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Hosta Praying Hands is one of the most spectacular plants that has taken its rightful place in the modern design of the infield. Despite the seeming inconspicuousness in the overall composition, upon close examination, the host simply bewitches with its extraordinary beauty.
Hosta Praying Hands - a unique plant with an unusual leaf shape
A rare, in its own way unique plant, demanding on the planting site, but completely unpretentious in further care. A perennial will decorate a garden and a personal plot, a greenhouse and a living room.
Description of hosts praying pens
Hosta Praying Hands (Praying Hands) belongs to the Liliaceae family, is a perennial, whose homeland is considered to be the Far East, Japan and Southeast Asia. In Europe, the plant first appeared in the 19th century, initially it was very rare, only in private collections.
Currently, the Hosta Praying Pens are very popular due to their high decorativeness and unpretentiousness.
It got its name for the shape of hard leaves with numerous, closely spaced veins. Dark green narrow leaves with a cream border at the edges are directed upwards and intricately curled. In shape, they resemble hands facing the sky.
The leaves of the plant are tough, strongly twisted, with a creamy narrow border around the edges
The leaves have a waxy coating. Hosta blooms in August. Flowers - narrow bells of light lavender color on long peduncles. With good care and a properly chosen planting site, the height of the plant can reach 50 - 60 cm.On average, the height of the hosts is 35 - 40 cm.
Hosta Praying Hands belongs to the medium-sized species - medium (M). The shape of the bush is vase-like, in diameter the bush grows up to 76 cm. In one place the plant can grow up to 20 years.
Praying Hands grows in semi-shaded areas. Can be planted in sunny areas, but shade the plant at noon is recommended. Of all the host Prayer Pens, the least demanding of lighting. Hardy, tolerates the middle zone winters well without shelter.
Prefers slightly acidic soils, but planting in soil with an alkaline reaction is acceptable. Does not tolerate waterlogged soils. Responsive to intensive watering. The color of the leaves remains unchanged throughout the season.
Application in landscape design
The high decorativeness of the Praying Hosta led to the widespread use of the bush in landscape design compositions. Undemanding to the neighborhood with other plants.
Placing hosts in single landings emphasizes its originality
Against the background of other host, the Praying Handle is lost, therefore it is better to plant it as a curb decoration. Favorably emphasize the beauty and uniqueness of the herbaceous plant by framing stones and fancy driftwood. A good host, planted around the perimeter of the blind area of the house, along the edges of a reservoir or garden path.
Breeding methods
You can propagate the host yourself in several ways:
- dividing the bush;
- growing from seeds;
- grafting.
Another method of reproduction is vegetative, but it is available in an industrial environment.Most effective.
Reproduction by dividing the bush is carried out in late spring or summer. The survival rate and growth rate of a young plant will depend on the size of the adult. The more lush the bush, the more fruitful the division.
By cuttings we mean the separation of a single cuttings from an adult plant with a root. The extracted material can be immediately planted in the ground.
Hosta Praying Hands blooms in August, flowers are narrow bells on long peduncles
A more laborious method of reproduction is growing from seeds. Before planting, they should be kept in a cold place for a month, and must be treated with growth stimulants. Germination rate is 70%.
Before planting, it is necessary to disinfect the container itself, seeds and soil. Potassium permanganate is suitable for these purposes. The landing container can be treated with an alcohol-containing solution.
The bottom of the container must be filled with drainage. Then cover with a layer of light fertile soil. Seeds are planted in well-spilled soil and the container is left under a film in a shaded place at a temperature of 18 to 25 degrees. Seedlings appear after 2 - 3 weeks.
After emergence, the container is placed in a well-lit place, but not in the sun. And after the appearance of two leaves, the hostu dives. At a quarter of the volume, the soil for sprouts should consist of sand. Single shoots grow under the film.
The first week after the dive, the film is periodically opened to harden the plant. And a week later they remove the film. You can take seedlings outside when the air temperature reaches a stable level of +18 degrees.
Landing algorithm
Planting material is chosen, paying attention to the number of buds and characteristics of the root:
- the seedling should have 2 - 3 buds;
- the root must be elastic, and its length must be at least 12 cm.
Saplings should be planted in the ground in early spring or late summer. If the seedlings are purchased in advance, store them in a dark, cool place. The room temperature should not exceed +5 degrees.
The root of the seedling must be elastic, light, at least 12 cm long
For planting, you should not choose places where the plant will be directly exposed to the sun. This can change the color of the leaves, instead of the bright green of the host, the Praying Pens will become faded.
The best landing site is partial shade or well-lit areas that are out of the midday sun. It tolerates shaded areas well.
The seat is prepared as follows:
- Dig up the soil by adding humus or compost.
- They dig the landing pits 30 cm deep, the distance between them is 120 cm.
- Spill with water.
- Saplings are planted so that the stems of the plant are above the soil.
- Root areas are mulched with crushed bark or peat.
- Watering and loosening the soil is carried out every 3 days.
Growing rules
Hosta Praying Hands is a moisture-loving plant. It is watered 2 times a week. In dry summers, the amount of watering is increased, the procedure is recommended in the first half of the day.
Praying Hands is responsive to soil loosening. It is carried out regularly, avoiding the appearance of a dense crust in the root zone. Since the hosta grows well in diameter, weeds rarely attack the growing areas.
Top dressing is carried out three times per season. Fertilization should not be carried out more often in order to avoid burning the leaves. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium supplements are used as top dressing. They are brought in during the period of growth, flowering and after its end.
Cover the host for the winter as needed, using coniferous branches
After the end of flowering, it is necessary to replace mineral fertilizers by introducing humus or compost as top dressing. This will allow the plant to reduce the growth of green mass, prepare for wintering, and it is easier to transfer it.
In autumn, at the end of flowering, the peduncles are cut off so that the plant does not waste energy on ripening the seeds. Leaves do not need to be cut in the fall.This procedure is carried out in the spring.
Preparing for winter
Hosta Praying Handle tolerates wintering well in the middle lane. In regions with mild winters, it does not require shelter, except when it comes to a young plant planted in late summer in open ground.
In temperate climates, it is preferable to shelter the host for the winter. Do not use plastic wrap as a covering material. It makes it difficult for the bush to breathe and promotes the reproduction of pests and diseases.
Before sheltering for the winter, the soil under the plant is loosened and mulched with peat, sawdust or dry grass. In the spring, mulch is not harvested; when it decomposes, the soil will receive additional fertilizing. They cover the host with fir branches.
Diseases and pests
The host rarely gets sick. In some cases, gardeners will notice brown spots on the leaves. The phenomenon is due to the development of phyllostictosis. With this disease, the bush is destroyed, and the soil under it is thoroughly disinfected.
Brown spots on the leaves of the hosta are a sign of phyllostictosis disease
Sometimes the hosta is affected by gray rot or sclerotinia. These diseases are treated with fungicides.
Slugs, which like to feast on the leaves of the plant, leave holes in them, infect the host. To scare off the pest, rubble or broken shells are scattered around the bush. Insecticides are used to protect the leaves.
Hosta Praying Hands looks great in a composition with stones and fancy driftwood
Conclusion
Hosta Praying pens are a real find for gardeners. With minimal care, the plant pleases with its decorative effect and appearance. Hosta Praying Hands is unique, with an unusual leaf shape. It belongs to rare species, it has been growing in one place for decades.
