Generally hostas don't do well in a warm climate. California has many zones and although I am unsuccessful at growing them here in zone 10, you will likely do quite well in your zone 8.

I have many Hosta both in the ground and in containers. I am sorry to hear they are not doing well, as I am quite pleased with them. Al

Too funny, Al!

I grow Hostas in the San Jose area that do just fine as well...as long as I remember to bait for snails and slugs, which seems to be the biggest problem with growing them.

wanda

plantas:

I have seen them tried in many parts of California. They are happy in Northern California where not only do they get somewhat more cold, they get much better soil quality and better water quality than So. California. The latter two qualities may be most important for good hosta growth.

As Mikey stated, there are many zones in California. You might live in a zone that is not only cold enough but also has good soil and water -- and a lack of snails (the ultimate hosta menance).

Joe

I have them in zone 9/14 (Sacramento). They return every year, bigger than before. Just don't allow them to receive afternoon sun--mine do and they end up pretty fried. I keep telling myself I should relocate them but I still haven't done it.

I have them in the Napa Valley. In shady protected areas. I plant in large tub sunken in the soil to keep the gophers at bay. They bloom beautifully.

Penny

After reading this thread, I think I might try Hostas in my front bed under the bay windows since I'm still not happy with the way it looks.

At this time of the year most hosta are completely gone. For this reason I don't plant them in a highly visable location. A better choice for the same type exposure is Daphne which looks good all year and is just coming into bloom now. Al

I was going to post a similar comment to Al's, that hosta are definitely perennials here. They turn into slimy puddles for winter so it might be better to plant them where you are already happy with a design and their purpose is to enhance rather than complete.

everybody tells me i can't grow hostas. what if i grow them in pots and keep them cool and out of the sun in the winter? what if i refrigerate them for a month in the winter?

Here is a link that might be useful: Endangered Species

Sunnibel17, we are in northern California, where the winter cold average lowest temperature is about 25 degrees. I would never put them in the freezer. In so. cal. many hostas will do OK in your climate, you need to do a little research to find which will do best. Your GardenWeb member setting will not allow emailing you direct. Al

They have never lived long enough to bother with in my location. Not due to the heat but due to the bad soil here in my area. We have boron in our soil that many plants do not like. I should say the amount of boron is what some plants are sensitive to

I see them in the nurseries here in So. CA and have successfully grown them in my shade garden which gets a couple hours of morning sun. They disappear in the winter and come back in the spring. While I like them, it's very, very difficult to compete with the slugs and possibly other insects who like them too. I gave up this past spring and yanked them. I'm not one bit sorry and will not miss them.

Wow this is an old thread! My hostas didn't last more than a couple winters...but then I became a rather stingy summer water-er too, and through trial and error I learned that there is pretty much no spot in my yard that is TRUE full shade, and in the shadiest part my camellia and sun azalea burn.

just saw a program from England talking about using a garlic wash on Hostas, made from garlic bulbs for snails and lsugs . Seems to work for those nurserymen. Anyone tried it?

Just bought a bunch of Hosta rhizomes from Costco. Not sure how they’ll do in the shade in Oakland, but will give them a try. Anyone in Bay Area with much experience?

They will probably do OK, don't let them dry out and protect from snails.

Some varieties need more winter chill to be happy... I have my best luck growing them in pots.

Yup, watch out for the snails. I think they have their radar set for any hosta within a block of them.

Thanks, just pick off the snails and slugs, or put something around the plant?

If you have slugs and snails, then you must bait for them!! They can decimate a hosta overnight and are often not visible during the daytime hours at all. I grow all of my hostas in containers so I can keep them out of the reach of deer (I place them close to the house where the deer do not venture). But also because I live in the slug and snail capitol of the universe!! And containers are not much of a deterrent to these mollusks so I bait my containers with Sluggo on a routine basis.

I don't find that other deterrents - diatomaceous earth, copper banding, eggshells or coffee grounds, etc. - have any significant effectiveness.

I know this is late, I live vallejo I hooked hostas I everywhere I didn't luck I have tried for years until now