Hi! This is my first post on the forums. I'm Melissa. This is the third season I've been collecting hosta. Currently, I have about 250 or so different varieties. Comparatively, I have a small sun garden as well. I love gardening and find it to be my solace. Anway.....
I just acquired Spritzer thru a trade. And because of its unique coloring, I want to site it in the best possible location.
Here are my choices:
1. Full shade,
2. Full shade, light dappled sun
3. 2 hours morning sun, otherwise shade
4. Morning shade, afternoon dappled sun
5. Full sun
Please let me know which one will give Spritzer its best coloring.
Also, just curious, at this time of year, would it be normal for the leaves to be nearly solid in color?
TIA,
Melissa
Where to site Spritzer?
Moderators: ViolaAnn, redcrx, Chris_W
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ThisIsMelissa
- Posts: 140
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- USDA Zone: 4a
- Location: Southern Twin Cities, MN
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Where to site Spritzer?
Melissa's Hosta Lists
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PS: Hubby and I are hoping to ADOPT & we need your help.
If you hear of someone considering placing a baby for adoption, please refer them to us: Our Adoption Blog
My gardening blog
PS: Hubby and I are hoping to ADOPT & we need your help.
If you hear of someone considering placing a baby for adoption, please refer them to us: Our Adoption Blog
Re: Where to site Spritzer?
welcome to Hallson's!!!
where all answers are helpful... nothing like
"its best color will be shown.....
if you plant it roots down in the ground.. rather than the other way ... "
like you might run into in other locales!
Here I'm jgh... but some folks know me as Idiot He... good to have you here!
where all answers are helpful... nothing like
"its best color will be shown.....
if you plant it roots down in the ground.. rather than the other way ... "
like you might run into in other locales!
Here I'm jgh... but some folks know me as Idiot He... good to have you here!
-
ThisIsMelissa
- Posts: 140
- Joined: Jul 30, 2009 4:39 pm
- USDA Zone: 4a
- Location: Southern Twin Cities, MN
- Contact:
Re: Where to site Spritzer?
PPPBBLLLLLHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!jgh wrote:welcome to Hallson's!!!
where all answers are helpful... nothing like
"its best color will be shown.....
if you plant it roots down in the ground.. rather than the other way ... "
like you might run into in other locales!
Here I'm jgh... but some folks know me as Idiot He... good to have you here!
Melissa's Hosta Lists
My gardening blog
PS: Hubby and I are hoping to ADOPT & we need your help.
If you hear of someone considering placing a baby for adoption, please refer them to us: Our Adoption Blog
My gardening blog
PS: Hubby and I are hoping to ADOPT & we need your help.
If you hear of someone considering placing a baby for adoption, please refer them to us: Our Adoption Blog
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hostanquilts
- Posts: 623
- Joined: Oct 09, 2001 8:00 pm
- USDA Zone: 5
- Location: Central Illinois
- Contact:
Re: Where to site Spritzer?
Welcome to Hallson's, Mine gets morning sun & seems to do good there. I don't know if it makes a lot of difference as long as it doesn't get a lot of hot afternoon sun that might burn it.
Jan
"Friends are angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble
remembering how to fly."
My Hosta List
"Friends are angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble
remembering how to fly."
My Hosta List
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Chris_W
- Administrator
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Re: Where to site Spritzer?
Hi Melissa,
I don't have Spritzer myself, so don't know for sure if this holds true, but a lot of times the ones that come up bright yellow in the spring aren't as sun tolerant as those that come up green and turn yellow later. So I would avoid scenarios 4 and 5 with this one. The other 3 would probably be fine though.
By the way, Spritzer earned a bit of a bad name for some unusual spotting that it can get, and in Mark Zilis' Hosta Handbook he even devoted a whole page to the so-called Spritzer virus. However, testing of Spritzer has revealed that the odd spotting was not actually viral and was likely some environmental cause that this particular plant is sensitive to. Three plants I grow which are related to Spritzer have shown the odd spotting in the past, all during seasons where I had freezing, snowy weather after the plants had fully leafed out. Those relatives are Green Fountain, Moon Shadow, and Ginsu Knife. The spots, to me, looked almost like snowflake patterns - the crystalline damage wasn't from an outright freeze, but rather cold, wet snow at 32 degrees.
