Starting more Hosta seeds!

I'm starting my second batch of hosta seeds. The first were planted about 10 days ago and are just beginning to germinate. Those were started in "jiffy 7" peat pellets, and these are being done in ziploc bags with "coffee filter method" (variation on the paper towel method).

I have Sagae seed from two different plants, and also some seed from 'One Man's Treasure'. I started just one baggie for each.
Per the suggested instructions, I marked the coffee filter with the pod parent's name and number of seeds. I put them in little rows just to help count them easier. I laid them on my seed warming mat between my peat pellet containers.

Here is the result of the preparation:

They are just beautiful! I just love looking through the window to the nursery. Keep sending baby pics as you get them.

I'll let you all know when they start to germinate, and if the camera is charged up, pics will be posted!

Did you get any going yet?

Laura

Ummmmm.........no.

Once again, life got in the way. I do need to get my priorities to be MY priorities and not someone else's.

Aww, geez, I DO understand, hope you get some "me" time tomorrow. laura

I'll get pics of mine tomorrow. Yours look great Laura.

I think I left my rechargeable batteries at the MN Arboretum on a table in the green house,,,grrrrrrr

I tried some using the paper towel method last year and found that the roots got imbedded in the towel. Does the texture of the coffee filters prevent that from happening?

Ann

I think it was Marie that provided a link that suggests the filters. The idea is that the roots won't embed into it, and you can lift them off gently with tweezers to plant.

Day 1.5, no germination yet in the bags; no surprise. I have them sitting on a heat mat between some containers. They could probably be closer to the lights, but I don't know if that makes a huge difference for them. As my other seeds germinated about a week from being planted, I'm on the lookout for being able to see something this weekend.

I'm still holding steady on about a half dozen seeds having sprouted in the jiffy pellets, and will add pics of both this weekend in whatever stage they are in. So far of those seeds, the ones out of "One Man's Treasure" have the highest germination rate with four seedlings. I moved one seed where two were in the same pellet, to its own pellet. This is a really low rate, because I planted more than one seed in each peat pot. Next time I'll track how many seeds per, or won't use that method.

Laura

I think I'll wait till next week to start mine and will put them up above the fridge for warmth. Am hosting a large pot-luck dinner on Saturday; so their safety would not be assured with a whole other bunch of cooks in my kitchen.

Ann

Here are some pics, first the ones planted 9 days ago in Jiffy peat pellets. With the camera I can actually see an extra seed or two invisible to my eyes. These seem so slow. They are on the heat mat.

Closeup!

2-day old seeds in bags.

Oops, that was the wrong pic. Not much different yet, however!

Laura

Here's my little fella's

Neat, leaves and everything! ;-)
Anyone else?

I have a feeling we're all going to raise a bunch of good-lookin', well-behaved, happy little hosta-kiddies this year!

Kelly, who is the lucky pod parent of your tall and handsome fellas?

Here's some of my babes: Sowed on Jan 15. (Sorry, the baggies make it hard to take a real clear pic.)

Two on left are September Sun OP (see the gold in the middle, yay!) And there's also one with a really round leaf in the first pot. This beats TV!

Sandy

Congratulations, on your lovely new babies!

Laura

Thank you! I have cigars....

I think I should make a greenhouse for mine and get a light right over them, they are already getting leggy. I have 1 from Sea Prize OS OP and the rest from William Lachman OP

I thought they might just be tall like Krossa Regal.

Kelly, are those ice trays? Did you put holes in the top one and bottom watering with the bottom??
I've got some seeds I need to get started.

Debbie

Debbie,
Yep and Yep. The bottom watering doesn't work very well cause it's not deep enough for the other tray, I just did it for humidity.

I never knew you could grow Hosta from seed. Although I don't know why not. They had to start someplace. :)

Where did you buy your hosta seeds?

I think that you can buy them on eBay, etc. However, most of here have collected them from our own plants. You should know that hostas do not come true from seed. They mostly come out a solid, boring green. But, we like to do it anyway just in case we end up with some new and fantastic cultivar. Also, it takes a long time to get a mature hosta when it's grown from seed.

I started some hosta seeds that I got in trade, unfortunately no name, just a note that it's a large leafed dark green hosta.
They germinated easy in a box I got from deep fried chicken :) Now I am not sure what to do next. How long should I keep the seedlings in that mini green house? How long is it until you know what the plant would look like? I was hoping to get dark green ones. Is it likely?

You might get dark green ones, or some of them might be dark green......or one of them might be dark green. It's really hard to say. If there is a streaker, that would be evident right away. However, it can sometimes take 3 - 5 years before you have a hosta with it's mature coloring, leaf shape & size, etc. You should probably take the cover off of the hostas once they've sprouted, but don't let them dry out. I would think that once their leaves are an inch long that you could plant them out into larger accommodations. The roots need to have plenty of room to grow.

Somebody jump right in if you don't agree......I'm certainly not an expert.

Ok I have a question that I hope someone can help me with. I too have some hosta seeds germinated. I have them under growlights witht he rest of the seeds I've started....but should they be moved to a shadier area?
carol

Carol, some of the growers have them under lights for 24 hours a day. The more light the seedlings get, the faster they will grow.
Sandy

Oh good! Well they do seem happy but I thought I'd ask. My growlights are on a 14 hour timer. Thanks Sandy. :-)
carol

Mine too, carol. It would be pricey to have them on 24 hours a day, that's for sure!
Sandy

What kind of grow light do you use? How expensive are they?

any shop light will do. $10 at walmart or lowes . Don't bother spending extra on bulbs specifically for plants. Daylight or a combination of warm and light. Here are the coleus I sowed on Jan 11. They need to be sepearted and potted up to individual pots.

carol

I have two shop lights above each shelf, total four bulbs per shelf, on my cart which is a heavy duty chrome cart from Costco, on wheels.

Laura

These pictures were taken on the 5th, which is 7 days after I put the seeds in the bag, only visible action is in this one. The camera actually allows me to see more than by the naked eye. I see at least two starting to germinate.

Laura

New closeup of a seedling growing. I think I detect a little lighter color on the edge (fingers crossed).

Laura

Isn't it exciting!!! Ya'll are making me want to start my seeds and here I was trying really hard not to get Spring Fever. I'll work myself to death, just about did last Spring.

Judy

Laura.....this is almost as much as watching my own. Keep us posted on how your babies are doing.

Will do, I'm fascinated by how things grow. Will try to post a pic about once a week.

I was surprised to see only one leaf at first.

Laura

I think that's neat. I'm going to keep watching this thread to see how it comes out.

Do you really think it matters what kind of fertilizer you mist them with? The only fertilizer I have in the house right now is African Violet Miracle Grow...I think it's 8-8-8...but I'm not positive.

Anyone know if this would work?

Thx! :)