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How to Grow Hostas Indoors

Hostas, otherwise known as plantain lilies, come in a variety of sizes and leaf colors. Hostas can tolerate shade and can grow indoors or outdoors in the shady part of the garden. Growing hostas indoors is not complicated if you meet the necessary growing conditions. Following these conditions is necessary to guarantee success. Soon, you will have a prolific growth of hostas that you can enjoy all year.

Planting Seeds

Plant the seeds in shallow pots or flats with drainage holes. Using shallow pots helps to prevent over-watering.

  • Hostas, otherwise known as plantain lilies, come in a variety of sizes and leaf colors.
  • Growing hostas indoors is not complicated if you meet the necessary growing conditions.

Choose your potting soil with the knowledge that hostas like soil with plenty of organics mixed in. Adding organics such as peat moss help to maintain a loose soil and provide good water retention. Use a sterile soil mixture. Most garden soils will not do because they encourage fungus growth. Sterilize the soil by microwaving it on high for two minutes or purchase a ready-mix soil with bio-fungicide to ensure success.

Spread the soil mix 3/4 of the way to the top of the flat and moisten it. Sow the seeds and lightly sprinkle more mix over the seed. Sow the seeds at least 4 inches apart to give them enough space to grow. Gently tamp down the soil mix.

  • Choose your potting soil with the knowledge that hostas like soil with plenty of organics mixed in.
  • Sterilize the soil by microwaving it on high for two minutes or purchase a ready-mix soil with bio-fungicide to ensure success.

Water gently using a mist sprayer.

Cover the pot with a dome or plastic wrap and keep watch until the seeds start to sprout.

Put the pots under the fluorescent lamp as soon as you see the seeds come up or germinate. Hang the at least 10 inches above the pots. Provide at least eight hours of light per day and use a low-voltage light to reduce the heat.

Apply a gentle mist of water regularly to prevent the seeds from drying out.

Prevent growth of molds by spraying a light mist of fungicide mixed with water. Choose a systemic fungicide product, which enters the cells of plants to solve mildew problems. This is effective when there are fewer contaminations with the fungus bacteria spores on the growing materials.

  • Water gently using a mist sprayer.
  • Apply a gentle mist of water regularly to prevent the seeds from drying out.

Growing Hostas

Water hostas once in the day and again at night during the warmer months to prevent them from drying out. Hostas are heavy feeders by nature.

Fertilize your hostas well with slow-release fertilizer granules to counteract the nutrients lost from watering. Apply fertilizer containing 10-10-10 (nitrogen - potassium - phosphorus) ratios three to four times per year.

Repot your hostas every two or three years to provide more room for the roots to spread. Choose a pot twice the size of the plant to give them room to grow.

Divide your hostas when potting to decrease the size of the plant. Doing so will give you more plants to enjoy.

  • Water hostas once in the day and again at night during the warmer months to prevent them from drying out.
  • Repot your hostas every two or three years to provide more room for the roots to spread.

Provide fresh soil when you repot, and disentangle the roots. Make sure the roots are free to extend straight out from the crown without bending or folding.

Place the pot near a window to get enough natural light, and avoid directly placing them in direct sunlight or against a window that generates too much heat.

Tip

Hostas can tolerate light, but the heat they cannot tolerate.

Warning

Do not use incandescent light bulbs as these can cause drying or wilting.

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