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From the Chilton County Master Gardeners

The Chilton County Master Gardeners held their monthly meeting on Aug. 13 at the Clanton Recreation Center on Lay Dam Road. The guest speaker was Bionca Lindsey from the Autauga County Master Gardeners Association. Lindsey has an Advanced Master Gardener Certification in all things Hostas. She provided a thorough and entertaining presentation on Hostas. Hostas are the number one selling perennial. Hostas are considered a shrub, require very little sunlight and they like to be moist and well drained.

A Hosta blooms late in the spring, though fall with flower colors from purple, white and lavender. A Hostas’ hardiness zone is from three to nine, but the dormant cold time helps Hostas come back in the spring with fullness. Lindsey presented pictures of Hostas in a northern climate area with large leaves that we would not see in our southern climate. However, Hostas do grow in a Chilton County 7B climate and come back and bloom in their glory. Hostas are a hardy perennial and shade tolerant shrub.

“But don’t be fooled in the winter when you can’t see the plant any longer”, Lindsey said.  “That Hosta is dormant and will surface in the spring. If your Hosta is in a pot, don’t bring it indoors. It needs that cold winter weather as part of its growth in preparation for spring.”

Winter care or “Sleep Time” for the Hostas — Hostas need four to six weeks of temperatures below 40 degrees for an appropriate winter sleep, and cover the newly-planted Hostas with an extra layer of leaves or mulch.

A Hosta plant has different foliage from solid green, yellow, variegated and thin leaves. The best time to divide a Hosta is during the spring, but they can be divided at any time. They are very hardy plants. It is important to divide Hostas in the shade and make sure they get water soon after.

Great reference sources for Hostas include — The Hosta Library, http://www.hostalibrary.org and The Hosta Dictionary, https//americanhostasociety.org/hosta.dictionary.

 

How do I become a Master Gardener?  

You will participate in the Alabama Extension Master Gardener Training Course and complete volunteer hours. Contact the Chilton County Extension Office at 205-280-6268 for more information about dates, times, cost, etc.

Do I need to know how to garden to become a Master Gardener?  No, you will take an online and in person comprehensive course that will teach the details of many areas of gardening (soil, trees, flowers, shrubs and propagation). The classes are taught by Auburn University professors and Extension Home Grounds agents. Participants do lab activities and hands-on work. The Alabama Master Gardener Handbook and other reliable resources for reference are provided.

The public is welcome to visit the Chilton County Master Gardeners for their monthly program held on the second Tuesday of each month at 9 a.m. at the Clanton Recreation Center (305 Lay Dam Road). Our next meeting will be Sept. 10, and we hope you will join us.