Lets talk about Minis please.

I am thinking I might be placing my minis in too small a pot. Some have big root systems even if the plant is tiny. I hate to put these in larger pots because they will look lost. I am thinking about putting them in one of those big bowls in groups of four or five plant ... this way the roots will have more protection in the winter months This bothers me because I never lost a hosta until I started with these minis, whereas I have lost about six. Also I have always planted my Hostas in MG Garden soil. I am wondering if I should change to another type soil with the minis reagrding the circumstances. If I did what would I use instead? The large Hostas have some root showing because you are not supposed to plant deeper than the crown, right? Will the same be true with minis? I had one that is barely making it, was showing the top root and I covered it wih more soil, it appears to look better. I am just concerned because I had about thirty of them out there and I dont want to lose anymore. I would appreciate any thoughts on this. Thanking you in advance. :)

Subscibing to thread as I have mini's on the way!!!! I plan to put them in that pot I got last week. Personally, it really irritates me that you can't buy potting soil any more without ferterlizer in it. I just don't think the tender roots need it. Sooooooo, what I'm doing is taking that bagged soil (not MG, I won't use MG products) and adding Back to Nature Cotton Burr Compost and BTN Blend w/ Alfalfa & Humate to it. I'll see if it does ok.
LOL, I didn't help at all.

I saw mini's done in a strawberry pot that were really cute. But what do you do with your mini's in a pot for the winter? They wouldn't survive the winter here. Anybody up north have them potted? I have mine in the ground.
Pam

I've only had one mini in a pot - last year - and I took it out of the pot and put it in the garden for the winter. I've read varying thoughts about putting the hole pot in the ground, but I think that would work up north.

What irritates me is the the standards for sizing hostas are so inconsistent. Some plants with "mini" leaves can get to grow quite large - maybe too large for the small pots. I would like to see the standards based on how much space the plants will take when mature. That's what is meaningful to me.

Ann

Why do you pot them? I have mine in the garden. Voles??? Bushy tailed rats???

Spent the family fortune a couple of weeks ago as a local plant sale had a wonderful selection of plugs from Ta ta .... Lakeside.

Finally got some I've been hunting for.

Bad sentence construction. Oh well.

Does anyone grow Titanic? I want to know how large it really is.
inanda

I would think that would be the criteria for a mini - the size it is at maturity. I think for judging, there is a size requirement - no?

Sylvia,

I've heard actually that minis like to be in smaller pots. I believe that straight potting soil (like Miracle Grow) is too heavy for planting hostas in. I have only recently started to put some hostas in permanent containers, and here's what I used:

1/2 soil conditioner (basically, finely shredded pine bark)
1/2 high-quality potting soil (I prefer the stuff labeled as "Nursery" soil)
Mix in Osmocote pellets thoroughly for fertilizer

I just mixed up a big batch and used it for everything I potted up. Even the plants in my containers on my deck seem much happier for it. I think they get a lot better drainage this way.

Additionally, this may not be an issue for you, but your containers do have drainage holes, right? If the container doesn't have sufficient drainage, you may need to make additional holes with a drill or some other way. Lots of containers don't come with a hole at all, and too much water will keep the soil overly saturated then.

I have only had minis for a short time, so I can't say with 100% certaintly that this soil mix above will do the trick for you, but it came highly recommended from others with more experience than me.

Good luck!
~Angie

I'm going to try the pot thing too this year. I've bought a few new mini's I'm going to try it on. I think I'm going to dig up my poor Praying Hands and try it on that one too.

But, what about the TC's I and many others are getting from Shady Oaks? Would you leave them in pots till they get larger?

Kathy

Here's my two cents worth on potting minis. Last year I potted some as I read on DG that some hostas prefer their roots nice and cozy. For the ones that had large root systems, I used the deeper 'rose' pots. All of the pots are buried in the ground, and I really like the way they look grouped together. It doesn't look like the the clay pots broke in the ground over winter, but I haven't dug them up. I think that I just may do all of my minis like this.

Marie

Sylvia, I ordered some Messenger too. I ordered it on Wednesday night and received it already today!

I'll read the instructions and spray it tomorrow. I'll take any help I can get!

Kathy

I wonder if that Messenger will help my hail-damaged hostas recover faster. Maybe I should order some, too. Is the only place to get it online?

~Angie

I have bought a lot, I can sell you some of mine and you can pay the postage to get it sent.

I will have to go see how much I paid. This stuff is worth it. You have to use it.

Susan
=^..^=

Susan I wish I had known you had some messenger to share:(

Hey guys Take a look at my new Mini Shelfs. it hold a lot of pots

Sylvia, very cool.

Did you paint all those pots?

I planted some mini's and some new ones that were kind of small in plastic pots yesterday. But, they look like cr*p, so I'm going to have to re-pot them into clay pots. I was just being lazy and I didn't think I had big enough clay pots for singles. I think I'll put a few together in larger pots.

Kathy

Kathy I painted the ones on the third row. I bought the ones on the second row. I had so many plants coming in I could not afford any more "designer" pots, so I hit the dollar store and bought about twenty of those which is good because there is a water tray in them. Paul James says water trays are not good, but those little pots dry out so fast and this Texas heat is something else! I am buying plastic liners for all of them that dont have it. those four little gray pots with a saucer I got from Walmart wish I had gotten more. I like this shelving unit a lot better than the other because this one is made of wire and the water goes straight thru. so all the plants get water if I only spray the top shelf.

