We are currently open by appointment and for special events. You can call 618.830.5929 or email at info@hostasonthebluff.com to set up a time for a visit.

If you are flexible and enjoy the company of other garden lovers, we have several weekends during the season when we are open for sales. No need to make appointments for these…just come on out!  Click here to see a list of our Events

There are a couple of ways that you can make purchases:

1. You can come out and see us and buy your plants directly from us. We accept Cash, Check, PayPal or Credit/Debit Cards.
2. Check out our Online Shop and make a purchase from the comfort of your living room or your favorite spot in the garden. Simply add your favorite Hostas to your cart and choose delivery or local pickup. If choosing local pickup, you can pay online or when you pickup, just call ahead and we will have your order all ready for you when you get here.

We do have some select flowers that we will be selling during our local events.  Currently we only offer Hostas on our online shop.  Make sure to see us and you might be surprised and delighted with what you find.

We are currently able to ship anywhere in the lower 48 states!  Hostas are capable of surviving in Zones 3-9, however, you can always check with your local university extension office or local nursery to make sure Hostas are suited for your region of the country.  Hostas that are grown in Zone 3 or Zone 9 will need some extra care as these zones fall at the extreme ends of the Hostas ideal environments.  Click here to see USDA Zones

Most of our shipping is done through the USPS and our charges are based on the current rate set at the local post office. However, the more plants you buy, we are able to send each plant a slightly cheaper rate because can combine multiple Hostas into the same box.

We will begin shipping orders in April or as soon as weather permits. We want to make sure our hostas are healthy and strong before sending them on their journey. We will ship them throughout the season until the end of September. Orders can be placed at anytime (including winter) and shipments will go out as soon as we can assess our hostas. The sooner you place your order, the better the chance of getting the variety you want because some of these guys go fast.

If you are shopping in person, they are sold in pots grown directly from the farm. You are welcome to pick them out or we can do it for you.

If you are having them shipped, they will come without soil and packaged in ideal conditions for them to complete their journey. Please give us a call if you have any questions on this process.

Currently we do not accept returns on any of our hostas that are shipped or sold locally. However, if we made a mistake with your order, please notify us immediately and we will work with you to correct it.

If you need to cancel your online order, you can contact us within 24 hours of placing your order and we will cancel and refund your order promptly.

While there is no definitive way of keeping deer away (those little stinkers!), there are several options to help prevent them:

•  A fence. It needs to be 8′ to 10′ high to prevent deer from jumping it. This definitely is the most expensive measure you can take but also is the most effective. You can also try a wireless deer fence.
• Repellents like Liquid Fence, Deer Scram, or Plantskydd to name a few. Be sure you read instructions carefully before applying so you do not damage any of your plants. Deer are very sensitive to smells. Even things like cayenne pepper or garlic powder can help keep them out.
• Avoid fragrant hostas as these can actually attract unwanted visitors.
• Noise or light deterrents that are motion activated, such as a flood light or a motion activated sprinkler (that’s what we use).
• Don’t feed the deer. If you put it out, they will come (and probably not just stick to the provided food).
• Human hair. I know it sounds gross but if they sense humans, they are less likely to frequent the area so empty out those hairbrushes!

There are a number of creatures who find hostas to be tasty treats. The most popular are slugs, deer, rabbits, voles, and other rodents.

If you notice small holes on the leaves, chances are it is slugs. You can buy slug repellent or slug bait to deter these slimy nuisances. Also, clear away dead plant debris to prevent them from making a home underneath.

If you are noticing nibbled leaves or missing flower scapes, it is probably rabbits. This usually occurs more in early spring as plants are coming up. You can put out repellent or sprinkle cayenne pepper onto the leaves.

Voles and mice are more sneaky in their attack. They target the roots. If your hostas are suddenly looking sad or sick, they could be losing their roots to these varmints. Check for small holes around the base of the plant. You can also dig up your hosta and check for root damage. The plants will survive but their growth may be stunted. These guys are much trickier to get rid of and there really is no fool proof way, but you can try live traps, mouse traps, sharp gravel in the planting hole, or if all else fails, poison bait.

Yes. They can cause vomiting, diarrhea, or depression if ingested. However, there are repellents that can help keep the family pet away from the hostas while not hurting the plant.

The best time to transplant is in the spring or early fall. Cool, moist weather is best. You can tie up leaves or cut them a few inches above the ground if they are in the way. Be sure to dig out the entire root ball. Hostas depend on their roots and nothing stresses them more than losing some. Then tuck your leafy little friend into her new bed, covering the root ball completely and watering in. Adding compost to the hole and/or mulching it in can help reduce stress.

Before dividing, remember that hostas grow best and biggest when left alone. However, if you need to divide it because of space issues, here is how to do it. We do not recommend dividing a hosta before it is 3 or 4 years old. Also, keep in mind that if a hosta is not looking its best, it could be because of its location. Try transplanting it first and giving it some time to reboot.

Dividing should be done in spring or early fall when the soil is moist. If you only need a few divisions, look for outlying clumps surrounding the main plant. If you need to divide the entire clump, remove it and its entire root ball from the ground. Depending on plant maturity, you may need to dig down pretty far to get all the root. Then using your hands and some major elbow grease or a knife, cut away the eyes (or new growth points) from the mother plant. You can also cut the mother clump into thirds or fourths and replant. Doing it this way, will decrease the setback in growth. It all depends on how many divisions you need.

When planting your divisions, it’s a good idea to throw some compost in the hole. Then water those babies in!

**Be aware that by dividing the plant, it will slow down its growth rate for a couple of year.  So if you want to see the true beauty of your plant always try to give it 5 to 6 years to fully develop.

Many of us have been trained that hostas like only shade. While this may be true for many varieties, there are also plenty that do well with more sun. Hostas that have thick leaves, fragrant flowers, or light green or yellow leaves can usually tolerate more sun. Just remember, the more sun….the more water!! You also may notice a change in color with more sun. Leaves will tend to be brighter and more vibrant with more sun.
If you notice browned leaf tips, dull coloring, or faded spots on the leaves, your hosta is either getting too much sun or not enough water.

A few quick tips:

• Be careful about putting hostas with white centers on their leaves in the sun as they tend to burn.
• Darker colored hostas prefer less light.
• Yellow or yellow centered leafed hostas enjoy having some light. These are usually the most sun tolerant.

Our website has a section of hostas that are more sun tolerant. Click Here!

One of the beautiful things about hostas is that they are pretty self sufficient. Monitoring for disease or pests and making sure they are getting plenty of water is key. The ground around hostas should be moist and full or organic material, especially those who get more sunlight. Be careful of over-watering which can cause root rot. Composting in the spring is always a plus too.

You can cut back your hostas in the fall after the first frost and the leafs start to lay down. There are pros and cons to doing this. It will certainly give your bed a nice clean look and prevent slugs from making their winter home beneath the debris. We choose to let the leaves stay on the plant. We mulch over the dead, limp leaves in the spring creating a “homemade” compost that puts the nutrients back into the ground. We also spread slug bait in spring to combat those little fellows that may have survived over the winter.

We’ve never tasted any ourselves, but it is true…hostas can be mixed into a nice healthy stir-fry :). Most commonly consumed in Japan, where they first originated, the shoots, leaves, and flowers are all used. The shoots can be harvested in early spring right before they open.  It is believed that all species are edible but some taste better than others.