Hmmm, Melissa--maybe you could work harder on convincing him the value of a hosta-plantation!
Maybe if he thinks you could sell pieces of them, for your retirement years--or something???
Seriously, look at ALL THAT POTENTIAL to the left of your pic! Drool--Sigh!!!

You KNOW how small my space is--and you know I have to be so envious of your OPEN spaces!!!

The nursery I buy a lot of hostas from has a space similiar to yours. They planted their hostas in the ground in pots. They are in the process of pulling them all up and putting them in spin out bags.

Indeed look at all the potential to the left, Janice!
THAT'S MY NEIGHBOR'S YARD!
lol!

I just finished helping a friend build a new garden where everything is in spinout bags. The one problem we've discovered is that after a few rains, all the hosta are too deep because that nice composty soil we put in the bags gets compacted; now she has to go back and lift every one of the hosta and stuff some additional soil underneath. So my recommendation is to mound the soil and hosta above the edge of the bag so when it compacts, it'll be the right depth. Here's the garden. Nance

Can someone show me a pic of a spin-out bag? My interest in hostas began in the hill country of northern Arkansas and I didn't know any other hosta lovers there. So I am totally in the dark about spin-out bags.

It seems to be something that I need to know about Melissa. My Norway Maple(5 foot diam. trunk)gave me a present this past week in the form of two 30 foot branches that took out my power line and big chunks of several mature hosta.
Thanks for the post and pics.

Les

I am planning to replant some of my hosta in bags to stop tree root intrusion. I just bought 10 bags at a reasonable price.

Here is a link that might be useful: Link

I always love your garden.

I do feel sorry for you that you have to plant around a Silver Maple. I know the pain all to well. It takes an hour to dig a hole for planting that would normally take a couple of minutes to dig. If there is any possible way to make your new bed elsewhere, try very hard. One thing you could try to get your husband to change his mind is ask him to dig a small hole 10" to 12" across by 10" deep about 4'-6' out from the Maple. That would probably get him to change his mind once he realizes just how difficult it will be to plant there.

Melissa,

One of the gardens we saw this week (Mary Arnberg's) had a 35 year old Silver Maple dominating the back yard. The trunks of the Maple were 2 to 3 times larger than yours. Most of her plants in this area were in pots (and she left them there over the winter!). But I think the bags are better. I think the larger ones will hold M/L and L sized hostas. I actually think if you sewed two large bags together that it would hold a mature Giant Hosta. One good thing is that Mary did not have a vole problem. Too difficult for the critters to dig through those Maple roots.

Steve

I bought a bunch of the spin out bags a few years ago and only used 2 of them so far. I found that the bags are too deep and not nearly wide enough. Has anyone else noticed the same thing?

Sassy,

I think that's true, but it's the volume that counts. The roots will eventually fill the bag no matter what the shape.

Steve

Praise the Lord that I only have one red maple.I am planted from right up beside the trunk to any direction under it,and no problems! I do feel sorry for you all who have to garden under other types of maples! Phil

Too funny about Gesila suggesting you utilize your neighbor's yard!! Who knows, if you can't convince your DH, maybe you stand a chance with the neighbor??? LOL!
Karen

Sassy,

HorticultureSpecialties.com sells a larger size bag (25 gal.). They also sell the spinout cloth in rolls which I would have bought had I known. With the cloth rolls you can make your own planting pouch to fit your needs.
I bought my bags from Wild Rose and thought there S&H rates too high.

John

PS. I'd post a link to the above if I knew how. Link rejected along with the usual computer gibberish.

Blush--I'm afraid it was 'me' that suggested using the neighbors yard to expand Melissa's hosta addiction.
I actually thought it was part of her yard but now that I take the time to look more closely and recalling
her pix from their house, I can see it isn't their property.

Melissa--I couldn't imagine your hubby wouldn't indulge you further if that were your space to the left! LOL

Maybe--you could negoitiate the property lines. If you start mowing their property before they can
and keep it up for, so many years, they use to say you can claim it as yours!
There you go--start mowing! Or--claim your own 'imminent domain'! Grin!!

Sorry Karen, no chance with the neighbor either. They have 2 boys and when they started working on their landscape, they reduced their gardens. The neighbor to the rear didn't want any plants, rather said "not this year". So, maybe I can give them some of my more "ordinary" ones in the coming years. Maybe I'll have a better shot if I ask them if they'd like ME to plant them! After all, it's more in my view than theirs!

Sizing question:
Steve, you posted this pic in the spring. What size bag is this?

That's the large sized bag. It's 11 x 17 as I measured it. I put a fairly mature Gold Standard into this one and a young (second year) Francis Williams into another. Both have done very well this year. I'm about to plant a first year Frank Lloyd Wright (medium blue) into another one. Perhaps tomorrow.

Steve

Ok, dumb question: 11 when folded or 11 diameter?

My mistake. I measured 12 x 12 length and width with 16 inches deep. When you fill it with soil it assumes a more round shape.

Steve

Melissa: I have two whole beds, as well as all the hosta around my fencing in spin-out bags. Because of a high concentration of maples (my only shade), I didn't have a choice. These pictures were from last year. They are all doing great. I think this is their 4th year.

Squire John-

If you get that "rejected" message, just go back and change one letter in the subject line when you type your reply. Voila! Try it.

-Babka

Keanna, what size did you use?

Keanna, gorgeous plantings!
Melissa, I'd give it a shot with the bags under the tree. That spot would make a lovely bed, and you know what you're doing, so your odds of success are great.
Also, you know what they say...can't build out anymore?
Build UP!
I'm thinking of something like the way idiothe did his multi-level mini displays in this thread at the link.
Let me be clear. I'm not saying build up INSTEAD of a bed under the tree. I'm saying do BOTH! (grin)
Michelle

Here is a link that might be useful: multi-level mini displays

A couple of spin-out bag comments: I've been planting in these for about 4 years now in areas that have root issues. I have made cuffs on the tops of the bags and have not had issues with roots growing through the cuffed area; this helps with the depth issue. Also, if you water thoroughly and then adjust the crown height, you will not have any issues with compaction (just like planting in a pot).

Keana, I love your "Beware of Hostas" sign! Where did you get it???
Karen

Melissa: I used various sizes depending on the size of the hosta to be planted in it. Example: I planted the Blue Angel/Niagara Falls in the large size and ones like Gold Standard/Olive Branch in mediums. I did put a few small bags where I planted some very small/dwarfs. I also planted the heucheras in bags too.

Karen: My daughter got me that sign quite a few years ago. She told me she got it from e-bay. I've never seen another one for sale, though. It's very special to me. Thanks.