Winter Sowing Hosta Seeds

[June_2007]

I want to try and winter sow some Hosta seeds this winter. I have been reading a lot about the technicle aspects of the planting, but how do you "Bottom Water", in the trays?
I am getting everything together including notes. Now if I can figure this bottom watering thingy, and find enough seeds, I'll be ready.

Thanks
June

[John]

Not sure why bottom-watering would be an issue with winter-sowing. That technique pretty much eliminates any of the problems associated with watering from the top.

Members here often offer hosta seeds from excellent crosses in the fall, usually for a donation to help support the forums.

I don't generally make hosta crosses, as the parts are a bit small for me to work with easily. I do however make lots of daylily seeds, which are excellent candidates for winter-sowing.

Do you have a hosta collection? Are you planning to save seeds, or even make some crosses of your own?

[June_2007]

Thank you for the reply
I have just bought my first Hosta plants from Hallson's Garden. They are 1. Blue Angel 2. June and was sent a Lakeside Cha Cha as a bonus. Before these, I bought a bagged Guacamole from Wal-Mart that might not even be Guacamole at all.
I am almost new to Hosta's. I do have a few un named ones. I have been looking at all of them online and have fallen in love with them and want more. I want to try this seed thing and see what I get. Not so much interested in makeing new varities, just want more more more Hosta's. I think I will have to buy seeds this year, and watch for the seeds as I get them from the new plants I just bought.
Can you please let me know how you get water to the bottoms of the seed tray?

Thanks
June

ps. Are there any day lilies that last longer than 1 day? Sorry to sound so dumb about this.

[steg]

June-

Not sure I can help a whole lot, but I use old cafeteria trays to hold water when indoors. I have holes poked in the bottom of the trays holding the soil/seeds. We have a restaurant supply place here in town that has the trays on sale from time to time. They have a nice lip on them and can hold water for a little while.

I have also played around with outside sowing. I used take home trays from restaurants that have a clear lid. Couple holes in top, couple in the bottom. Fill with dirt, put seeds on top, cover with a little more dirt and water. Close lid, put in sunny spot until spring. I can't remember when I started these though. Maybe Oct/Nov???

Seemed to work pretty well.

Good luck.

[dmi188]

I usually plant the seed in 6 packs or cups. These go into the trays, (put holes in the cups)then bottom watering is easy. Also know that seed from your 3 hostas will most likely come out some shade of green. Hostas do not come true from seed. Almost no chance of varigation. If you want something different, you need to watch for the seed exchange in the fall.

Welcome to the forum! Lots of great people and great advice here!

[John]

June, I water from the top when winter-sowing seeds, using the sprayer from the sink. I do make the soil mixture moist though even before starting. With the plastic top (vented), they almost never need watering again until they sprout.

I start my winter-sown seeds sometime after the 21st of December, and in the case of daylilies, sometimes up to mid-April. That's late, but still gives them 3 weeks of cold enough temperatures, and they know when to sprout, generally when the air warms up to the 70's.

Daylilies: there are a very, very few that last more than one day. There are however, those with "extended" bloom, those often open the night before (nocturnal) and last most of the following day. The plus side here, is that the flowers are fresh and new each day, downside, they are not so great for flower-arranging.

[Linda P]

Welcome to the world of hostas, June! I sow my seeds in plastic cups with holes poked in the bottom. Sterilize the planting mix to avoid damping off of seedlings. I moisten the mix and put it in the microwave in small batches on high setting for about 7 minutes, an old microwave that I keep in the basement next to my seed growing setup. Then I put another cup upside down over the top of the whole thing after the seeds are planted. I write on the side of the cup the name of the seeds, and the date planted. It works best to cut a couple inches off the top of the cup that you're going to use as the lid. They can stay completely closed up until they start to sprout. I leave the top cup on even after they are sprouting, this works well if you have a clear cup, so you can see what's going on in there. As John says, they don't normally need any more water until they sprout.
I place the cups in anything that will hold water, dishpans work well, but I've used many other things. When the potting mix begins to look dry on the top, I pour an inch or two of water in the trays. Just be SURE that you get several holes poked in each cup to take up the water. When the water is gone, put some more in. I usually only have to add water every week or ten days. The reason I like the bottom watering method is that it's hard to top water without dislodging the seedlings, especially when they are first coming up. Once they get some growth on them, I do mist them with a spray bottle also. I keep a fan on low to keep the air moving through them as well.
I can tell you that my seedlings from last winter are outside, still in their trays, and they have filled to the top with rainwater more times than I can count. At this point, I have to go out and 'unwater' them from time to time. I was too busy to check on them for a while, and they sat in water up to the top of the cups in some cases, and it didn't seem to do any damage at all. Hopefully this week I will get the poor things out of those cups and into the ground!
Good luck!
Linda P

[GrannyNanny]

If you get bored with no gardening to do in the winter, I suggest you try growing hosta seedlings under lights. If you keep the lights on 24/7, you will get two years' worth (approximately) of growth on your baby hostas, so that they are pretty sturdy when you transplant them into the garden in the spring. Growing them outside is fine, too, but they are tiny for the first year, and only slightly less tiny the second. I have had great success growing under lights, and it's a great way to get your hands into the dirt when it's snowy outside. good luck -- Phyllis