Soil

• Hostas thrive in moist well-drained soil. If the soil near your house is sandy or contains a large amount of clay, you may need to add organic matter to your planting area. If you have it available, you might till in a large quantity of well-aged compost or bags of commercially prepared potting soil or topsoil. Adding peat moss can also enhance the water retention capability of the soil. Water the plants on a regular basis, particularly when they are first getting established. Don't over water them; plan instead on increasing the frequency of watering during the hottest part of the growing season. This will prevent them from wilting or developing brown spots on the leaves.
  
  

Plant and Bed Size

• Hostas range in size from miniature varieties that only grow to a height of about four inches to monster specimens, such as Alex Summers Hosta which grows to a height of three feet. Another large hosta type is Blue Angel, with individual leaves as big as three feet wide. If you are a hosta lover who prefers the larger plants, you may need to enlarge your planting space to accommodate them. Also keep in mind that some large hosta varieties may grow to a width of six feet or more. So it may not take many to fill in your designated planting area. The size of the hosta you choose should also be considered when deciding whether to plant them close to the house.
  
  

Planting Location

• Most hosta varieties grow best when they receive either indirect sunlight or the cooler morning light. Many hosta types will turn brown and die if exposed to the hot burning rays of the afternoon sun. Other hosta varieties, such as Patriot or Independence, must be grown in a completely shaded area, but there are some newly developed cultivars, such as August Moon and Dark Star, that are quite sun-tolerant.
  
  The variety of hosta you select may be dependent upon your proposed planting location. It might be wise to ask the nursery or plant dealer for suggestions on which varieties would have the best chance of survival. Typically, a planting area close to the house would be shaded for much of the day, so this may be a good place to plant hosta, so long as you don't choose the side of the house that receives the afternoon sun. Matching the type of hosta with the appropriate planting location is the key to thriving hostas.