Hosta Culture

Here are some recent articles from our newsletters to help both new and seasoned hosta gardeners in their quest to help their hostas reach their full potential.

Hosta Facts

Hostas are shade tolerant, hardy perennial plants grown principally for their attractive foliage. These plants are native to Japan, Korea and China. In recent years, there has been a dramatic increase in the popularity of hostas in the United States. They are grown throughout the country, except in tropical areas, and the Delaware Valley is especially suited for these lovely plants.

Why have hostas become so popular? Gardeners in search of a beautiful plant for their shady areas have increasingly turned to hostas. A wide selection of varieties can now be found at many nurseries. Also, many exciting new and unusual hostas have been introduced in the past two decades. They are a life-time investment.

Hosta leaves can be single solid colors of green, blue and gold, with variegations of these colors and also white. Leaves with brightly colored borders and centers are common. Leaf size can range from thumbnail to as large as a serving platter. Individual plants come in an array of sizes: from fist-size to mounds three feet tall and five feet across. Hosta flowers are borne on scapes and, while less dramatic than many sun loving plants, add color to a shade garden at a time when few other plants are in bloom. Depending on the variety, hostas will bloom between June and October and last for several weeks. Some are fragrant.

Raising hostas is very easy. The plants are grown from May to mid-September. The soil can vary from sand to clay loam, but is best supplemented with organic material.

While hostas are regarded as shade plants, they appreciate some sun - but it is best to avoid locations with high noon and early and mid afternoon sun. Hostas can be divided for propagation, but, unlike other perennials, do not require regular dividing. Hostas have few diseases and their only significant pest is the slug. Although slugs will not destroy the plants, they often make the hosta leaves unsightly. Fortunately, slugs can be fairly easily controlled using baits.

Hostas can be utilized in many ways in a garden. Large and medium clumps can be used as a single or specimen planting. Several different varieties can be planted together for a handsome display of leaf color, size, texture, flower color and bloom time. Such a planting is even more effective when interplanted with spring bulbs, broad leaved evergreens (azalea, rhododendron and holly), ferns, astilbes, and dwarf conifers. Plantings with these combinations can have changing interest throughout the gardening season. Hostas can be mass planted as a ground cover or as a surround, particularly under trees whose shade and roots make grass difficult to grow. Lastly, hostas are used as edging plants to soften the line between a garden and a yard or paved area.

The question is not whether to fertilize hostas. To achieve and maintain their luxuriant splendor, hostas need fertilization. The question then is when to fertilize and what fertilizer to use.

Hostas benefit from large additions of organic matter, such as garden compost, leaf mold, well-rotted manure, composted pine bark and peat moss, in the planting hole, especially if the soil is heavy clay or light and sandy. If you have such enriched soil, then perhaps you only need an annual application of aged organic matter, an inch or two thick, in autumn.

Indeed many growers find this autumnal nutrient source satisfactory; their hostas thrive superbly. Nevertheless, a large number of keen hosta growers, perhaps most, consider it highly beneficial to apply a granular or liquid fertilizer, or both, during the early season.

Bob Solberg of Green Hill Farms in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, who's lectured at March DVHS and November "Hosta in Focus" meetings, has made some astute observations on the subject and is an enthusiastic advocate of heavy spring fertilization.

He argues that hostas feed heavily when the leaves are coming up in the spring. So he recommends applying a regular granular fertilizer such as 10-10-10, or even 20-20-20, just before the shoots poke up from the ground. If you miss that timing, then apply when they are emerging. He further recommends a second application in about mid-May.

If you use a slow-release fertilizer such as Osmocote , he says to apply it about two weeks after the plants emerge from the ground. And if you use a liquid fertilizer, use 20-20-20 once a week when you start to see the plants.

From my experience, Bob's message is correct.

For years I have used lawn fertilizers such as Scotts® Turf Builder® and Vigoro® applied just before the shoots are emerging or soon afterward. They have about 30% nitrogen so I use them at half the recommended rate on the bag. Some contain iron, as much as 2%, that helps green up the leaves.

