How to let them get the blues

thy · Post by **thy** » Apr 16, 2007 4:54 pm

I have Moonligh Sonate and Deanes Dream in a lot of sun, DD get more or less all day sun- up north

But I don't think they are as blue as can be, so what to do ?

Last time I had that problem was with Regal Splendor growing in a very shaded area, after I moved it to a very sunny area it got the blue color..

Do some blue hostas need sun for developing the blue coat and other shade

Reason I want to find a medium/ large hosta to put in the shade. A new one will be too darn slow in that area, so I want to transplant one allready in the garden

Pia

barbara · Post by **barbara** » Apr 16, 2007 5:10 pm

more sun, more wax, more blue. with more sun, should be more water. but both those hostas you name, aren't the best blues, though DD maybe more so than MS. Also meant to say that some develop better color the older they get, so it could also become a waiting game.

thy · Post by **thy** » Apr 16, 2007 5:22 pm

Hej Barb

Think they are 3 or 4 years old, both are in huge containers... nice ceramic pots... I saw your pic - I think - on HL... how much sun does it get

barbara · Post by **barbara** » Apr 16, 2007 5:28 pm

Pic of which one Pia? I don't have too many pictures @ the H.L., but not sure which I do have

In general, my plants grow in lots of sun.

thy · Post by **thy** » Apr 16, 2007 5:51 pm

Sorry.. ought to have been of an other blue I have looked at during the evening.. none of yours on those ones.. but one of Kents

Pia

I knowthey are not the most blue hostas but it seems like some folks can get more wax on them than I have got so far...
And I want them as blue as possible.. even if I have to go with a green one for that spot... then I just need to hire someone to move the pots

Barb.what is your latitude ? and are you close to see level or in a mountain area ?

Pia

Wanda · Post by **Wanda** » Apr 16, 2007 5:56 pm

Pia: If growth is really slow in the shade area, I would pot up 3-4 hosta, put one in the shady spot, then every couple weeks switch it with one of the other potted hosta. That way you can have a hosta there without retarding the growth of any of them. They do this with potted plants in large office buildings over here - the plant service will bring in new plants every week or two and take the ones that were there back to their greenhouses to recover from the less than optimal conditions. No reason this can’t work outdoors, too!

I have lots of shade, and all my blue hosta are much more blue than others I have seen elsewhere. I couldn’t even ID my Krossa Regal hosta until I had them for a couple years and finally saw one in similar shade conditions - mine are such a light frosty aqua color while all the others I had seen elsewhere were a definite medium teal color. The only time I lose the blue is if temps are really hot for an extended period or we get a hard driving rain for a long time.

wanda

thy · Post by **thy** » Apr 16, 2007 6:18 pm

That's interesting.. more blue in shade.. think I start to get cnfused

The rotation with potted ones could be an idea

The shade is from a solid fence so it is only getting a couple of hours early morning sun in summer time, but it is bright, no trees or other things

One of the things confusing me is. This years window box hosta have been Blue Ice, it survived the first winther perfect and have 2 eyes now... my kichen window only et a few hours of sun and it is the most perfect powdery blue..

Do blue hostas reacht different or....

Please add to the confusion

newtohosta-no more · Post by **newtohosta-no more** » Apr 16, 2007 6:48 pm

I'm confused also. I thought the blues preferred the shade and would have more blue in the shade? Doesn't the sun melt off the waxy blue covering?

barbara · Post by **barbara** » Apr 16, 2007 6:55 pm

Maybe its different up North

I do know when I grew a bunch in full shade, they lacked color. As I lost trees, and they were in full sun, or at best high shade, but still in full sun high noon, I compensated by watering more, and the hostas responded with better color, inc. the blues. I still have some in shadier areas, but nowhere near as blue as those in sun. I think it was in 2001 there was a good article or 2 in the Hosta Journal about this.

barbara · Post by **barbara** » Apr 16, 2007 7:12 pm

Pia, latitude 45.0465 *N.

200 ft. or less above sea level (according to Google)

John · Post by **John** » Apr 16, 2007 7:25 pm

My blues are definitely bluer in more shade. And a shady location under trees provides protection for the waxiness from the elements.

Wanda · Post by **Wanda** » Apr 16, 2007 7:26 pm

Pia: It is confusing...I first learned about the “blue” of hosta when I wanted to buy one of the stately waxy-looking, smoky-golden hosta with deeply cupped leaves a grower had planted in a field in full sun. I didn’t believe him when he told me it was Love Pat!!! I didn’t know much about hosta then but I KNEW Love Pat was supposed to be blue (hehe).

I think it really depends on individual conditions...there are so many variables!

wanda

thy · Post by **thy** » Apr 16, 2007 7:41 pm

55°24'30.94"N here, so my sun is even weaker (sp), but my summer days are longer ...LOL

Most blue I have in full sun is Camelot, in half sun it is Hadspen Blue and in full shade Halcyon... Blue Mouse Ears are more blue in full sun than in shde and half shade
Halcyon is more green than blue in full sun

An 2001 article... at that time I had just figured out I didn't have them all

So please refere

... if you have the time

Help me/us out ...

John · Post by **John** » Apr 16, 2007 9:45 pm

thy, the difference might be morning sun, versus afternoon sun. That is, an eastern exposure might be better for blues than stronger afternoon sun in the west.

thy · Post by **thy** » Apr 18, 2007 4:47 pm

Thinking, thinking, thinking....

Something is strange

My Camelot is as blue as possible.. at least I think so

My Elvis Lives are a bit more blue on the half that get full sun, than on the half somewhat shadet by a tree trunk but my June is ( as everybodys) way more green in full sun

and deep dusty blue in nearly full shade

Some one please explain

I just want my Deane's Dream to look like Kents pic on the HL

John · Post by **John** » Apr 18, 2007 8:47 pm

thy, the photos on the Hosta Library of any given hosta show a very wide variation of color; sometimes it is hard to determine which if any is true. Perhaps the other photo of 'Deane's Dream' is closer?

Hank Zumach · Post by **Hank Zumach** » Apr 18, 2007 9:06 pm

HI--It is my understanding that the blue coloring is caused in significant part by a waxy coating on the leaves. The more sun and heat the plant is exposed to, the more the wax will be removed from the leaves. So, some plants that are blue in the early part of the season may turn more green as the season progresses. Another way the waxy substance can show off is if you rub your fingers over a leaf when it is hot out. You will be able to see the marks your fingers made.

DBoweMD · Post by **DBoweMD** » Apr 19, 2007 8:54 am

I have also heard that more light will produce more wax. More heat will melt it away. So I think the trick is to grow them in really bright shade where it doesn't get too hot. Morning sun also fits the bill.

eastwood2007 · Post by **eastwood2007** » Apr 19, 2007 11:36 am

I have two 'Love Pat' that I bought from the same batch at the same time. One is planted in an area that gets very little direct sunlight, but has high bright shade. The other one is planted where it gets quite a bit of afternoon sun. The difference in the way they grow is a good experiment. The one in the sun was very green and got a little scorched. The one in the shade was so dark blue it nearly looked black. I wish I had taken a pic. I am anxious to see what it does this year. I am going to move the one in the spot that is too sunny, maybe, as it got damaged by freeze.

barbara · Post by **barbara** » Apr 19, 2007 1:42 pm

for Pia, found a picture from 2005 of Deannes Dream. BTW, quite a few seedlings from it have a nice blue to them also.