Ken, the term applies. Yes, full contact is how I approach this business, as you'd agree if you saw me right now. I've been out potting the new guys from Green Mt., and they are all lined up with their new pots as the newest of the new to watch in my staging area for a few days. So far no pepper splashed on them, but all in due time. I thought I'd indicated that it was the lack of drainage, even with holes drilled in the bottoms, pots and saucers included, that would NOT drain. For whatever reason, maybe because the holes were on the bottom, even though they sat on thick cypress shredded mulch, that some were swimming in water after some of our heavy reains. I'd been cycling them out of my hosta garden, but this spring I really saw the damage they did with my poor plantaginea collection. I had 8 of them, mostly from 2012, and they are like miniature plants. The soil was soaking wet in the bottoms and a good way up the tops. I was disgusted. I am very pleased that Chris at Hallson sent extra plantaginea as my gift hosta, since I only ordered one. One can never be too rich, or have too many Mama plantaginea hosta. Anyway, my two neighbor ladies who garden and each own ONE hosta....its a greenie and might be Honeybells, I'll see when it blooms.....they are quite pleased to have the old pots since they pot and sell their daylilies and such. Making a little retirement $$$ from their green thumbs. Both have free passes to my hosta garden. Not much is showing in the potted hosta, since there were some pips but no leaves. I realize that it is a lot easier to pot dormant or pipping hosta than the leafed out ones. With Chris' directions, I'm HXLL on wheels with the pot job! I think I almost know what I'm doing these days.....hehehe.... But I'm pulling out those NON DRAINING pots, which just happen to be sold by WalMart, only place I ever saw such for sale though, and using the very basic black nursery pots of appropriate size. With this windfall from GreenMt, I got my Fair Maiden and it had over 20 eyes. I got confused and started the count over a couple of times, then finally said, 20 is close enough for gummit work. And my additional Verna Jean plants (I ordered 4 more) came apart into about 8 to go with 2 full pots from 2012 also from Green Mt, so I put them in a ring around a full The Razor's Edge to make a nice full display pot. Verna Jean multiplies quickly too, so I have visions of a real nice small hosta edge to my driveway bed. Not quite on the driveway, but close enough! I got one giant in the bunch, my very first Montana, Aureo Marginata. Judging by the size of those pips, bigger around than my THUMB, and the heavy roots on it, with a big piece of crown as well, it will fill up a good sized pot this summer. I'm looking forward to that one. Then I had 2 Harpoons. Those roots were fine as angel hair spaghetti, and had many eyes on each plant. I put them in one pot like twins, the next size up from the small pot. Maybe later today I will be restored/refreshed enough to take my camera out to show off the flat black pots full of mix and white ends of name tags punctuating the lineup. But right now, I'm pooped. I know I'm omitting some in my remarks, but that will change as they poke noses above the edge of the pot. I really want to see my golds.....the new ones, Cadillac, Fat Cat, King Tut...I'm a sucker for the gold hosta! I noticed most of this order was for medium sized plants, not intentionally, it just worked out that way. I also like the smalls, and those which are slightly bigger than small too. Well, hope I've appropriately responded to the WalMart point of order. No reason to cast aspersions on them or their products. Just these pots are not good for hosta. Avoid them. Wanna see a picture? I'll show you a few shortly.

You're welcome Teri. I saw on the news this morning that it is still raining. That must be so depressing. Carol

The ones I have are much more like Watsonias or Crocosmia - long strings of corms. Full sun. Good drainage. Don't mind a few degrees of frost (1-5). Don't really like to dry out, though. Should flower in late spring-early summer. They start from the bottom of the stem and move up, leaving silky coated seedheads behind. IMO they never look 'tatty'. They don't need staking but the stems can be a bit prone to drooping so a support hoop could be useful. My original clump was in grass on top of a very shingly bank and they dangled and flirted beautifully - until we had a droughty patch. What I have noticed is that they really dislike being moved and can sit stubborn for two years after being shifted, or even transplanted. And they will produce leaves, but not flowers, in a pot unless the corm just couldn't help itself! Leave the leaves in peace (no cutting back) but you can 'de-thatch' the debris to keep things tidy. I'm not sure how they would behave in cooler areas, but they stay evergreen in this zone.

ILoveToGrow, looks like Hollywood Bob's may have some of the Chastain stock from the man who bought out Mary Chastain? ...... I can tell you that Verna Jean performs beautifully. I have about 5 of them and they grow fairly quickly. Last year I surrounded The Razor's Edge with them. Also Banana Muffins is a good one. If it is yellow it does pretty well in my climate. Here it is 7/31/2014. MadPlanter, my Pin Strip Sister just arrived. I'm hoping it does well here. One of my streakers from last year is leafing out, and so far all leaves have the streaks. All Jazzed Up....it looks great and vigorous. I've ordered and received 2 orders so far. I have about 2 in the pipeline, and 2 orders yet to place. Plus, I will be driving to north Alabama over Mother's Day holidays, and on the way home swing by Hostas On The Hill near Birmingham to see her garden and pick up about 10 of her hostas. The way I keep my slightly (well, maybe a little more than "slightly") over 500 hostas is in pots and in a dedicated hosta garden. I call it The Garden of The White Dove. Not so pretty right now, but that is a temporary condition. Hostas will cover the pots entirely in a matter of weeks. I am so glad my remodel is almost completed, because dealing with hostas in pots in south Alabama is a matter of being TIMELY....about the watering, about the drainage, and giving them a good springtime exposure to sunlight before the heat begins in earnest around mid June. First day of summer, longest day of the year, is when there is no shade on the north side of my house. Any pots sitting there must migrate to the south side of the house for afternoon shade, or else find a convenient umbrella. Not having really counted acquisitions since mid season 2014, I'm estimating that total different named hostas will be around 550 when orders are received. Please, DonB, do not breathe a word of this to my "density calculator" husband ... H. Annabel Lee by Alttara Scheer, ordered from Naylor Creek in 2013