I fully recognize that these and other such premium lawn fertilizers are not the least expensive granular fertilizers on the market. Since I water heavily, regardless of rainfall, I like them because they are especially formulated or processed to be long lasting. They release only about 15% of their nitrogen content soon after being watered in and then continue to release the remainder more-or-less gradually for several months more. Agricultural and garden-type 10-10-10 and 20-20-20 fertilizers can dump most or all of their nitrogen quite quickly when copiously watered.

(On the subject of cost, I always find it surprising that some avid hostaphiles will balk at spending $10 for a bag of fertilizer, but will readily shell out $40 and more for a single new hosta, And they will complain about their watering bills and the price of good slug baits, yet continue to buy more and more hostas.)

In addition, I apply a 10% nitrogen, liquid fertilizer to the ground, as I want the emerging divisions to have that full nitrogen fix when they need it initially.

Concerning Osmocote, there is another slow-or timed-release fertilizer, Dynamite® , that is recommended. Nursery people tell me it is better than Osmocote as it doesn't release its elements quickly in hot weather if abundantly watered. It is available from The Home Depot, and, I think, only at this source. You'll want the plastic see-through can with the green cover; it's high in nitrogen for foliage plants: 18%.

Bob Solberg further stresses the importance of additional feeding later in spring. "Once the leaves emerge, they grow rapidly," he points out. "A supplemental feeding around May 1st will help produce a good second flush of leaves. This feeding should be a high liquid foliar feeding that will be taken up rapidly by the plant."

"Apply lightly - just enough to wet the leaves," he says. "Use a minimum of 20-20-20. Add a pinch of Epsom salts for magnesium, which helps the plant use nitrogen. Magnesium [also] promotes a darker green leaf "

I have done this, and have seen some remarkable increases in flushes. For some Delaware Valley areas, May 1st may be too early. This bonus feeding should be just as the second sets of leaves are starting to flush, usually 4 to 6 weeks after the hostas emerge. You'll need to keep observing your hostas to determine the best time.

Most liquid fertilizers of the Miracle-Gro® and Miracid® type are blue colored. A dye is intentionally added to color the powder and solution. I find the dye can leave stains on some hosta leaves, especially if the liquid is applied on a hot, sunny day. There are liquid fertilizers that are not colored. Some nurseries and garden supply stores carry them; they are worth seeking out.

I particularly like Bob's advice that "if you feed, you must also water a lot because the cells fill up with water as they grow. Feeding will do little to improve growth if your plants do not get enough light." How correct he is!

Should hostas be fertilized in late summer or fall? The consensus is no. Hostas are hardy herbaceous perennials and they need to go dormant in the fall. If they are growing too actively then, they may be damaged or killed by late freezes or winter cold. To prevent this, the general rule is not to fertilize after August. If your site gets early frosts, you probably should not fertilizer after early July.

For organic gardeners, there are many fertilizers from which to choose. Milorganite® is a bagged, treated sewage sludge that can be purchased in many garden supply stores. Liquid fish fertilizers are also available.

Soybean meal contains about 8% nitrogen and is especially liked by some for its high protein content. Cottonseed meal contains about 6% nitrogen. Another organic fertilizer is chicken manure pellets, which can be very high in nitrogen, as much as 20% depending on the diet fed the poultry.

Bagged, composted cow manure is readily available at garden centers and nurseries but it contains only about a 1/2 % nitrogen. And of course there is old manure from barnyards and stables.

I'm getting good reports on the effectiveness of the slug bait called Deadline® RainTough®.

Deadline RainTough's dark brown mini-pellets contain 4% metaldehyde, while Ortho® and most other slug baits contain only 2%. Another significant difference is Deadline RainTough contains a proprietary chemical that is very attractive to slugs. Most other products have a cereal usually bran, and sometimes also yeast as the attracting bait, which after heavy watering get mushy and mealy. Deadline RainTough remains as mini-pellets after watering, slowly dissolving over several weeks.

