Content
There is no single opinion among gardeners about whether the host needs to be pruned for the winter or not. This is a rather unpretentious and winter-hardy plant that can confidently endure even the Ural and Siberian winters (if there is additional shelter). Therefore, you can cut the shoots in the spring. But it is better to remove flower stalks in autumn. Moreover, you do not need to cut off all the branches under the stump - then the bush can weaken it, which will have a bad effect on its growth next season.
Do I need to prune the host in the fall for the winter
Gardeners still have no unambiguous opinion about pruning:
- On the one hand, pruning bushes for the winter is a beneficial procedure. It allows you to stimulate growth for the next season.
- On the other hand, it is not necessary to prune the hosta for the winter, since it is a winter-hardy plant, which will be good even with leaves and shoots.
In any case, one should proceed from the fact that the host needs to be cut - either in the fall or in the spring. Thanks to this procedure, the plant will become stronger: old and damaged branches are removed, and new shoots grow in their place. Therefore, each gardener can decide for himself when it is best to cut a haircut.
Many experienced summer residents do not prune the hosta in the fall.
There is also an opinion that the need for pruning for the winter can be determined by the appearance of the hosts:
- If she has approximately the same number of peduncles and stems with leaves, then only part of the peduncles can be removed. If you cut off all the shoots, this can lead to the fact that the bush will lose strength and cover up in growth.
- If there are very few peduncles, and shoots with leaves prevail on the bush, it is better to remove all peduncles. This will not affect the plant at all - on the contrary, it will get rid of the need to direct nutrients to the formation of unnecessary seeds.
When to prune hosta in the fall
The term for pruning hosts in the fall directly depends on the climatic conditions of the region. Moreover, it is important to pay attention to the appearance of the bush: if almost all the leaves have turned yellow, then you need to start cutting.
If all the leaves of the plant turn yellow, the nutrients have passed into the stem and roots, then it's time to start pruning for the winter.
When to cut hosta for the winter in the suburbs and regions
Pruning is always stress for the plant, after which it must have time to recover, and the cuts must dry out at least a little. Usually, an autumn haircut is carried out at least 3-4 weeks before the onset of the first frost on the soil (temperature is about 0 degrees). And even if the foliage did not have time to completely turn yellow, pruning should be carried out, focusing precisely on the climatic conditions.
In the middle lane
Since in the regions of the middle zone, the first frosts usually occur in the second half of October, pruning of hosts for the winter in the Moscow region can begin as early as the 20th of September. If a warm Indian summer is expected, the deadline is early October.
In the southern regions
In the Krasnodar Territory, Stavropol Territory, in the North Caucasus and other southern regions, pruning hosts for the winter can start quite late - in mid-October. At the same time, it is not required to spud the bush, mulch, and even more so cover it with fiber.Hosts in most cases tolerate winters well, especially in the climatic conditions of the south.
In Siberia and the Urals
As for Siberia and the Urals, the first frosts here can occur even in the middle or at the end of September. Therefore, if the prognosis is poor, pruning is best done at the beginning of this month. If a warm Indian summer is expected (usually until mid-October), then pruning the hosta for the winter can be done on the 10th of September.
The optimal pruning time is a month before the first frost
How to prune a hosta for the winter
Pruning hosts for the winter is carried out according to generally accepted rules. First, the tools are prepared, then the bush is examined and foliage, branches, and old flowers are removed.
Instrument preparation
To prune the hosta, you can use ordinary garden shears or a pruner that fits comfortably in your hand. It is important to disinfect the blades of the working tool before starting a haircut. To do this, you can use any disinfectant:
- medical spray;
- alcohol wipes;
- rags soaked in potassium permanganate.
Alcohol-containing agents are most often used as compositions for disinfection. It is also allowed to use a weak solution of potassium permanganate 1-2% or kerosene. If you have nothing at hand, you can process it with ordinary vodka.
Trimming is easier with gardening gloves
How to prune hosta flowers
Hosta flowers are cut for the winter immediately after they wither. If not done earlier, the ovaries will form small fruits. Therefore, the plant will begin to give additional nutrients to these processes, including the formation of seeds, which will not be useful later.
Immediately after flowering, it is necessary to completely remove the peduncles (pruning under the base) and discard them. During pruning, you need to gently press the leaves so that they are not damaged. Theoretically, this can be done in the spring. But in this case, the emerging buds can be damaged - and the hosta will give fewer shoots.
After flowering, flower stalks are best removed
How to prune hosta leaves for the winter
It is not necessary to prune the hosta's leaves, because the plant will be good with them too. However, it is allowed to remove multiple shoots. We definitely need to remove weak, dry and damaged branches - they spoil the appearance and also take away the strength of the plant. The haircut is carried out in the standard way - the branches are removed at the root with the help of scissors or secateurs.
At the same time, you should not remove all the shoots at once. If a decision is made to do anti-aging pruning, they can be shortened, leaving 2-3 buds (up to 15 cm high). Then mulch or huddle the bush. In the southern regions and the middle lane (if the winter is predicted to be snowy), this is not necessary.
Caring for hosts after pruning
Regardless of whether the haircut was carried out in the fall or not, the plant should be prepared for winter. This is not difficult to do. First of all, the bush is fed, and the deadline for adding additives is the end of August. In order for the plant to survive the winter well, potassium salt (for example, potassium sulfate) and superphosphates are added.
It is also necessary to ensure good watering by adding 2 buckets in the second half of September, 2-3 weeks before frost. As for mulching and sheltering, this procedure is mandatory in the Urals and Siberia. It is also carried out in the middle lane if the winter is expected to be frosty according to the forecast. Used as mulch:
- needles;
- sawdust;
- hay;
- peat.
In the fall, it is good to huddle the bush, and first loosen the ground in the near-trunk circle so that the air reaches the roots to the maximum.
Conclusion
According to the experience of many gardeners, the hosta needs to be cut off for the winter, and not completely (under the stump), but only partially. Withered peduncles are often removed immediately after flowering. And the yellowed foliage is allowed to be left - together with the snow, it will serve as a natural shelter for the bush.
