Find out when to cut back hostas and how to help these plants overwinter well.
Many hostas weather a brief frost well, remaining upright and thriving.
Resist the urge to get a jump start on fall cleanup.
Credit:John Granen
Hostas are actively growing if their foliage is alive.
Nematodes and a variety of viruses commonly plague hostas.
Cut back and discard foliage after a hard freeze in fall to prevent these microscopic pests from multiplying.
Credit:Peter Krumhardt
Plant scientists routinely find that fall cleanup makes a big impact when controlling diseases in hostas.
Discard any infected foliage; dont add it to a compost pile.
Keep an eye on your hostas as fall progresses.
Be mindful of disease.
Dont spread disease when cutting back hostas.
Rubbing alcohol wipes makes it fast and easy to clean pruners as you go.
After cutting back hostas, watch for leaves from nearby trees or shrubs collecting around the cut-back stems.
Every week or so, rake leaves away from the stems andadd them to your compost pile.
Layers of soggy fallen leaves on top of hostas can cause the plants to rot and mold over winter.
Newly planted hostas benefit from a 4-inch-deep layer ofshredded bark mulchover the cut-back stems.
The mulch insulates the tender plant and helps prevent damage from freeze-thaw cycles.
Be sure to pull the mulch off the plant in early spring before new growth appears.
Cover the plants with hardware cloth if needed.