Deadline RainTough is the same product as the highly regarded "commercial" Deadline M-Ps™, except Deadline M-Ps mini-pellets are blue and sold in 10- and 50-lb. bags to the agricultural, greenhouse and nursery trade.

Metaldehyde kills slugs by dehydrating them. What I just learned this spring is that if it rains or you water while the slugs are dehydrating - which can take a whole day - the pests rehydrate and continue foraging, that is, go on eating hosta leaves. So timing when you apply the bait is critical. Another tip: Early evening is the best time to apply slug bait.

Don't be put off that the 3-lb see-through plastic shaker jar costs $12-14. On a cost per ounce of metaldehyde basis, Deadline RainTough is less expensive than Ortho and other slug baits that you'll find for sale in garden centers and nurseries. Further, only a dozen or so mini- pellets per square foot are needed. Applying more does not improve the product's efficiency. As with all gardening chemicals, read the manufactures' instructions carefully - and follow them.

In the past year the availability of Deadline RainTough in nurseries and hardware stores has improved significantly. In my vicinity it.is available from Old Country Gardens on Murphy Road in Wilmington, Action Hardware on Silverside Road in Wilmington and J. Franklin Styer Nurseries on U.S. Route 1 in Concordville, Pennsylvania (just east of Chadds Ford Ramada Im where DVHS's March meetings are held).

Growing plants seems, on the surface, to be quite simple. There are just four main factors: light, water, fertilizer and soil. Then we begin to discover the possible variance in each, the equation becomes quite complicated, but usually solvable.

Many times as gardeners we assume that shade tolerance plants and low pH go hand in hand. We have had some educational experiences at our nursery, The Azalea Patch, on the subject that I would like to share with you, as simply as I can, that may start you thinking about pH.

Acidity in horticulture is gauged on the pH scale It begins as extremely acid at 1, continues through neutral at 7, and then all the way to extremely alkaline at 14. The same scale is used for soils, such as container media, and water. Most water will test at about 5.5 to 6.5, which is slightly on the acid side and suitable for almost all plants.

As you will recall not long ago our area had a serious lack of rainfall. The drought caused us to hand water continually. What we noticed was a gradual deterioration of our hostas. They seemed to be loosing their vigor. Many were so adversely affected that they did not survive the winter. H. tardiflora, Tardiana, sieboldiana and montana types seemed to suffer the most.

We tested the potting mix and found high acid level in the problematic pots. Sand and other drainage additives in it are facilitators for accumulation of acid. As water flows through the mix it leaches out the softer minerals. Repotting with fresh potting mix, of coarse, will help the problem, but there is an easier and more efficient thing to do.

The remedy we used was application of dolomitic pelletized limestone, available in bags at many garden centers and nurseries. This is the same product used for lawns. The rate was about one tablespoon per gallon of potting soil. We watered it in well which started dissolving the limestone and upping the pH quickly. Our goal was a pH of 6.5 to 7.5, that is, neutral.

The results were very positive. By the following spring vigor had been restored.

We now routinely apply pelletized lime as we pot. It neutralizes the harmful buildup of acid and has added benefits. Lime helps plants better use essential minerals. It also has an alkaline- earth metal component, magnesium, which itself is an essential element in living organisms, important for overall growth.

Garden soils can have a low pH (high acidity) too. If your hostas seem to have insufficient vigor, you may want to check your soil pH. Simple test kits can be purchased at garden centers and nurseries. Low-cost probe meters are also available.

If you find your garden soil is highly acidic, dolomitic limestone pellets can be spread on the ground and watered in. Note, however, that this "hosta helping lime" can be deadly to acid loving plants like azaleas and rhododendrons. So apply it carefully around your hostas.

Sluggo© is the trade name for a new slug and snail bait that is receiving a lot of attention. It is marketed by Monterey Lawn and Garden Products, 3654 S. Willow Avenue, Fresno, CA 93745, and is widely available in retail nurseries, garden centers and some hardware stores.

This molluscicide is 1% iron phosphate in the form of small pellets, about 1/8-inch diameter and 1/8- to 3/8inch long. The pellets are a creamy white color and come in an easily noticed, white shaker-top plastic can and jar.

