Question
I have a row of just now established (4 years perhaps) hostas on the north side of the house.  I did not get the trash/foliage cleaned off last fall.  I'm in zone 5, northwest Missouri.  Should I rake off the trash now or wait until I see shoots peeking through?  I don't want to damage new growth.  Do you agree that they should be cleaned off totally after the first freeze in the fall?  I'm new to hosta care.  Thanks.

Answer
It should not be a problem to remove the old, dead leaves and whatever has worked its way in there.  If you are nervous about pullng them out you can use a pair of clippers to snip them out, but they should pull out easily, test a few by giving them a tug.  This shouldnt hurt the plant as they are very tough plants once established.  You should remove the debris sooner rather than later to allow the new growth to reach the light faster and reduce the chance of slugs munchin on the crown or moving up to the leaves.  I hope this helps, hostas are fantastic plants!  Goodluck.

Jason