skip to main content

Boxed hostas: why did I do it?!

linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago)

10 years ago

I donÃ¢ÂÂt know what possessed me. Spring fever on a torrentially rainy day. At SamÃ¢ÂÂs Club I bought a box of 8 hostas. 5 Christmas Tree and 3 PaulÃ¢ÂÂs Glory. I donÃ¢ÂÂt buy hostas in boxes! Maybe because it seemed so cheap. I love PaulÃ¢ÂÂs Glory. I have one, it's lovelyÃ¢ÂÂ¦who wouldnÃ¢ÂÂt want 3 more??? But I also bought boxes of dwarf dahlias, asiatic lilies, and tuberous begonias. On impulse I threw the box of hostas into the cart. I started the dahlias and begonias indoors, putting the hostas (still in the box) in the garage to stay cool. Because I don't "do" hostas in boxes, I then forgot them for 3 weeks. Or 4.

IÃ¢ÂÂm assuming these are bare root. They are in opaque plastic bags inside the box. Should they be nursed along in a holding bed for a year until they recover from living in a box, or should I try to get them into their permanent homes ASAP? Soak them for a few hours to reconstitute?
Thanks...

Comments (2)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
10 years ago
hey!!

why dont you open the box.. and tell us how they are???

i would pot all of them into a one gallon.. and throw the pot in shade.. and lets see what they do ...

and if they leaf out;. we will worry about where to plant them if and when any survive ...

ken
linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago)
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks, Ken. I was stalling on taking them out of the bags until I KNEW I could plant them. I unpacked the lilies I bought at the same time, and didnÃ¢ÂÂt get to them; now they are shriveling.

I am actually favorably impressed. They are not dried out. They are obviously alive and healthy. The PaulÃ¢ÂÂs Glory (at left in the photo) in particular are larger than expected. I have no frame of reference, having never bought hosta bare root before. For all I know these may only make 2 leaves all summer.

I think potting them up is a wise choice. That way I donÃ¢ÂÂt waste prime real estate and planting time. I bought some gallon hosta at a local $$$ nursery last fall at 80% off. I got literally a trunkload for $20. I can see which ones of those made it first (itÃ¢ÂÂs looking good so far, though itÃ¢ÂÂs hard to tell in between the daffodil foliage in that area, and I know they donÃ¢ÂÂt all pop up at the same time). Then I can plug in the survivors from the box into the gaps later.

I will go soak them for an hour and pot them up.
Related Discussions
Why did the deer choose these plants and what can I do to save th
Q
Comments (1)
Hi, just noticed this forum...I'm usually on other forums. Are you in Mad town, WI? If so, I can tell you what works on Wisconsin deer for us...
...See More
Hostas did not leaf out. Why?
Q
Comments (5)
Are they supposed to be small? I know a lot of my minis that came up this year seemed smaller than I expected. But also planting them too deep doesn't help. I planted my Great Expectations too deep last fall and it took forever not only to come up but also leaf out. I checked how deep was planted and sure enough I planted too deep. I lifted it and even though it didn't grow a foot it still took off quite a bit. I would have thought they would have done something when you put them in pots though 2 weeks is still too early to tell.
...See More
What did I do? WHY so many spidermites?
Q
Comments (12)
There are so many opinions out there when it comes to gardening. I'm such a "right answer" type of gal---it drives me crazy. I suppose I have to just try it all and see what works for me. Neem oil did not. The first thing I started with was dish soap---that also didn't work for me. It heped a little bit, but I really think the problem was too far gone at that point. Others swear by the insecticidal soap on other forums... but you're saying it does nothing to mites (much like using a pesticide for 6 legged creatures without a miticide won't work?) Off to get some sulpher! As far as what I used to treat.... I used Avid on the boxwoods last weekend (got a very small sample on ebay---have enough to treat one more time, but got freaked out by comments on another forum and am wary to use it again.) So I bought Bayer's 3 in one insect disease and mite control. I had treated the limelights with a bayer fungicide (because that is what I originally thought was wrong.) I should probably wait a few days (which kills me watching the plants look so bad while I do nothing but spray them down with a hose.... which in turn makes them droopy and does nothing to help the flowers) until I treat with the miticide. Off to get some sulpher---will at least use that for now and see how it goes. Thanks so much for everyone's advice
...See More
Why do I love this hosta?
Q
Comments (19)
Three alongside the 'Ravine' Very shady spot and very late in emerging. These just pop up all of a sudden and boom! I need to spread some mulch around them and do a little ammonia spraying as well. The brown spot in the second photo is from a puddle of Deer Fence, it is not fungus. Jon
...See More

Sign Up to Comment

Related Stories

Let's Dish! Did You Watch the Flipping Out Premiere?

By Becky Harris

Contemporary Remodel Kicks off Design Show's New Season. What Did You Think?

WALL TREATMENTS Double Take: How Did They Make That Mondrian-Inspired Wall?

By Becky Harris

Bright colors and wood grains create an artful midcentury modern feature in this Southern California living room

DISASTER PREP & RECOVERY Remodeling After Water Damage: Tips From a Homeowner Who Did It

By Judith Taylor Designs

Learn the crucial steps and coping mechanisms that can help when flooding strikes your home

BUDGETING YOUR PROJECT Houzz Call: What Did Your Kitchen Renovation Teach You About Budgeting?

By Erin Carlyle

Cost is often the biggest shocker in a home renovation project. Share your wisdom to help your fellow Houzzers

ARCHITECTURE Roots of Style: Where Did Your House Get Its Look?

By Steven Corley Randel, Architect

Explore the role of architectural fashions in current designs through 5 home styles that bridge past and present

FUN HOUZZ Double Take: Did MoMA Drop a Mini House in the Yard?

By Becky Harris

Or maybe it's garden art or even a modernist-loving giant's step stool. Use your imagination, then get the true tale here

ORGANIZING Outside the Box: 18 Unconventional Storage Solutions

By Dressed Nest Interiors

You might never think to use household standards in creative ways like these, but you’ll be glad we did

GARDENING GUIDES How I Learned to Be an Imperfect Gardener

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Letting go can lead to a deeper level of gardening and a richer relationship with the landscape. Here's how one nature lover did it

DECORATING PROJECTS DIY Project: Pizza-Box Stencil Wall

By Love Your Room LLC

Treat your wall to a giant graphic using paint and a pizza box

ENTERTAINING Genius Home Prep: A Guest Room in a Box

By Alison Hodgson

No dedicated guest room? Make hosting overnighters easier by keeping the essentials in one place

Sponsored

More Discussions

My wife knows I'm cheating...

17

Hosta Advice 2023 .............................

12

Hosta 2024 Garden Plans ............................

29

Fertilizing hosta

13

What Are You Doing Monday 32524 ........................

33