An identical product to Sluggo is Escar-Go!©. It is available only mail-order from Gardens Alive, 5100 Schenley Place, Lawrenceburg, IN 47025.

On the market this year is Schultz© Garden Safe© Slug and Snail Bait, also an identical product to Sluggo. This product is just being stacked on store shelves, so availability is still limited. I suspect it will be widely distributed next year along side the other products of the Schultz Company in Brighton, Missouri, a large fertilizer and garden supply organization.

Iron and also aluminum have been known for years to be toxic to slugs and snail. A German company came up with the clever idea of manufacturing small pellets of iron phosphate for this specific purpose, with the further clever advertisement that iron phosphate occurs naturally in the soil, and therefore Sluggo is an "organic gardening" or "environmentally safe" mollusk control.

The pellets are imported from Germany by Monterey Chemical who packages it as Sluggo. As far as I can determine Monterey Chemical is the exclusive U.S. importer, selling the pellets to other companies, who have the bait packaged under their own brand names.

The other claim of iron phosphate - and perhaps its most notable one - is that this bait can be used around pets and wildlife safely. In other words, the pellets are claimed not to be poisonous to pets and wildlife. Metaldehyde-containing baits, such as Deadline© RainTough™ (mentioned in the Winter 2002 issue of the DVHS Newsletter, page 4) which contains 4% metaldehyde and Ortho© Bug-Geta©) Snail & Slug Killer which contains 2% metaldehyde, are harmful to pets and wildlife if large amounts are ingested.

But ingesting any quantify of these metaldehyde baits is highly improbable. These products now are formulated with extremely bitter-tasting chemicals, one being Bitrex™. I'm informed that if these baits come in contact with an animal's mouth, the bait will immediately be expelled and not ingested. Furthermore, the animal will not attempt to eat the bait thereafter. This particularly applies to dogs, cats and most importantly children. Ali, my wife, who is our family's slug baiter, has used both of these and other metaldehyde baits extensively in our garden for years and our property is full of happy, singing birds and active wildlife - unfortunately rabbits, squirrels and an occasional skunk. (We have no dog or cat pets.)

How effective is iron phosphate bait in controlling slugs? The Escar-Go! literature has a chart showing that in field tests in German it is as effective as "Standard Chemical Slug Control." However, the comparison, it seems, was made with a 2% metaldehyde product (such as Ortho Bug-Geta), not a 4% metaldehyde-containing bait. And data I've seen show that 4% metaldehyde can be significantly more effective than 2% metaldehyde.

Iron phosphate slug bait `pellets are not inexpensive. When you figure out what you're paying for that I% concentration of a common chemical, you begin to wonder whether you yourself should be in the slug bait business.

My local hardware store sells both the Sluggo and Schultz products. Here is a comparison of them and also of Escar-Go! Since the store also sells Deadline RainTough, I've included it too.

	Size	Price	Cost per lb of pellets	Cost per lb of active ingredient (iron phosphate)
Sluggo	1 lb	$9.29	$9.29	$929.00
Sluggo	2 1/2 lbs	$18.49	$7.40	$740.00
Schultz	26 oz	$13.49	$8.30	$830.00
Schultz	3.2 lbs	$26.99	$8.43	$843.00
Escar-Go!	1 1/4 lbs	$9.99*	$7.99	$799.00
Escar-Go!	2 1/4 lbs	$16.99*	$7.55	$755.00
RainTough	3 lbs	$10.89	$3.63	~

*Does NOT include shipping and handling charge of $5.99.

The bottom line, I think, is that if you are deeply concerned with pets and wildlife being poisoned by your slug bait, consider using iron phosphate. If not -- and there are numerous situations where this is not a concern, consider using a metaldehyde bait, preferably 4%.

Bob Solberg, Green Hill Farm, Chapel Hill Carolina, is a frequent lecturer at local and regional hosta society meetings. Here is information from one of his presentations.

