Hi, I'm new to your forum but have been reading for 2 months now. I first got interested in Hostas when I was in MN and everyone had beautiful hostas surrounding their house. I bought my first hostas when I moved to GA and found June. (they must be gorgious by now!!) I've since moved again but have been morning having to leave my hostas behind so I bought 2 by mail order this year - they are doing well in their pots.
My Question is: I'd like to get a mini (or series of minis) to have in pots and am kind of lost as to which ones to get. I like verigation with deep colors. What I liked about June is the way the colors look like they were brushed on. I like the cute name of Blue Mouse Ears, but I'm not sure I want a solid leaf yet.
Does anyone have any suggestions? (with photos - you all have such beautiful photos!) I'm in Tampa FL for now and can't find any garden centers - and no hostas anywhere
Welcome to the forums! Hope you enjoy the company!
I have Cherish and Cameo that I like alot. But I wouldn't rule out Blue Mouse Ears. It really is an awesome hosta. It would be a nice compliment to any of the other smaller hostas mentioned.
Charla
Latitude 38.57N; Longitude -94.89W (Elev. 886 ft.)
You will have to give your hostas a cold period to overwinter them in Tampa unless you plan to treat them as 'annuals'. I've heard others mention that they would need a couple of months in a refrigerator to give them the dormant period they'd need. Several years ago there was a guy on here from the Los Angeles area. I don't know if he had success overwintering them that way or not. I don't believe he posted again the next year.
Reldon.. there were someone visiting a southern iskland where they claimed the hostas lived without dormant periods for years.. do not know, mine do not have the change to be green all year
But.. put then in the shade
Against stupidity the gods themselves struggle in vain.
E-mail for pics hostapics@gmail.com
have to be around 4 C or 42 F... or is it just general knowledge without evidence ? .. can you get a cheap one and keep it outside as long as possible ?
Would be nice to know if they act like anuals or evergreens
Against stupidity the gods themselves struggle in vain.
E-mail for pics hostapics@gmail.com
Tampa, FL? That's why you're not seeing hostas for sale... You may be somewhat successful with hostas having plantaginea genes, like 'Guacamole'. I'm hoping someone from your same or similar climate will have some practical experiences to share. But, just think of the things you can grow that we cannot!
On another forum there is a lady from Texas who grows hostas in pots. For a winter break she takes them from their pots. Wraps them bare root and sticks them in the fridge for a couple of months. That seems to work for her. She has a very large collection of hostas.
Sprider, I put a few hostas in the crisper part of my fridge last Nov just for the he!! of it to see what would happen. They didn't get bit by the late freeze cause they were still in the fridge. They're just fine now planted in the hosta beds. I cut off all the foliage and washed the dirt off the roots, wrapped the roots in papertowels(but I would recommend newspaper), put em in a ziplock bag zipped almost all the way, and in the crisper they went.
This list is not up-to-the-moment, but might be useful to you: favorite minis
You'll seriously need to find some fridge space for these in the winter: hostas need 30 days of temps below 43°F (ref. ). Even at that the minis might have a hard time with your summers. But you might be able to plant a nice low trough-type thing with 4–6 minis that could fit intact in a fridge, and less risky than unpotting, storing cold, and repotting each year. It would sure be different for Tampa!
