I have a dilemma; I have a rock garden in my side yard where I’m trying to create a hosta garden because it gets a fair amount of shade but…

the rocks keep collapsing in on my hosta plants when it rains (or snows) and some smaller rocks even collapse in on the plants when I water.

Hostas are hardy plants, but they don’t like hot rocks around their feet.  The leaves get burned, the stalks struggle and my plants haven’t been growing to their full size.

I decided to create my own contraption to help keep the rocks from collapsing in; I took this pot that I think I bought at the dollar store last summer,

Plant protectors, hosta rings, rings for around the base of plants, rock garden rings

and cut it into rings with my table saw (wear protective gear and be careful!)

Plant protectors, hosta rings, rings for around the base of plants, rock garden rings

I even took the water reservoir from the bottom of the pot and cut the centre out.

Plant protectors, hosta rings, rings for around the base of plants, rock garden rings

I know, my plant protectors aren’t pretty – but you won’t see them.

My hostas are still early in their growth, so it was pretty easy to pull the leaves up through my new plant protectors and shimmy the rocks out-of-the-way.

Plant protectors, hosta rings, rings for around the base of plants, rock garden rings

I wasn’t able to bury my hosta rings because of having landscape fabric underneath, but I think the rocks will hold them in place.

Plant protectors, hosta rings, rings for around the base of plants, rock garden rings

I should have taken before photos so you could see how my little hosta leaves were struggling to climb through the rocks.  Now they have space to grow and the hot rocks won’t touch them.

Plant protectors, hosta rings, rings for around the base of plants, rock garden rings

The hosta leaves fall naturally and all but hide the plant protector rings underneath.

Plant protectors, hosta rings, rings for around the base of plants, rock garden rings

With a bit of growing room still available.

Plant protectors, hosta rings, rings for around the base of plants, rock garden rings

I can’t say that my plant protectors / hosta rings are a big success yet – but I have high hopes that this might solve my problem.

Plant protectors, hosta rings, rings for around the base of plants, rock garden rings

Plant protectors, hosta rings, rings for around the base of plants, rock garden rings

One dollar store plastic pot made four hosta rings that are 3″ tall.  As a side-note, I did look into metal options because it would have been easier to bury the base, but copper rings only come in 0.1″ thickness (which my large river rocks would crush immediately) and aluminum is harmful to plants.  I contemplated using my concrete form remnant, and while it would have been sturdy, it wouldn’t have survived the weather and I’d be back to square one again next Spring.

I’m hoping these plant protectors don’t leach BPA or anything, but since we don’t eat the hostas, I’m willing to overlook the potential hazard. (Pretty sure eating hostas would kill you way before the BPA did) lol

Simple solution that might work in your garden too.  Use a larger pot and only cut the base off, then cut a single slice to seam it and use it to protect the base of trees or small shrubs.

Come on my little greenies!  Grow for Momma!

Happy Memorial Day weekend!

 

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2 Responses

  1. The really easy answer to this hosta problem? Plant them where they like to be – then you don’t have to do this sort of thing! (Sorry – just my opinion)