Hostas are dormant perennials and so they sleep all winter. They do not make new roots during dormancy.

In the spring the buds swell and the leaves emerge before new roots are made. The leaves expand and harden off in about three weeks - depending on whether the spring weather is cool or warm.

As the leaves harden off and the second flush of leaves begins to appear, your hostas will be making new roots from the base of the new shoots. Thus, hostas do not make new roots until the first foliage hardens off or about three weeks after they emerge. Cool spring soil temperatures may slow or delay this root formation even longer.

The danger of dividing hostas in the spring is timing. In the spring when the weather is cool and the soil is slow to warm, your newly divided hostas will have large mature leaves and no new roots for weeks.

What we call beautiful spring days - those of bright sun, cool breezes and low humidity - are very stressful for new hosta leaves. On these days the desiccation rate is very high and the new hosta divisions with their reduced root systems, dry out rapidly. If the weather turns suddenly hot for even a day or two, the hosta leaves will bum. While this damage may not prove permanent, the clumps will certainly be reduced in size.

If you must divide your hostas in the spring, do not over-divide them. Split the clumps in half or at most in quarters. Divide only fast growing cultivars in spring -- those that can recover quickly. Avoid the H. sieboldiana and 'Tokudama' types.

Late spring frost can damage hostas that have emerged from the ground. This is particularly so for early risers as H. montana 'Aureomarginata', 'Sagae' and 'Lancifolia'.

The damage is largely cosmetic, affecting the first flush of leaves. The leaves first look a little dark in color. Than within days they take on the appearance of meat with freezer bum or a mushy, wilted lettuce salad.

Many gardeners just cut off the damaged leaves and wait for a second flush to appear. I find it pretty disheartening to have put so much work in a garden and then have to remove that first flush of leaves due to frost damage. It seems like there is usually a critical time of only a week or two in early spring when this threat is eminent.

So what do I do?

Out comes the covers, which can be anything from old bed sheets and light blankets, plastic garbage cans, bushel baskets and all the plastic plant containers saved in the garage to my spouse's dismay. These containers can be stuffed with crumpled newspaper for additional thermal protection. Sheets and blankets need to be anchored down.

I get truckloads of fine wood chips for mulching. Small piles of chips can be shoveled over crowns of hosta that are up 2-3 inches. The chips should to be removed from hosta crown once threat is over. If the temperature rises during the day, containers can be removed, but left in the garden if it looks like additional frost is on the way. I have left protection on plants for several days without harming them.

Plastic sheets like polyethylene and vinyl should be avoided as the condensation inside on the plastic can also cause leaf burn.

Unfortunately, if the temperature dips down to a hard freeze, say in the middle 20s F, there is little protection that can help.

Clean Up: It seems no matter how thoroughly garden beds are cleaned in late fall, debris collects on them over the winter. So, a thorough clean up is needed in early spring, before the shoots emerge from the ground. If the beds are not mulched, I suggest lightly scarfing the earth with a steel rake to loosen the soil surface.

Also, roots often get exposed over the winter. Lightly cover them with good soil. I do not recommend hosta crowns be buried more than one half-inch deep.

Mulching: There are as many people who swear by mulches as those who say no, not in my hosta garden. The advantages of mulches are well known: reduce evaporative water loss from the soil, control weeds and provide decorativeness.

There are negatives, though. There is evidence that some mulches increase slug population, increase the risk of some diseases and create a more favorable environment for votes, a pesky rodent that tunnels near the sod surface and eats hosta roots.

The consensus among hosta fanciers that I've contacted is the best mulch is pine needles, also called pine straw. Decades ago it was readily available at Delaware Valley nurseries as compressed, wire-bound bales. But, alas, the bulk and bagged hardwood and pine-bark mulch merchants now have the market cornered.

If you have access to a supply of pine needles, consider yourself lucky, as a light top dressing seems to diminish slug problems. Cocoa mulch also seems to help to detract slugs, but you'll have to tolerate - or enjoy - the heady chocolate aroma.

