Does it normally take this long?

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Gardenitis
Posts: 27
Joined: Mar 04, 2009 5:38 pm
USDA Zone: 5b
Location: Lunenburg, Nova Scotia Canada

Does it normally take this long?

Post by Gardenitis »

Hello everyone,

After reading pretty much all the entries on this forum, I started my first bunch of seeds on March 10 with a great deal of excitement. They came from the Ontario Hosta Society and I've been watching them like a hawk through the dome lid. About a week ago, I started seeing little stems poking up, usually with a seed pod attached to it! I've got a grand total of about 30 green sprouts up so far (with hopefully many more to come), so I took them off the heat mat and put them under my fluorescent lights as close as possible considering they still have their dome on.

About a week ago, I started a second batch of seeds that I received from Marlys. Already I have many "Yellow Splash" poking up, a few "Stealth" and "Band of Gold" seedlings, too. So, I've put them under the lights as well.

My question is - When will I start seeing leaves? Seems like they are stuck in the stem stage. Am I doing something wrong?

I think I may have "the watched pot never boils" syndrome.

Any advice would be helpful. I am new to planting seeds and I really mean I'm a brand new, seed virgin.

Thanks,
Michelle
eastwood2007
Posts: 3517
Joined: Jan 25, 2007 12:51 pm
Location: kansas, usa zone 5b

Re: Does it normally take this long?

Post by eastwood2007 »

I think you are probably doing just fine...sometimes it takes awhile depending on the variety of hosta seed. You do want to be careful not to overheat them with a heat mat. If your air temp is at least 65-68 or above you shouldn't need bottom heat...IMO.

Just hang in there! Good luck! :D
Charla
Latitude 38.57N; Longitude -94.89W (Elev. 886 ft.)
Gardenitis
Posts: 27
Joined: Mar 04, 2009 5:38 pm
USDA Zone: 5b
Location: Lunenburg, Nova Scotia Canada

Re: Does it normally take this long?

Post by Gardenitis »

Thanks for the advice Charla - very much appreciated. I used the heat mat because our house is only around 60 during the day and around 50 or less at night :o . Luckily they were ok.

I was dying to see any signs of life; now I can't wait to see a leaf. I guess I'm just never satisfied...does seem like I'm spending a great deal of time staring at these little ones hoping to see what comes next. Hopefully once I've done this, I'll be more patient next time.

Michelle
eastwood2007
Posts: 3517
Joined: Jan 25, 2007 12:51 pm
Location: kansas, usa zone 5b

Re: Does it normally take this long?

Post by eastwood2007 »

Gardenitis wrote:Thanks for the advice Charla - very much appreciated. I used the heat mat because our house is only around 60 during the day and around 50 or less at night :o . Luckily they were ok.

I was dying to see any signs of life; now I can't wait to see a leaf. I guess I'm just never satisfied...does seem like I'm spending a great deal of time staring at these little ones hoping to see what comes next. Hopefully once I've done this, I'll be more patient next time.

Michelle
:lol: :lol: :lol:

Nope, don't think things will change for you next year! :lol: :lol: :lol: In fact, it will likely get worse!

That's just the 'addicition' cycle of growing hostas from seed. :lol: If you're not checking them 10 times a day, I would say you won't last long in the hosta seed growing "hobby." All sounds pretty typical....I'm surprised no one else has chimed in here...they just don't want to admit it, I suppose! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Good luck with them, and I'll be watching for photos once those leaves show up. :D
Charla
Latitude 38.57N; Longitude -94.89W (Elev. 886 ft.)
Linda P
Posts: 6212
Joined: Oct 15, 2001 8:00 pm
Location: N W Illinois, zone 5

Re: Does it normally take this long?

Post by Linda P »

How are your babies doing, Michelle? I agree with Charla, it doesn't get any better with time. I grow mine in a very cool basement, and don't try to hurry them along as I always run out of room. Still, I look them over several times a day to see if there are any changes.
Linda P
And time remembered is grief forgotten,
And frosts are slain and flowers begotten.....
Algernon Charles Swinburne

Latitude: 41° 51' 12.1572"


My Hosta List
Gardenitis
Posts: 27
Joined: Mar 04, 2009 5:38 pm
USDA Zone: 5b
Location: Lunenburg, Nova Scotia Canada

Re: Does it normally take this long?

Post by Gardenitis »

Hello Linda,

Thanks for asking about my kids!

Well, I can definitely say that productivity has dropped dramatically around my house since I planted these seeds! :-? I seem to spend a good portion of the day staring at them; watching, waiting and worrying. Husband has commented that it's maybe time I found a job :eek: So now I'm being more of a closet seedling watcher.

