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magdalo_310

Brother Stefan

magdalo_310
9 years ago

Hello everyone! I'm new here. Just bought a small Brother Stefan (4 leaves). I don't want to mess up this beauty so I need advice from our experts where should I plant it. Morning sun? Afternoon sun? Complete shade? Any information greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

Comments (8)

  • josephines167 z5 ON Canada
    9 years ago

    Welcome to the forum, Magdalo! Are you new to hosta? If so, you've entered at great risk! You just might find yourself accumulating more at a brisk pace! Lol

    I don't own (yet) this beautiful hosta but it would be helpful to others to know which zone you live in when they are replying. I am in zone 5, Ontario, Canada. :-)

    Enjoy planting!

    Jo

  • leafwatcher
    9 years ago

    Personally I don't like direct sun location during the middle of the day.. Probably morning sun is the best? but possibly it doesn't promote as much growth as good watering and midday sun.

    Brother Stephan is a goodie...

    And of course as mentioned above Midday sun varies greatly by location ! zone 5 rules ! hahahah

    This post was edited by leafwatcher on Thu, Jul 10, 14 at 21:37

  • mbug_gw
    9 years ago

    Mine gets some afternoon sun in zone 6. Suffered some burning when I first put it in this location last year but it definitely helped it's growth. This year no burning at all....so far.
    Beautiful hosta....good luck with yours

  • lavendargrrl
    9 years ago

    Mine gets some late morning and early afternoon dappled light beside this giant oak tree.

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    9 years ago

    all hosta are heavy water users ....

    which loosely translates into having a hard time.. in the high heat of the day.. pumping enough water.. to avoid leaf burn ...

    which is why it is suggested to avoid afternoon sun ...

    they are also shade TOLERANT ... as compared to needing shade ... DEPENDING WHERE YOU ARE ... and you fail to tell us .. obviously.. the further south you go.. the more sun protection it will need ...

    i also think.. it has something to do.. with how cool it gets at night... call it a recovery period ... a period to suck up some water for tomorrows onslaught ..... and again ... the further south you go.. the hotter the nights stay.. for a longer season ...

    the biggest problem with hosta ... which can actually live on the driveway ... is what trees you are planting under.. some are friendly.. others arent ... but that again.. has to do with how much water the competitive trees will allow the hosta to get ...

    welcome to GW ...

    ken

  • User
    9 years ago

    Here in zone 9a south Alabama, I mostly keep my hosta in pots. That way I can fine tune their locations as the long summer wears on and the heat and humidity take their toll.

    With my Brother Stefan, I have it where it gets morning sun, then some of the last rays of afternoon sun. It is basically beneath a huge camellia tree. I water that area about every other day unless we've had a heavy downpour.

    If you do not know where to put it just now, and the pot it is in looks to be roomy enough for it, move it around until you find the best spot where you can view it and keep an eye on when it needs water. Which in a pot could be every day....

    Again, your gardening zone has a lot to do with the options available to you. Keeping it looking pretty in zone 3 or 4 is much easier because the sun is not shining down with the hot rays it gives to zones a lot further south.

    Think about the tan you get while on vacation in the tropics, and how hard it is to tan in Canada, same goes for the plants.

    You made a fine choice in hosta there with Brother Stefan. It is an outstanding grower, and one of my favorites too.
    Here is one of two BroStef in my garden, taken at twilight. The green plant beside it was probably a "sport" from tissue culture, and I separated it from the variegated eyes.

  • magdalo_310
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thank you for all the informative replies. I'm from Chicago, IL and I'm just on my first year with hostas. I do have several such as Paul's Glory, Guacamole, Stained Glass, Golden Tiara, Emerald Tiara, Blue Cadet, Blue Mouse Ears, Spritzer, Allegan Fog, Masquerade, High Society, and Heart & Soul. Most are already planted around the yard and around the house but the tiny ones are in pots and kept indoors beside the windows. I also have giants on the way such as Titanic, Parhelion, and Blue Angel that I'll be placing on the east side of my garage.
    Guys, your Brother Stefans all look stunning! Based on your photos, sunlight is indeed a factor when it comes to its coloring. Watering is undoubtedly very important, especially during hot days. Can't wait for my tiny Stefan to mature like yours.
    @MBug, your Brother Stefan looks really nice beside the smaller Golden Tiara.
    @Lavandargrrl, I wish I also had an Oak tree in my yard. How old is your Brother Stefan?
    @Moccasinlanding, those two are equally beautiful! I believe that is the first Stefan "sport" I have seen. Keeping hostas in pots is a smart idea. Will my larger hostas survive indoors during winter?
    Attache is a pic of Paul's Glory (my favorite, so far). Started out with about 7 leaves last May. Now, it has bloomed and doubled in size!

  • leafwatcher
    9 years ago

    Your Hosta NEED to go thru the winter outside to prepare for the next year.. Many of us got burned that had them in pots outside last year.. The ground is safest for the wintering...