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where to buy mature hostas

13 years ago

I'm a first time home owner of a foreclosed home that had been neglected for years, maybe decades. The only plants that have survived are gigantic clumps of plain green hostas and the nasty green/white that only look good for the first week that they pop up before they turn nicotine yellow. I only plan on living here for 2 years tops and I would really like to plant some hostas that I might actually get to enjoy before I move. Obviously I dont have anything worth trading and was wondering if there were any resources to find hostas with more than 1-3 eyes. Any suggestions?

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Comments (6)

thisismelissa
13 years ago
Congrats on your first home!

While I usually advise against buying mature hosta, I can see your point. First, lemme explain that there's a difference between a mature hosta and one with more than 3 eyes. Mature hostas have typically been left in a hole, untouched for more than 3 years.... Some hosta, depending on conditions, could take 10 years or more to mature. The roots cannot mature if a spade is taken to them for moving/division.

Monrovia (the company whose plants are in dark green containers with "Mondrovia" on the sides) sells large divisions of hosta ($40+ a pot), but since they were probably field grown and divided to fit into the pot, their roots will have been severed. They may look good in a pot at the garden center this year, but there's a good chance that transplant shock on a large hosta will be great.

If I were you, I'd look on Craigslist. Since it sounds like you've no intention to stay in this home long, you probably are looking for a quick, yet economical fix. There are people on my local craigslist who will allow you to come and dig out their hosta for nearly free.

Good luck.
everlastb
Original Author
13 years ago
I appreciate the input. I have checked craigslist and there are plenty of those type ads but they all seem to be the same hostas that I have. I'm looking for maybe 2-3 med-lg blue/yellow hostas like frances williams, pauls glory, etc etc. Also I would like to find an xl hosta like sum and substance. Since I'm new to the whole gardening thing I didn't know if there were any other options for plants besides nurseries.
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My bf and I usually go over to Mansfield to watch the super bike races in August, otherwise we don't usually head down that way, but perhaps this year, if it isn't too late by then, we can go visit that garden near Bellville before we see the races, make it a weekend thing. The place over by Cleveland wouldn't be too far to go to either, probably an hour and a half at the most for travel. There's a place in Norwalk which is about 25 miles from me I'm going to visit, the lady there grows and sells hosta, daylilies and irises. I plan on buying some of her plants, since she's so local. Her website is www.dayliliesbythepond.com/index.htm Karen
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Thanks for the advice! Success at moving mature hosta!
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Um, no, I don't think ON the driveway would look nearly as good as NEAR the driveway LOL! You are so right about actually picking the dang thing up... When I finally managed to loosen it from the ground (mind you, I was by myself and rapidly running out of daylight), I tried real hard to remember everything I have ever heard about picking heavy objects up the "correct" way and proceeded to do my best to lift it - and was unable to budge it! OMG if anyone had caught the sight I must have made - Miss Grace, I am NOT! I almost fell over, head first right into the middle of the hosta it was so heavy!!! Thankfully, after carefully picking the soil away from the roots for about 6" all around, it lightened it up enough that I could finally get it into my wheelbarrow and move it to the front yard. Man, if I had just thought to have someone videotape me, I might have made the that TV show about the planets funniest videos and made some money to buy more hosta! BettyLu
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Wow, McNeil, you have done a very thorough job of it. I was surprised to see Sandy's Plants on there, from what I've gathered, they are mostly wholesale, but they do retail on-site visits but no mail order retail. They are supposed to be huge and have acres of perennials, hostas included, of course. They give you a map and wish you luck, they are too busy to handhold retailers, but they do allow them, instead of just rejecting the idea completely, so I appreciate that. I have been wanting to take a trip up there but haven't made it yet. Seemed like a fairly obscure place when I found it, so bravo for you adding it to your list. They supply my favorite local nursery with a variety of perennials.
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I just bought a bunch, in all sizes from hostasDirect.com. They are based locally and I really like the quality of their plants. Tom, the owner, was having a sale in his own yard and you got to see everything he was offering in a real live setting... at mature sizes. But, as someone said before, they are very tempermental little buggers. I think I've already killed one, and it's only been a week! I can't remember which one though.
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nutmeg4061
13 years ago
Hornbaker`s sells large clumps, but it`ll cost ya.
$12 shipping per clump, too. I see the biggest clump of Sum and Substance goes for $50, so that`d be $62 for one big guy.
If I had the money to throw around, would I?
In a New York minute, lol.

Here is a link that might be useful: Hornbaker`s
nutmeg4061
13 years ago
Here`s another company selling what they call "super size".
I have no experience with this company`s reputation, but maybe it will help you.

Here is a link that might be useful: Super+Size+Hosta
tomahawkclaim
13 years ago
You've got some great hosta nurseries in Ohio. Wade & Gatton's is near Columbus; they price by the eye and have some larger ones. Peter Ruh's is near Cleveland. Kridler's is in Homeworth, way east, midway north & south. Both Ruh and Kridler are very accommodating but call ahead to see what mature plants they have. And if you're really lucky, some of the Ohioans who post here might have some they want to get rid of!
caliloo
13 years ago
I was just going to suggest W&G and Ruh's. I would start another thread specifically requesting help in your part of Ohio (closest city or whatever) and see if anyone can help you out - either with divisions or suggestions for local nurseries that might have some of the older and more common plants in large containers that woulod not be expensive.

Good luck and congrats!

Alexa

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