Anyway, good luck with your hosta, and welcome to Hallson's
Chris
I don't have Spritzer myself, so don't know for sure if this holds true, but a lot of times the ones that come up bright yellow in the spring aren't as sun tolerant as those that come up green and turn yellow later. So I would avoid scenarios 4 and 5 with this one. The other 3 would probably be fine though.
By the way, Spritzer earned a bit of a bad name for some unusual spotting that it can get, and in Mark Zilis' Hosta Handbook he even devoted a whole page to the so-called Spritzer virus. However, testing of Spritzer has revealed that the odd spotting was not actually viral and was likely some environmental cause that this particular plant is sensitive to. Three plants I grow which are related to Spritzer have shown the odd spotting in the past, all during seasons where I had freezing, snowy weather after the plants had fully leafed out. Those relatives are Green Fountain, Moon Shadow, and Ginsu Knife. The spots, to me, looked almost like snowflake patterns - the crystalline damage wasn't from an outright freeze, but rather cold, wet snow at 32 degrees.
Anyway, good luck with your hosta, and welcome to Hallson's
Chris
Re: Where to site Spritzer?
I've had Spritzer for about 20 years, and it's an excellent variety. It will take everything from full shade to about 3/4 sun, and will hold it's color better in more light. Mine never gets much direct sun, but does receive lots of light in it's current location, and it's still showing very nice coloration, although somewhat muted from the spring. I've also seen Spritzers that turned solid green very early, so try to find one from a clump that's known to hold it's color longer. My Spritzer is also planted under mature cedar trees, one of the worst possible places to plant a hosta--even more problematic than pines or maples. It still does well, even in those years when I don't do a lot of supplemental watering.
Spritzer is always one of the last hostas standing in the fall, often lasting several weeks longer than anything else. Pests don't seem to bother it at all in my garden, and it doesn't tatter or burn, so it's pristine all season. It also makes a good breeder, passing on it's lovely cascading leaf habit to it's offspring. I've seen a great many Spritzers over the years, and have never seen a case of Spritzer Virus. I believe Chris is correct in attributing this to environmental factors. My Spritzer has looked good every year for 20 years, and I consider it to be one of the bullet proof hostas.
Spritzer is always one of the last hostas standing in the fall, often lasting several weeks longer than anything else. Pests don't seem to bother it at all in my garden, and it doesn't tatter or burn, so it's pristine all season. It also makes a good breeder, passing on it's lovely cascading leaf habit to it's offspring. I've seen a great many Spritzers over the years, and have never seen a case of Spritzer Virus. I believe Chris is correct in attributing this to environmental factors. My Spritzer has looked good every year for 20 years, and I consider it to be one of the bullet proof hostas.
Re: Where to site Spritzer?
Mine was first planted very close to a maple, with all those feeder roots, and dry shade. I moved it, because it OUTGREW its spot!
Now it is under a spruce tree, in a raised bed, where it receives morning sun, then shade. Your #3 scenario. It is thriving very nicely. Just beginning to come into bloom now, with really awesome-looking flower buds.
The color holds up for me, but of course is most intense in early spring.
I think your Spritzer will be obliging, wherever you need it!
Now it is under a spruce tree, in a raised bed, where it receives morning sun, then shade. Your #3 scenario. It is thriving very nicely. Just beginning to come into bloom now, with really awesome-looking flower buds.
The color holds up for me, but of course is most intense in early spring.
I think your Spritzer will be obliging, wherever you need it!
Re: Where to site Spritzer?
Mine is planted in a spot that did get quite a bit of filtered midday sun, and I thought it still did. Though I'm rarely there at midday to know for sure. Anyway the centers did green up but still stayed lighter than the margins. This year they've seemed to be about the same color for the last couple of months at least. I like it better with more light.