How do you start your seeds in the Spring/Summer?

14 years ago

I am asking this because usually I collect the seed off my hosta in the fall and put them in small brown paper bags in the refridgerator, and then in the spring I sow them in what I call my baby bed. This bed is actually a large wooden frame with no bottom. I spread weed cloth down on the ground under it and then filled it up with a mixture of potting soil, top soil, and composted cow manure. In the past I have sowed (sewn ? hey its been years since I took grammar!) them on top of the mix and covered up with a large pane of glass to protect from beating rains until the seedlings were established. This has worked well for me in years past, but for some reason this spring not one of my seed germinated! Does anybody have any idea of what could have gone wrong or have advice on how I could better my method? Thanks, Raye

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Comments (5)

hosta_freak
14 years ago
I couldn't tell you,Raye. I just sowed them in a pot with nothing covering them at all,and they just came up. After all we get volunteers coming up under the mother plant all the time,don't we? No one protects them from rainfall,except maybe the leaves of the mother plant. I have a bunch right now from an Olive Bailey Langdon right under the leaves of said plant,and they are thriving! Good luck with whatever you do try! Phil
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
14 years ago
they have no need for a cold period.. nor stratification.. and are ready for planting.. when they fall out of the pod ...

i suspect something went wrong in the fridge ....

i know peeps who winter sow them ...

and those who sow them right into the ground in fall ...

but most grow them under lights during the winter.. having plants ready for the garden in late spring ..

ken
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raye
Original Author
14 years ago
Could I cut the scapes off and just lay them on the soil in the bed and let them open up and fall where they may, or should I wait until they are about to open and scatter them around? By the way, when can you cut the pods off of the stalks, do you need to wait until they turn brown?
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
14 years ago
heck raye ..

I didnt cut off the flower scapes for 3 years running.. and i have maybe 1000 volunteers out there ...

just dont make it to complicated ...

i do lay scapes of plants on the ground for other plants .... the dead scapes reminding you months later ... not to pull them out as weeds ...

ken
hosta_freak
14 years ago
Raye,Those Olive Bailey Langdon seedlings I talked about earlier. That's what I did. I cut them off and just laid the scapes right down under the parent plant,and this year,there they were. They are still too small to separate out,but they are growing well. Phil

How do you start your seeds in the Spring/Summer?

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hosta_freak

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

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How do you start your seeds in the Spring/Summer?

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hosta_freak

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

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rayeOriginal Author

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

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