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Precipitation in winter......
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Posted by hosta_freak zone6NC (My Page) on Fri, Feb 5, 10 at 12:31
| We're always talking about how hostas like water. Does anyone know how much they are affected by winter water,i.e..snow and rain,sleet,ice? We are having another winter storm here in the Carolinas,and already 2 inches have dropped,rain,and snow mixed. Since hosta are still dormant,this rain can't be affecting root growth,can it? Anyone who knows,please chime in! This has been one of the nastiest winters we have ever had here. Phil |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Precipitation in winter......
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| might be zonal dormant is dormant is dormant... no top growth.. no root growth ... especially up here in the great white north with soil frozen a foot or two down ... drainage is key ... PERHAPS... further down south.. it MIGHT be possible to have a dormant top.. but active root growth.. i suppose like a tree ... but i am not aware of such ... however... think about that old piece of chix in the freezer ... freezer burn .... dessication in winter can be a big issue ... so some moisture in winter is a plus ... especially if any part of the crown .. besides the pips .... is above ground ... e.g. ... when a plant heaves form the ground .... and is left exposed .. it can freeze dry.. like that piece of chix in the freezer [tissue damage] .... too much of this.. and it is just plain old dead.. some available moisture might help it.. for a while ken |
RE: Precipitation in winter......
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| I'm a little farther north than you, Phil, but it is a good thing! It protects them and may give a longer dormancy, and you will probably have a great hosta year next year! Think of all those beautiful hosta gardens in zone 4, 5, and 6! |
RE: Precipitation in winter......
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| Good luck to you Phil, it will probably be fine since you're not likely to get a huge cold snap are you? My sister (in the pacific north west) said yesterday she has eyes coming up already. This is early even for her but since she will probably not have any extreme cold from now on it should be fine. She grows lots of her hostas in barrels and large plant pots. She hasn't lost one yet. Here in central BC we've had the weirdest winter I have seen in 20 years. We've had basically no snow. After an early and very sudden heavy frost in October it's been unusually mild. I've been looking outside at bare ground since Dec. and holding myself back from doing a clean up. Something is going to have to protect those plants if we get any more very cold weather which is certainly not out of the question. I've had places where rain puddled and created lakes over some plants then froze. I just hope they all stay asleep for a while. Myrle |
RE: Precipitation in winter......
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| Thanks,everyone! I just hope it will be a "normal" spring,this year. We've had freezes in April for the last three years,after many hostas were leafed out. I have a collection of cardboard boxes in my garage,that I am going to assemble,if we have another one. Hopefully,we will have a good spring,and if so,it will be an excellent hosta year! Myrle,we keep having cold snaps this winter,with another chance for more winter weather this coming Tuesday. I am so tired of winter!! Phil |
RE: Precipitation in winter......
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| I was wondering about that too, because some plants don't do well with wet conditions in the winter. It makes them rot. Does anyone know if that's the case with hostas? Deanna |
RE: Precipitation in winter......
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| I hope all the precip is good for the little darlings because mine are buried right now under 2 FEET of snow! Already in December we had a 10 inch snowfall, then one a little more normal last week, just 6 inches and Tuesday night we are getting more! I hope my babies are snug as a bug and fast asleep because I don't expect to see anything of them for many, many long weeks! chris in Maryland |
RE: Precipitation in winter......
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| Boy, I'm with Chris. I hope the almost two feet we have and the coming snow on Tuesday don't make for too wet conditions. I will be sick if everything I planted rots because of the huge amount of snow this winter. Of course, I have already ordered more for spring, so I will be able to start over, I suppose-lol. Cynthia |
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