I bought about 12 minis last year, some from Hosta Farm and some from Hosta Patch.
I got them in aug, and all leafed out and grew ok last fall. I mulched with hay this winter, and now 4 out of the 5 I got from Hosta Farm are No Shows. "Cherish", "cameo", "Stolen Kiss" and "Hope". I see a crown on a couple, but no growth. I haven't dug up yet to see if any roots remain. Has anyone else ever ordered from either supplier?
I emailed to see if they will replace- or at least discount replacements, we'll see. They are just in regular garden soil, and under a crabapple tree. Any suggestions on how best to care for the ones I have left?
Thanks,
Hill

How aweful for you! Last week I just found the last of my hostas. The new, young ones seem to be the last to come up for me. Try not to be too impatient. They may still pop up, especially if you've found a crown. I was so sure that I killed off the ones that I planted very late in the season.....but they eventually poked their little leaves through. I always add compost to the garden soil when I plant hostas, and I mulched for winter with pine needles mixed with some oak leaves. (It's what I have an abundance of.)

I haven't had any experience with either of the companies that you odered from. I don't know where Victoria is, but if you ever get to the Twin Cities, Savory's has a wonderful selection of minis......and everything else. They have developed many of the hostas themselves, and are very nice people. Unless there is a hosta that is hard to find that I just must have.....I like to see what I'm buying.

I hope that if your minis don't show up, that the companies will be helpful. Have you checked their ratings in the GardenWatchdog?

Marie

Hill,

Last year I purchased quite a lot of hostas from Hosta Farm - most of them were not minis - only one. Every single hosta I got from them came back this year, though. Even Pandora's Box, the only mini.

Is it possible that you have the plants too deep in the soil?

If you don't hear back from them by e-mail, give them a call. They are very nice people, and I would imagine they'll work with you.

~Angie

Looky at my Lemon Delight getting ready to bloom and I dont think I had it three months. ...look at those tiny little scapes, isnt it cute.

That is so cute. Are you growing these indoors?
Pam

Hill, I hope you hostas are just slow coming up, I'm in zone 5 and those that you listed haven't been up too long here. Do you see any little eyes? I have also ordered from Hosta Farm and have good luck with all their hostas. I bought many in the fall of 2004 including several minis during their fall sale. Mine came up with no problem. I have never ordered from Hosta patch so no experience with them.
Good luck
Elaine

Oh Sylvia that is cute!

Angie, I just wanted to tell you that on Saturday the Georgia Hosta Society had its annual cut leaf show. This year, not only did Pandora's Box win the best cut leaf of the whole show, but the whole plant won in the container division as well. Steve (the owner) had the plant in an wonderul little blue container with the soil covered in shiny tiny pebbles, with a tiny figurine of two Chinese mudmen in the front. It was truly deserving.

Sylvia - Thanks so much for posting that picture. I just ordered three Lemon Delights from Bridgewood last night. I'm really looking forward to getting them. How big is the pot you are using?

pins2006 - Did you take a picture of that Pandora's Box by chance? Would love to see it.

~Angie

My mini's - Masquerade, Hope, Cracker Crumbs, Limey Lisa, Kifukurin Ko Mame, Pandora's Box, Island Charm, Surprised By Joy, and Teeny Weeny Bikini (or whatever was sold to me as that variety).
I'll try to put together a composite if I can.

Ann

No, I didn't. :-( My dd's digital was in her friend's car.

Thanks for the response everyone. I will keep looking, I'll give it a few more weeks. Haven't heard from Hosta Farm yet, but I will give them a call if I don't.
Marie_ - Victoria is just west of the Cities, where is Savory's located. I've never heard of it, but I'd love to go looking.

Thanks
Hill

Hill.....they are in Edina. The gardens are beautiful and people very nice. Here is their web-site.

www.savorysgardens.com

Marie

I just discovered that there is the little vine thing coming up in my Praying Hands pot. Remember when I showed that big pot with the viney look on top? Hopefully Praying Hands is doing the same thing.
still waiting

The way hostas are sized is by their leaf size. You need to go into Plant Files or some other site or book to find out what the clump size will be. I too have minis that will be substantial clumps when mature. I too wish they would size them depending on clump size,,,but, suppose they won't change it now,,,lol

Until last year, I thought the size given a hosta was determined by clump size,,,,Well, I was wrong,,,,for once,,, I'll only ever admit once,,,LOL

Kelly, I am not understanding what you want me to do. Whats up with the clump size?

I got my Messenger yesterday ...now I need a pump or some fancy sprayer ....more money

HD and Lowe's has the sprayer for under $10. The cheap ones do a great job.

Sylvia,

Like your one that you said had so many eyes to it this spring,,,that indicates clump size. A lot of minis can get to be really big as far as their clump size. Like Baby Bunting,,,listed as a mini because of the size of the leaf,,,but the clump size can get to 20 +" across. So, when looking at mini's I try to find out how wide the clump will get. I look either here in the Plant Files for the # of inches wide or google it and look at several sites to see what they have listed. Also check my hosta books for that kind of info.

For Baby Bunting, PF has it listed for spacing as 6-9 inches and 9-12 inches. It can get bigger than that even.

Kelly

pins,

I looked at one at Wal Mart and thought ach, a spray bottle will do the trick,,,,next time I get to any store I'm getting one of those other botttles,,,,boy was mu hand tired after spraying a gallon of that stuff on Everything in the yard.

I know .... I did the quart thing this morning, the squirt thing was going in two directions! So waht kind of bottle am I looking for Pins? What size is it?

I just decided I am going to do my "true" Minis in a huge Terra Cotta Bowls. I got to move some of them off the shelf, some of them are in total darkness ... I dicovered some do better in a little sun. Herifu, Lemon Delight, Cracker Crumbs etc. I moved the Shelving to a new location when the trim the trees....it was a big mistake to move all them ... well live and learn.

Sylvia, get one of those pump up pressure sprayers to spray your messenger and MP with. They come in 1, 2, or 3 gal sizes. I keep 2.....one for grow stuff and one for kill stuff. LOL

Debbie