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Hostas
brucebanyaihsta

Pauline Banyai driveway hosta growing

brucebanyaihsta
10 years ago

I thought some more about Ken's comments about driveway growing of hosta and decided to share what he was really getting at.

As mentioned on another thread here, my mother (the late Pauline Banyai, then known as "the Michigan Hosta lady" ) would dig clumps in early Spring, divide and then pot up those divisions for sale when they leafed out in 4-8 weeks.

The potted divisions would be placed on our driveway on the west side of the home in Madison Heights Michigan, under some shade trees.

Often there would be smaller divisions or part root clumps that she did not deem fit to pot up for subsequent sales.

Due to planting time crunch in early Spring, she would often have a few varieties that would end up on the driveway with a "small amount" (read a handful or less) of potting soil just to cover the roots to prevent them from drying out.

Hopefully in a few days we would then replant those into the garden stock plant row, but over time some of these plants were not replanted in the garden but would have to survive on the watering of the adjacent for sale pots and rain.

By June/July some of these would leaf out, start to grow and take off into regular size plants, with multiple leaves.

These piles would then become quite visible as the plants in inventory were sold and the driveway cleared up of plants.

Mom found it amusing when people would walk along the garden, then driveway and finally ask " how do these plants grow on your driveway so well?"

Technically it was a sink or swim deal for them; by sheer neglect they would either be growing or goners.

Thus they were probably so vigorous and healthy but small roots or crowns that just that much moisture and air gave them life and vigor.

Cruel? not really. After all they probably sat overnight in a weak bleach solution, so were near death from drowning anyway!! We bleached all our divisions before potting them.

Some of those driveway hosta plants lived several years in the same spot- thus came the comments about her being able to grow hosta on the driveway.

They were not something we were proud of; actually a sign of inattention.

In later years after she passed away I realized how hard it was to keep up with that short growing and selling season we had maintained for so many years. And could understand why some hosta plants grew on the driveway.

Are they that hardy? Yes, depending on their source. Obviously there is a difference with tissue culture starts and field grown divisions.

Bruce

Featured Answer
  • DelawareDonna Zone 7A
    8 years ago

    I enjoyed reading the story of the driveway hosta. I guess we can't tease Ken anymore. NOT!!

    Comments (30)

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