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| Are hostas just not happy in the vicinity maples? I have been able to get lots of other things established over time in the vicinity of maples - even *hydrangeas* for Pete's sake but have trouble with the darn hostas, they just get punier every year even with attention to watering, even when I've transplanted nice big divisions or good-sized new plants. They do fine for me under Japanese maples, just not the regular maples. What gives? |
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Sat, Jun 4, 11 at 12:17
| you have got to be kidding me .... perhaps if you visited the hosta forum.. you might run across one or two THOUSAND posts about my hatred of maples and growing hosta under them .. or noodle over to the tree forum.. for my 1000 posts about not opting for maple trees .. IF YOU HAVE ANY DREAM OF GARDENING UNDER TREES ... in the future ... below are 2 pics of what maple roots look like under ground ... it is a surprise that grass can even grow under them.. with the lack of soil ... and let me guess.. after viewing the pix.. we will get all the posts about how you all succeed wildly under maples ... pshaw .... sooner or later .. you will lose ... ken
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| Actually Ken, I do do pretty well under the maples - not without a lot of effort, of course - but not with the hostas. My property had mature maples when I bought it - they're beautiful, they shade the house, I'm certainly not going to rip them out and start over. So, perhaps I just give up on the *hostas* under the maples - ? Unless you don't consider this doing well... |
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| ^ Gorgeous! Is that heliotrope in the front? |
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| Great job mxk3! Absolutely lovely. These plants did very well under my maple for me: epimediums, Geranium macrorrhizum, Lamium. I have lots of other plants farther from the maple's trunk, but within drip line (including Hostas). However, my maple is Amur which is not as aggressive as Norway or Sugar maples. |
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| Yes, that is heliotrope in the foreground (with the mature sugar maple in the background and you can see the other trees further away - other patio planting has hydrangeas, anemones, coral bells, Solomon's seal, brunnera and assorted other stuff up there around that patio/under that other maple). |
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Sat, Jun 4, 11 at 14:07
| ya know... sarcasm aside.. you asked about hosta.. i told you about hosta.. and you get all snitty about everything else that grows under maple .... whats that all about ... rotflmbo .... let me yell this part: YOU ARE AN EXCEPTION ... any newbie who is trying to grow under maple.. should understand.. that the roots are stacked.. literally.. against them ... can you succeed.. perhaps.. you are proof ... will you succeed with benign neglect.. and going out there once a month in summer.. and never really watering.. nor going out like MX for 3 hours a day to noodle around... NOPE ... YOU WILL LOSE ... now go bake in the ridiculous detroit heat ... or is that why you are on the computer ... lol ... noodling around is my phrase for the day ... as you know.. all in good fun ... [in case others dont know] ken |
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| You got snitty first, Ken. And believe me, I *wish* I had three hours a day to be out there fiddling - didn't you read my post on the annuals forum regarding the fact my time is so short I have to go out at night to water the plants (yes, literally - at NIGHT after dark after I get off work from one of my jobs..) Now, if I ever get done with grad school and finally meet my career goals and then have lots of time to play around in the garden when I finally get my dream house out in Milford, maybe I can start fresh and put in other trees besides maples. But for the time being, I'm sure you're right regarding the hostas - seems as though they can't cut Peace, Michele ~ posting from work on this beautiful Michigan Saturday afternoon... |
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Sat, Jun 4, 11 at 15:45
| all these years.. and you finally have a name.. lol ... but again.. you prove my point.. you ARE out there after dark.. which can be very relaxing .. if the squitoes dont suck you dry ... lol take care ken |
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- Posted by buyorsell888 Zone 8 Portland OR (My Page) on Sat, Jun 4, 11 at 17:58
| I had the same problem with hostas only instead of maples I have mature Douglas fir trees, pine trees and 20' tall arborvitae/cedar hedges all belonging to my neighbors. I have given up on hostas in the problem beds except in pots. I gave up on one bed completely and turned it into a gravel patio with pots along the fence and in the corners. I don't know how many hostas I planted that dwindled away to nothing over the years before I finally just gave in and planted them elsewhere. I've got some in more sun than I thought they'd appreciate with no root competition. The arborvitae/cedar hedge has roots like that maple in the photo and when I created raised berms they grew right up into the berms. :( So, try some pots. Get some nice pretty colored ones and make a grouping. It will look great. |
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| Our house came with Maple Trees along the street, just outside the fence. If I didn't put a shady garden underneath, I'd barely have any garden on that side. In my experience, some plants certainly do better than others. My Bleeding Hearts are thriving. Ferns are doing well. Columbines not so much. I tried a grass which promptly died. I don't think I'd even try a Hydrangea :) Heuchera seems to suffer, although I only had 1 and they seem pretty tough so I might try another to see if the problem was the plant, not the tree. As for the hostas, again, some actually do better than others (not sure why). Spilt Milk, Night before Xmas and Striptease were unhappy and were eventually moved. Captain Kirk is thriving, as is Queen of the Seas. El Nino seems to be doing well so far. |
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| I'm inspired by your photo. I'm trying to get a bed started under an oak tree this year. Everything is small now, but I hope one day it will look lush and full like yours. :) |
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| Wow, Michele (like Ken says, I finally know your name, lol!) that garden is beautiful. I guess I should be happy. I've always complained because I bought a house with about 50 oaks trees on the property. Nary a maple in sight. I miss the gorgeous colors in fall - oaks are usually just a dull red/brown, except for the occasional year every ten years or so where they are a beautiful burnt russet. But maybe maples are not so good for gardening, from what I hear... I like the way you turned the maple into a hat rack, Ken... :) |
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- Posted by gardengal48 PNW zone 8 (My Page) on Sat, Jun 4, 11 at 20:53
| I was going to suggest exactly what BorS did - plant the hostas in pots! They are great and very easy container plants - will fill out a reasonably sized container in a season and provide a very lush look. And pretty easy to deal with in winter - store in the garage or sink into the ground. And - one of the best features of a container planting - you can move them around easily wherever you want to fill up any holes. |
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- Posted by northerngirl_mi Z5 MI (My Page) on Sat, Jun 4, 11 at 21:05
| One of the solutions that has been mentioned on the hosta forum is Agroliner bags... you put them in the ground and then plant the hosta in it... look at hosta forum for more info... also do a google search for agroliner and hosta... I've bought a few, but too early to give any reports on effectiveness... Regards, |
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| Thanks for the tip on the Agroliners (spin-out bags). I ordered some, they arrived - I'm going to dig up a few struggling hosta and plant in the bags and see how they do. Will report back. |
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- Posted by buyorsell888 Zone 8 Portland OR (My Page) on Tue, Jun 21, 11 at 12:10
| I have both Dicentra eximia and formosa cultivars thriving under the firs. Couldn't get spectabilis to grow there though they do fine with boxwood roots. D. formosa grows in the fir forests here so it has no problem and becomes a bit weedy even. Huecheras and Tiarellas did poorly. Moved them last summer and was amazed at how big and lush they grew in new bed cut from lawn with no tree roots. Ditto a couple of hostas barely alive. I have had no problem with Pieris under the firs but had to move azaleas and dwarf rhododendrons. Hellebores have been wonderful. Just planted more. |
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| For a look at a garden whose owner collects BOTH Japanese maples and hostas, and does them both beautifully, take a look: |
Here is a link that might be useful: SWMO garden
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