If you're a hardwood, pine-bark mulch or wood chip advocate and there is still a fairly thick layer of mulch an your beds, check to see if it has crusted (caked) to a dense, hard impervious-to-water covering. Some barks and woods release a resinous residue over the winter that glues the mulch pieces together. If this happened to your mulch, break it up into small loose particles so water can easily penetrate through it. I use a regular garden hoe, but perhaps even better is one of those spring steel three- tined hand tools called a 'Maine Scratcher' or "claw hoe."

Also, here is some sage advice from the new American Hosta Society booklet, The Hosta Adventure: Regardless of the mulch chosen, do not mulch heavily. Most important, do not pile the mulch up against the divisions (shoots) as this can invite diseases. It is best to keep the mulch two to three inches from the petioles.

The principle disease associated with mulch in contact with hosta leaf stems is Southern stem blight that is caused by the fungus Sclerotium rolfsii. There is a misconception that this troublesome disease only occurs in the South. The problem can occur anywhere during hot weather (over about 85'F) and when the mulch and soil are heavily wetted. Hosta growers in Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois-- as well as in Pennsylvania and New Jersey - have reported serious S. rolfsii disease problems.

Slugs: The wise adage is to start your slug abatement control in early spring. The best time is just before the shoots are poking up from the ground. The next best time is when the shoots have emerged and are leafing out.

Some growers report good success with drenching the crowns and the area around the crowns with a 10% solution of ammonia. (One-part ammonia to nine parts water.) Use regular ammonia, not the soapy type that's also on supermarket shelves. Keep in mind, though, that ammonia is a contact molluscicide, that is, it must be in contact for a short time with slugs and their eggs to kill them. Also, after a good rain the solution is no longer effective.

There are two commercial slug baits being widely used. One is Deadline© RainTough™ containing 4% metaldehyde in the form of dark brown, rain-resistant pellets. It comes in 3-lb., shaker- top see-through jars. It's the only slug bait we now use in our garden. (I write "we" but actually it's Ali, my wife, who's the slug baiter in our family.) Deadline RainTough does a good job if you are diligent in applying it early in the spring and frequently thereafter. Follow the manufacturer's instructions. Deadline RainTough is available in Delaware Valley nurseries, garden centers and hardware stores. Last year in my area, northeast Delaware, it was stocked by Always the Garden on Philadelphia Pike, Old Country Gardens at Wilson and Foulk Roads, and Action Hardware in Branmar Plaza on Silverside Road. Also, J. Franklin Styer Nurseries on US Route1 in Concordville, Pennsylvania, just a mile or so east of the Ramada Inn in Chadds Ford where the March DVHS meetings are held, carried it. I assume these stores will be offering it this year.

If you cannot find Deadline RainTough in your area, you can easily order it by mail from A. M. Leonard, 241 Fox drive, P.O. Box 816, Piqua, OH 45356. There's a toll-free phone, 800-543-8955, and a Web site, www.amlgardener.com.

A. M. Leonard sells the 3-lb. shaker jar (item number DSSK) for $11.42. You'll have to pay a shipping charge, though. However, if you buy two jars and add the minimum required shipping ($6.95), the cost per jar is just a bit more than what my local hardware store and nurseries are charging. If you purchase three jars with a $7.95 shipping cost the price per jar is what one of my neighborhood sources is charging. And you'll probably need two, maybe three, jars for the season.

The other product is Sluggo©, white granules that contain 1% iron phosphate. It is more readily available than Deadline RainTough; you should have no problem finding it in your local area. I have no experience with Sluggo. Gardeners tell me it works "okay." If you've used it or will be using it this year, please contact me as to its effectiveness. My address, etc. are in the masthead on page 1.

Fertilizing:The Hosta Adventure states: Hostas are heavy feeders and respond well to fertilizing. Some growers use a granular formulation early in the season. Others prefer a more frequent application of liquid fertilizer to the foliage, using a dilute solution. I spread a granular, slow release lawn fertilizer at half the rate recommended on the bag just before the shoots emerge, and water heavily afterward. For small hostas I apply the fertilizer within about a one-foot circle. For larger hostas, it's from the center of the clump out to where I think the roots have extended. This, I estimate, is about 2/3 the width of the plant's leaf-spread the previous year.