Overall, I have somewhere in the range of 200-250 seedlings from about 10 different pod parents (given to me by Marlys and the Ontario Hosta Society). Some are just sticking their little noses through the soil and others growing like gangbusters and sprouting their second leaves. Those second leaves are starting to show up on many of my little "Yellow Splash" babies - these are definitely the stars of my show. I was surprised how many of them were not green and their different shapes/sizes of leaves. I'm not sure if the size of leaf at this point is any indication of anything, but I do enjoy the traits that make each one a little different. So far, most of my others are just greenie babies (which I'm thrilled with, but to be honest, they are certainly not as exciting to watch thus far). I'll have to take a few photos and get them posted.

Sadly, I have a few that seem to be in the process of failing to thrive :( . My favorite seedling was pale yellow with a gorgeous green stripe down the middle of his fat heart shaped leaf. Well, he seems to be curling up his edges and heading toward hosta heaven. I guess this happens although I foolishly thought it would only happen to those fatal whites. Live and learn. Since this is my first year, I am trying to learn as much as I can. Next year I'll know more about what to expect and do.

I certainly have appreciated learning from everyone else's posts! It's nice to have others to virtually spend time with who share a passion for all things hosta.

Take care,
Michelle
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Marlys
Posts: 665
Joined: Oct 19, 2001 8:00 pm
USDA Zone: 5B
Location: Pella, Iowa

Re: Does it normally take this long?

Post by Marlys »

Michelle,

Seems like you are having fun with your sdlgs / seed project. It is all about having fun - isn't it!!! And maybe, just maybe, we might grow / discover the world's next most-awesome hosta thus becoming rich and famous almost over-night. :lol:

H 'Yellow Splash' germinates so easily. It's almost like magic :!: My friend, Connie D (who doesn't post here any more) gave me a single eye of YS a few years ago. It has grown very quickly and is very streaked. :D The color is so fresh & new & pretty in the spring. YS is a great little streaked mama :!:

Believe it or not, my best sdlgs so far are from my favorite H 'Sally & Bob'. And believe it or not, I actually culled all the greenies the other day. And believe it or not, I threw them away. :eek: I was my first time for hard-culling. And I wanted to pot them up for my local garden club's spring plant sale but didn't have the time, the energy, or the space to grow them on. Oh, my, I've committed 'HOSTA-CIDE' :idea:

Also I got lots of streaks from H 'Diane Gray Dalton' but somehow, S&B is more near & dear to my heart. :wink:

My 'Little Wonder' streaked seed did not produce even one streaked baby. :x

And I tried seeds from 'Warwick's Comet'. 2 emerged; one died off right away, the other pale yellow-white baby dwindle away to nothing-ness. I was hoping for the next H 'Grey Ghost'. :roll:

My 'Band of Gold' sdlgs are huge and some are streaked. And I have several others too. Some are very slow / some not :!:

Last evening I sowed coleus seeds & cherry tomato seeds. Somehow it just isn't as exciting as anticipating the birth of baby hosta seeds. :lol:

Have Fun :!: & remember: "Hosta is the Friendship Plant"

MM
Gardenitis
Posts: 27
Joined: Mar 04, 2009 5:38 pm
USDA Zone: 5b
Location: Lunenburg, Nova Scotia Canada

Re: Does it normally take this long?

Post by Gardenitis »

HI Marlys,

Hostacide? You go girl. This being my first group, I am going to keep them all. I figure if they can live through my learning curve, they deserve it. Right now I'm battling algae which I have read is due to over watering. My bad. Live and learn. My mantra is next year I'll do better.

Thanks again so much for the seed. What a great time I've been having watching them do their thing! That 'Yellow Splash' is really something else...I've got 3 trays of it going and while they are working on their second leaves, most of my other seed is barely popping through the soil. WoW! I can barely wait to see how they are going to turn out; so far they've knocked my socks off.

I'd be interested in seeing some of those 'Sally and Bob' and 'Diana Gray Dalton' babies. I've looked for a 'Sally and Bob' hosta up here but haven't been able to find a seller that carries it. I'll have to live vicariously through the photos I see :)

My 'Band of Gold' seedlings are tiny. They look all the same at this piont; tiny & very rounded leaves. They look strong and seem to have pretty good substance. Just lovely.

When I'm not gazing lovingly at my hosta seedlings, I have started another 30 or so different types of seeds (mostly perennial, some veg and a few annuals). They are doing well and seem to be growing like gangbusters in comparison, but no where near as fun to watch.

I have 4 hosta orders arriving here between now and the next month, so I've been digging up the yard like a wild woman much to my husband's horror :eek: (Who can explain it? He loves his lawn.) He asked me the other day when is enough, enough? I certainly don't know the answer to that, but I'm thinking that there can never be enough...there always seems to be room for "just a few more". With a couple of acres and only my second season here, I'm far from that point though. Thank goodness.

Take care Marlys & talk again,
Michelle
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