recently reduced root system. New roots will not begin forming until the first set of new leaves are almost fully expanded, several weeks after division. Save drastic division for late summer. Water: Keep the soil evenly moist. Fresh hostas are mostly water; make sure plenty is available as they expand. Beautiful spring days with bright light, low humidity and brisk winds dehydrate new hosta leaves quickly; do not be afraid to irrigate generously. Fun! This is the best hosta season of the year! Go out several times a day and watch your hostas spring from the earth. You can almost see them grow! Count the number of new shoots and calculate how much your hosta investment has increased. A one division hosta purchased for $25 last fall, with its three new shoots, has now tripled in value to $75. Drag you neighbors over to see your hostas do their magic act. This is the time of year when everything is right in the hosta world. Go to a local hosta meeting. Skunk Cabbage, harbinger of spring. Photo By Barb Rauckhorst 3

4 As we start to get the fever to shop catalogues and nurseries and fall in love with what we don t have even though we promise we are NOT buying another hosta!, here is an article from the Central Illinois Hosta Society Great Expectations, March with comments from members who rated various cultivars in an poll. Based on personal experience, which host cultivars would you NOT recommend and why? The survey yielded a variety of responses, ranging from cultivars to avoid to caveats about other cultivars. The following is a summary of those responses. In the category of cultivars to avoid, white-centered cultivars with thin substance (such as White Christmas, Moon Struck, and Calypso ) were named because the white leaf centers tend to melt out by mid-summer. Other white-centered hostas that have greater substance (and are less prone to melting out) tend to be poor growers due to the large portion of the leaf that has no chlorophyll. Named in this survey were Fire and Ice, Sea Thunder, Banana Boat, Color Parade, Eskimo Pie, Fantasy Island, and White Feather. In short, hostas with a large percentage of white in the leaf will, at best, be slow growers, and at worst, melt out if they have thin substance. Thin substance poses problems even with hostas that do not have white leaves. Some, like Wide Brim and the Tiara series, are particularly attractive to slugs. Others, like Brim Cup and Queen Josephine, develop tattered leaf edges by late summer. Slug bait can help control slugs, but little can be done to prevent tattered leaf edges. Many mini hostas (such as Pandora s Box, Cat s Eyes, Cherish, Hope, Country Mouse, and Uzono- Mai ) can be problems due to their shallow root systems. They are prone to frost heave if not mulched in winter. They can also be difficult to grow successfully in the garden because their shallow root systems make it more likely that they will dry out between waterings. Better results can be achieved if they are grown in pots or trough gardens that are filled with very well-draining soil, and are located where they will get watered daily. There are also some not-so-mini hostas (such as Tattoo and Flame Stitch ) that can often be problematic in the garden, but successfully grown in pots and trough gardens in the same way. Though a long time favorite, Francis Williams has a tendency to burn, that is develop brown spots in the gold portion of the leaves. The cause is unknown, but this characteristic is more prevalent in some years that others and is also present in some related hostas (such as Color Glory and Carnival ). Olive Bailey Langdon is a look-alike for Francis Williams that is less likely to exhibit the burning. There are hostas that are naturally slow to mature. Most notable is Sagae, which can take five years to exhibit the form that made it the AHS 2010 Benedict medal winner. In the same category are Patriot, Minuteman, Thunderbolt, Ice Age Trail, Stitch in Time and Remember Me. These are garden worth hostas that simply require patience from the gardener. There are some hostas, however, (such as Great Expectations and Blue Moon ) where patience may not lead to success. While some gardeners are able to grow excellent specimens of these plants, others (no matter how patient they are) are not successful. Some hostas (such as ventricosa Aureomaculata and Photo Finish ) are viridescent, which means that they emerge variegated in the spring, but then turn green as the season progresses. So long as the gardener realizes that this will occur, there is no reason not include viridescent cultivars in their garden. Finally, a gardener s personal preference should be the guiding force in deciding whether hostas with unusual leaf or flowering characteristics should be included in the garden. Some examples are Praying Hands (upright twisted leaves), Lunar Eclipse (cupped drawstring leaf effect) and Allegan Fong and Gunther s Prize (grass clipping leaf variegation). The spectacular double flowers of Aphrodite enchant many hosta gardeners with their size and fragrance, but in zone 5a, flowering is achieved in only about one year out of three (if conditions are favorable). 4

5 GARDEN GOSSIP: BY CINDY HUGHES How about ID ing these spring visitors to my yard? CINDY Club Co-Op Supplies More skunk Cabbage by Barb As in previous years we are again offering our members Co-Op items. We have the following items available: Liquid Fence Fertilizer Plant Markers Slug Bait Garden Gloves in small, medium and large Handbook on Troughs Cookbooks For current prices please consult the web site. Please call Carl Schmid at to preorder these items to be brought to the next meeting. No individual deliveries. Membership in NCHS gives the following benefits: No. 1 Members Only prices on Club special purchase hosta Great prices on our Hoop House plants. Member prices on slug bait, fertilizer, deer repellant, etc. Preferential registration and reduced registration fee for Hosta College The club provides meat and beverages at all of our Potluck picnics and meetings. The opportunity to learn and share information about hosta culture. Developing friendships with other people who love hostas. And Much, much more! No North Coast Hosta Society Membership Family Membership $10.00 for one year - Calendar year Jan1 - Dec 31 NAME STREET CITY STATE ZIP PHONE AMOUNT ENCLOSED ( )Renewal ( )New ( )1 year ( )2 year Please list names as you wish on your card: Please send your check made payable to: NORTH COAST HOSTA SOCIETY Attn: Jim Spuhler Bridgecreek Circle Strongsville, OH

6 Officers: President: Barb Rauckhorst phone: Vice President: Mike Kovach Phone: Treasurer: Jim Spuhler phone: Secretary: Bonnie Erickson phone: Newsletter Editor: Cindy Hughes phone Directors: Sue Gold phone: Carl Schmid phone: Rich Coblentz phone: FIRST CLASS Invite Other Plant Lovers to Join the North Coast Hosta Society 2016 Monthly Calendar of Events. April 16 - Meeting - Parma Library - finger food - Program is Hypertufa Vessels (not just for Summer), by Theresa Devries of Stone Soul Garden. May 28 - Plant Sale at Helen Walkerly s in Wooster (Memorial Weekend) June AHS National Convention June 18 - June in Cahoon - Bay Village plant sale at Cahoon Park June 25 - NCHS Garden Tours July 8 and 9 - Great Lakes Region Tailgate in Akron - Hosted by the Midland Society July 30 - Picnic and activity at Emerald Forest August 13 - Trip to PA to DJ s Greenhouse - Fairy garden workshop August 29 - North Royalton Library - Show and Tell Pizza Party October 22 - Annual Jon Soucek and Bob Kuk Memorial dinner and meeting at the Club House. 6