How to prepare your host for winter without spending extra money

Autumn works

Many novice gardeners do not know whether to cover the host for the winter and how to properly prepare an ornamental shrub for the upcoming frost. Initially, you need to inspect all vegetation for the presence of harmful insects and traces of various fungal, viral and bacterial diseases. Having identified signs of pests or disease, it is recommended to treat garden plants with popular folk remedies or more effective chemicals. Plants weakened after illness and pests may not cope with wintering, therefore, the garden is processed in early autumn.

The next step in caring for ornamental crops is to remove weeds, tops and fallen leaves from the garden. Healthy vegetation can be placed in a composter to produce humus. Leaves and branches with signs of various diseases and the presence of insects must be burned outside the summer cottage.

Hosta belongs to the group of moisture-loving ornamental shrubs. Autumn water-charging irrigation is a mandatory procedure for preparing a perennial for winter. Lack of moisture in the soil can cause the plant to rapidly wilt and reduce its winter hardiness.

Video: "Preparing hosts for wintering"

After watching this video, you will know how to prepare and shelter your host for the winter.

Pruning

Gardeners are divided on the need for pruning hosts. Some summer residents believe that ornamental shrubs cannot be cut off, since withering foliage serves as a kind of protective cover for the root system during frosts. Other gardeners are of the completely opposite opinion and insist on pruning the perennial. Insect pests use the hostas' lush foliage for wintering. With the arrival of the first spring heat, the parasites begin to actively destroy vegetation on the territory of the summer cottage.

The best option is partial pruning of hosts. All dry peduncles, leaves and stems damaged by diseases and insects are subject to removal. If the shrub is planted in a lowland, where stagnant melt water often occurs, it is better to cut off the leaves that have fallen down. Stems and leaf plates are cut at a height of 10-15 cm from the root collar protruding above the ground. This procedure should be carried out several weeks before the expected date of the first frost. The shrub must have time to "heal" wounds and recover.

Soil mulching

It is possible to prevent freezing of the topsoil and protect the root system from glaciation by mulching the soil. It is recommended to use peat, tree bark and sawdust, dry foliage and hay as mulch. Mulch is applied under the hosta foliage, which, when wilted, settles down and creates additional shelter.
Ornamental perennials often suffer from invasions of slugs and snails. To protect vegetation from insects, you should sprinkle mulch with tobacco dust or soak it with a microbiological preparation "Fitosporin-M".

Additional food

Autumn is the time to feed the plants in the garden with nutrient mixtures.However, this rule does not apply to host hives. The last feeding of this decorative culture is carried out in August. We are talking about fertilization with phosphorus-potassium preparations, nitrogen-containing substances are not added to the soil after mid-July.

Late introduction of nutrient mixtures into the soil can provoke active growth of the shrub. A perennial throws all its strength into growth and development, while resistance to frost and changes in air temperature is significantly reduced.

Winter Shelter Rules

Most varieties of hosts of domestic selection are distinguished by high winter hardiness, but this culture is afraid of sudden changes in temperature. To protect the shrub from freezing, it is recommended to insulate it for the winter.

The technology of sheltering the hosta bush does not require special knowledge and experience:

1. Dry soil is scooped up under the base of the bush. A layer of mulch is poured on top, consisting of sawdust, tree bark, small branches of needles and peat. Sprinkle the mulch with tobacco dust.
2. In severe frosts, the decorative perennial is covered with pine spruce branches or any "breathing" covering material. It can be lutrasil, burlap, spunbond, geotextile fabric and other modern nonwovens.
3. To fix the shelter along the perimeter of the “non-woven”, wooden boards and beams, bricks or plastic bottles with water are laid.

Differences in climatic zones

Features and rules for sheltering perennial ornamental shrubs depend on the climatic zone of growth. So, the hosts growing in the south do not require additional shelter. If you insulate the plant with pine branches or covering material, the shrub will begin to rot and rot.

The shelter of plants that are cultivated in the Volga region and the Moscow region depends on the weather forecast for the coming winter. These regions are distinguished by sharp changes in temperature regimes. An incorrectly chosen method of warming can affect the endurance and winter hardiness of vegetation in the garden.

As for Siberia and the Urals, where winters are very harsh and protracted, you need to choose the right planting material. The following winter-hardy hosta varieties are suitable for these regions: Wide Brim, June, Royal Standard, Francis Williams, Halcyon and Liberty. Ornamental shrubs mulch, cover with spruce branches and non-woven fabric. In severe frosts, it is recommended to cover the plants with a mixture of dry sand, earth and fallen leaves.

Main problems

Some beginner gardeners do not think that improper preparation of a perennial shrub for winter and a violation of the technology of its shelter can lead to the death of the plant. So, the lack of nutrients and moisture in the soil leads to the weakening and freezing of hosta bushes.

Also, the wrong choice of covering materials for the winter is attributed to the typical mistakes of novice florists. Please note that fruit, decorative and flowering crops cannot be covered with roofing material and plastic wrap. The absence of through holes leads to the accumulation of moisture inside. Unable to "breathe", the hosta shrub begins to vomit. Over time, the root collar and the aerial stem part are covered with rot - the hosta dies.

Landing and transplanting of hosts should be carried out no later than August-September. This decorative culture needs a long period of recovery and adaptation to new growing conditions.

Do not rush to "wake up" the hosta ornamental shrubs after winter. According to the descriptions of varietal characteristics, most varieties of this ornamental crop wake up only when a stable heat occurs. In the Moscow region and other regions of central Russia, the hosta wakes up in late May or early June.