Green Eyes is a wonderful tiny hosta with yellow green leaves that have dark green edging. (Picture provided by Clyde Crockett from American Hosta Society) Another narrow leaved hosta with green and white leaves is Stiletto. I am also growing Green Elf, Rock Princess, Chartreuse Wiggles, Tiny Tears, and Little Jim in the same trough.
Basic Care
Dwarf Hostas are the perfect perennial to brighten up a shady trough garden. They have leaves that range in color from solid green, bluegreen, or gold to leaves streaked with white or cream splotches, or with multiple shades of green. Their white to purple flowers are born on scapes which can reach 2 feet or more in height. Flowering time may begin as early as June and end as late as October in the North.
Planting
Prepare the trough with plenty of organic matter mixed in the soil. When planting hostas grown in nursery containers, plant them at the same level in the ground as they were in the container. If planting bareroot plants, dig a hole big enough to allow the roots to spread out naturally. Build a mound in the center and place the crown of the plant here, spreading the roots out down the sides of the mound. Most dwarf hostas form clumps only a few inches in diameter. Trough gardens dry out quicker than other gardens so be sure to keep them watered every 2 days or so or even daily during dry weather. Use a finely chipped bark mulch which looks better in a trough than normal sized pieces of mulch. If necessary, sift out the smaller pieces from a bag of mulch. The mulch helps to avoid weeds in the bed, protects the roots from high air temperatures, and conserves moisture.
Nutrition
Feed your plants liquid manure tea, or organic manure, and grass clippings (weed free only). Fertilizers are labeled with the percentage of N-K-P. Hostas need a high level of N (nitrogen) for good stem and leaf development. K (potassium) helps the plants develop strong leaves which are more resistant to disease while P (phosphorous) helps build a good root system. Fertilize when you plant them and again in the spring. During the summer, using a foliar fertilizer helps meet the nutritional needs of the plants.