In addition, when the leaves are unfurling, I drench the foliage with a liquid fertilizer at a concentration 1/4 to 1/3 what is recommended by the manufacturer. I use Miracle-Gro© but any of the soluble, non-acid formulas are satisfactory Afterward, I water the ground - not leaves - thoroughly.

Then I apply a second application of this foliar fertilizer just after the leaves have reached their full size, and again water the soil well. This helps promote a second and often third flush of leaves.

Weed Prevention: I am pleased with the prevention of weed germination using Greenview© Preen©, a product of Lebanon Seaboard Corp. in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, widely available in the Delaware Valley. The yellow granules are easy to apply from the shaker top jar.

For best results, the rate of application must be as shown on the carton, no less. In fact I suggest applying a bit more to the soil. Furthermore, the application must be in early spring. Water afterward. Keep granules off the leaves if they have unfurled.

A few weeds do come up, probably those already rooted before Preen was applied. But they can be easily pulled out or killed with a herbicide (see below).

The key to success with Preen is to reapply it whenever the soil surface has been disturbed. This prevents germination of new weed seeds that have become exposed.

I need to mention that you may not find the soil peppered with yellow granules to your liking. It's an unusual "decorative" appearance; it's certainly an attention getter. However, the granules soon dissolve after a few waterings.

Preen also comes with a fertilizer, Preen 'n Green©. I have not used it. There's really no reason why not, other than perhaps I'm just old fashioned and like to apply my own fertilizer.

Miracle-Gro also markets a weed suppressant. It contains the same chemical, Trifluralin, and concentration, 1.47% as in Preen.

A chemical weed suppressant covered with pine needles would seem to be the ideal combination to prevent weeds and to deter slugs.

Weed Control: A weed-free garden is beautiful to behold - but not easy to achieve. My experience with chemical herbicides is very good.

Weeds in the spring can be killed, roots and all, using Roundup©, Monsanto Corp.'s well known product. Another good product is Finale© sold by AgrEvo Environmental Health in Montvale, New Jersey, and fairly widely distributed in the Delaware Valley.

In the past, many gardeners found that two applications of Roundup seemed to be needed to get good results to kill some weeds, while Finale seemed to require just one. So last year, apparently to compete better with Finale, Monsanto doubled the amount of glyphosate herbicide in Roundup from 0.96% to 1.92% along with the banner of "New - Twice as Strong, Fast-Acting Formula!"

Roundup and Finale come in squirt bottles. You need to take dead aim at the weed leaves, hitting them squarely. What's critical is not to spray the hosta leaves. These are systemic herbicides that quickly enter the plant. Even washing off the chemical soon after it's been in contact with hosta foliage might still harmfully affect the plant.

So how do you spray weeds near hosta foliage? Very carefully. You need to shield the hosta foliage from the spray using a piece of plastic or thick cardboard and newspapers (which are carefully discarded afterward).

But often a more practical answer is, don't spray. Instead, I suggest this handy method that I've found very useful.

Pour a small amount of the herbicide into a small plastic dish. Cottage cheese, yogurt and other similar containers are a good size. Using a half inch-wide urethane foam paintbrush (readily available in hardware and paint stores), saturate the foam tip with the herbicide. Then just paint the weed leaves thoroughly. Try to wet both sides of the leaves if possible.

If the weeds touch or are very close to hosta petioles, try folding the weed stems down to the ground away from the hosta leaves with your hand. Usually they won't spring back to their upright position, and the herbicide can be easily dabbed onto the weeds without touching the hosta foliage. Also, I'll use throwaway wood stakes to pin the weed leaves away from the hosta foliage.

Always dispose of the plastic dish and paint brush in a tightly closed plastic bag. And, wear disposal plastic gloves when handling these chemicals.

Although the herbicides start to work in a matter of hours, it takes about a week or so to see notable visual dying of the weeds. Have patience.