In every modern garden you can definitely find a host. Most often it is used to design areas deprived of sunlight. All gardeners know that decorative foliage plants are an indispensable attribute of the design of a beautiful flowerbed. They provide a bright, saturated background against which bright inflorescences of various colors stand out.
Hosta is a universal plant that looks beneficial in a single planting. The attractive appearance of the flower is preserved from the moment of leaf opening and until the first frost. Such popularity is explained by the desire of people to find out how the host is propagated. Indeed, many want to plant this flower in their garden, moreover, not in one copy.
Plant features
Hosta is a rhizome perennial. Leaflets root with long roots. This is the main information for people who want to learn how to propagate to the host. Some species can reach a height of 1 m, others - not exceed 10 cm.
The shape of the leaves, their color and size vary greatly. The traditional color is green or bluish. A pattern of yellow or white stripes may be located on the surface.
Florists love this flower for its frost resistance, unpretentiousness and ability to grow in various conditions. A variety of varieties allows you to choose the perfect option for shady, partial shade or sunny places in the garden. Tall plants can create tropical gardens, and low ones will be ideal for decorating the fence and border. At a pond or fountain, this plant also looks spectacular.
Cultivating hosts
Before you learn how to propagate the host, you should familiarize yourself with the features of growing this plant.
It is recommended to land the host in the spring. Before planting a flower, you need to dig a plot well, remove weeds and apply organic fertilizers. When planting several bushes, you must leave the necessary space between them for normal growth. The optimal distance is about 45 cm. The first month after planting, the plant must be regularly watered for good rooting.
The soil composition for the host is not very important. It grows in almost any environment. Difficulties can be caused by sandy or loamy soils, which require improvement. In addition, it is recommended that the acidity of the soil be close to neutral.
When planting a host on your personal plot, remember that the plant responds well to the presence of organic substances in the soil. Therefore, it must be regularly mulched with compost.
So, how do they propagate the host on their own? This is a fairly easy process that does not cause difficulties even for beginner gardeners. There are three ways:
- seminal;
- cuttings;
- division of the bush.
Each of them has its own characteristics. The simplest and most common is the last method. But how to propagate the host by dividing the bush? And when to perform this procedure?
Reproduction by dividing the bush
In this way, the plant can be propagated twice a year: in spring and autumn. In this case, the bush is divided into small delenki with one or two outlets. Do not be afraid that the bush will be weak. In just 2-3 years, it will turn into a full-fledged decorative-deciduous plant.
You can divide the bush into larger pieces (with 4 outlets). This method is used to propagate a slowly growing variety. Also, this method of division is used if there is no need to obtain a large number of bushes.
So, how to propagate the host by division correctly? Already divided parts of the bush must be planted in prepared soil, watered abundantly in advance. The depth of the holes is up to 25 cm. It is necessary to deepen the plant to the imprint of the earth on the plant. For the normal formation of the future bush, delenki must be planted at a distance of 30 cm from each other.
In the first days after planting, plants need abundant watering. This will have a positive effect on rooting.
Cutting hosts
Hosting is best done in the summer (late May - late July). Cuttings are better to choose young shoots with "heels." Experienced gardeners recommend choosing shoots with short petioles and small leaves.
Immediately after cutting, cuttings cut 1/3 of the cuttings. Thus, the area of moisture evaporation is significantly reduced. After separation, the stalk is planted in a nutrient substrate.
At first, after planting, the cuttings do not look good: the leaves fade, they can lie on the ground. During this period, the plant needs abundant watering, spraying and shelter from direct sunlight. After 3 days you can see how the bush begins to come to life: the leaves rise, the turgor returns.
Seed way
Reproduction by seeds is a rather lengthy process. How to propagate the host seeds correctly?
Every gardener should know that this method of reproduction guarantees the appearance of a plant with a traditional color of leaves - green. Seedlings grow very slowly. In the first year of life, they form leaflets with a diameter of 1.5 cm. By the second year, the leaflets grow, but the crops are heterogeneous. During this period, they appear typical coloring of the future bush. Variegated bushes with heterogeneous color are often found very rarely with this method of reproduction.
It is better to sow the seeds immediately after their collection, because in a few months they can lose their germination. Suitable seeds for planting are dark in color. The first shoots appear quickly enough. Plants are planted after the appearance of the first true leaves.
Conclusion
Hosta is a wonderful plant for the garden, which can be planted in almost any corner of it. Therefore, many are interested, but how to propagate the host in the fall? Often flowers propagate in the spring and summer. Autumn is an ideal option for seed propagation. Remember, the correct sequence for the preparation of planting material is the guaranteed result of obtaining a beautiful full-fledged bush in the future.