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Hostas grow best in shade, but they do tolerate some sun, even in the steamy Mid- South. They should be positioned so most or all direct sunlight will be in the morning, when the rays aren't so hot and harsh. Don't plant hostas where they get more than an hour of afternoon sun. Too much afternoon sun in our midsummer heat will burn or bake them. Most hostas thrive with a dose of morning sun, but they then need an afternoon nap in the cooler shade. Hostas prefer dappled shade. When tree cover is too dense, plants are deprived of showers and air circulates poorly.

Hostas need fertile soil that's rich, moist and loamy with a slightly acidic pH of 6 to 7. Some big hostas grow well in heavy clay soils, which are loaded with plant nutrients, but these conditions tend to slow growth and maturity. Hostas love compost, well-rotted manure and coarse grit, which helps drainage. Avoid too much sand. Sandy soils help hostas develop good root systems, because the plants have to reach for nutrients, but rain can drain away those nutrients. Stick with compost and amend your soil before spring planting.

When you plant or transplant a hosta, the hole should be at least half-again the width and depth of the root ball. Fill the hole with water, then position the hosta with the crown well above ground level and pack soil with compost around it. Water it again thoroughly. As the soil settles, the plant will sink slightly.

How do I care for my hostas?

Building up your garden with compost and mulch will hold moisture and help plants during dry periods. Organic mulches, such as shredded leaves and decomposed or ground- up plant material, enrich the soil. Sponge-like, these mulches retain water longer than plain soil. Don't pack ground-cover mulch, such as pine straw or hardwood chips, too close to your plants. Give them room to breathe.

Like most plants, hostas crave water to look their best, and the best water is rain. An inch a week is ideal for hostas, but the Mid- South tends to get downpours, then drought. Balance the equation with drip irrigation or sprinkling. Give this supplemental water a chance to soak in by sprinkling in the early morning or late afternoon, avoiding overhead sun and mid-day heat.

Hostas make enormous demands on the available soil nitrogen, so any fertilizing should be done in the spring, the optimum growth period for hostas. A soil test would be wise to know what your garden lacks. Use a slow-release, powder or pellet, fertilizer in a scattered ring around the plant to reach the roots. A balanced fertilizer (10-10-10) will assure adequate amounts of potassium for firm leaves and phosphorous for strong roots.

What about pests and disease?

With proper care and attention, hostas can escape the ravages of garden pests. Slugs and snails love to eat tender hostas leaves in the spring, when conditions are wet and moist. Early spray and later pellets with metaldehyde help ward off these pests. Other deterrents around hostas are a barrier of flour, sharp shells, chicken grit, diatomaceous earth and copper strips, which electrocute the slippery gastropods. Slug pubs (beer-filled pans) cause death by drowning. Another deterrent is a spray of 25 percent household ammonia and 75 percent water. Ammonia also encourages plant growth and wards off damaging insects, such as vine weevils and black wasps. Malathion sprays help control whitefly.

Moles burrow in your yard for grubs, not hostas, but they open new routes for voles (meadow mice). Voles love to lunch on hosta roots. Deterrents include baited mousetraps under black plastic pots, ground vibrators, soapy spray with castor oil, animal urine, metal-mesh or plastic-pot cages around your hostas, and predator birds or cats.

Deer can also chew hostas to the ground. Fences, sensor-activated recorders, scented soap-on-a-rope, shiney objects and dogs are the best ways to keep deer away.

Hostas are relatively disease-free. Viral infections are rare. The worst problem here is crown rot, a fungus where leaves emerge from the ground. This can happen when you overwater a hosta, lack good-draining soil or pile mulch too close to the plant. Hostas need room to breathe. Compact clumps are most susceptible. You can rescue them by cutting away the rot and immersing the crown and roots in a fungicide for several hours.

Can I propagate my own hostas?

Hostas are plants that produce seed for propagation. The seeds mature in pods after flowering. If you're not interested in growing hostas from seed, cut off the unsightly flower scapes and let your hostas concentrate on feeding beautiful leaves. Otherwise, seed pods can be left to mature. Harvest the pods after about a month and let them dry. Crack open the pods and you'll find fertile seeds ready to plant or save in a cool spot for up to a year. Most seed-grown hostas revert to parentage and are green or gold. Variegation is rare.

The most popular way to propagate is by division, either before or after the season's leaves are produced. Divide a hosta in the spring just before leaf spears emerge from the ground. In mid- to late season, divide by cutting a wedge-shaped piece from the clump. Plant it elsewhere in the garden or pot it up. The parent plant will heal its wound rapidly.