skip to main content

Hosta seedlings

8 years ago

My large unidentified hostas threw off a ton of seeds in the past several years, and this spring I have dozens of babies surrounding each mature hosta. At what point should I try to move them? The bed is so overgrown, that I have to pull out the ground cover close to them, so I will be working around them.

Should they be potted individually or can I put them in a new area of the bed and let them be for a few more years? There is a 6 foot long area that could be used as a nursery, that is at the end of the bed they are in now - just not sure how they will fair best.

Featured Answer

irawon zone 5a Ottawa.ca

8 years ago

Hi Liz,

I move my seedlings from one area of my hosta beds directly to another without putting them in pots first. I have clay soil. I just add a little bone meal to the bottom of the planting hole. I use them as fillers until my bought hostas get larger. All of my seedlings are either green, blue or yellow. When I started moving my seedlings around, I waited until they had at least 4 leaves but I have successfully moved two-leaved seedlings. Because they sprouted on their own with no help from me, they are pretty tough. Just make sure you water them.

You are really lucky to have an area where you can plant them and observe their progress. The down side to using my seedlings as fillers is that I have no idea how big they will get. Have fun with your seedlings. Hope you'll post pictures when you're done.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (13)

almosthooked zone5
8 years ago
I am to the point that I just don't know what to do with all the seedlings that volunteered to grow. I transplanted some in an area thinking they would be okay for a couple years until I knew what to do with them and now look again and they are growing in the gravel paths everywhere. Mostly green but one has a lighter yellow border. Fun to see what transpires from them anyway. Transplant anytime but like irawon said water lots
Related Discussions
HAVE: helleborus foetidus seedlings for hosta seedlings
Q
Comments (1)
I don't know if you'll be interested in this, but I'm trading off all my generic (read: lost the labels) hosta. I have some nice variegated ones (green/white) and several medium, upright, avocado colored variations. I'd be very interetsed in the hellebore seedlings, because hosta and hellebore are the only things that seem to survive under aggressive maples with roots that kill everything. I understand if you're not interested, but if you would, please just let me know? Thanks, Christine
...See More
Have: Hosta Seedlings & etc. Want: Classic Shade Plants
Q
Comments (2)
This is available for trade, as well, there is a volunteer lily and a daylily in this pot. I had put the daylily - a tiny baby fan - in a pot for someone last year, they didn't pull through, so now I offer it here. The daylily is probably a fancy one, either South Seas or Black Ambrosia. Also have red tulip bulbs for trade - they multiply like crazy in my beds and pop up all over the place. Just a generic, red with black tulip.
...See More
Hosta seedling flower
Q
Comments (15)
Also, if you edit your profile and select "Advanced Settings" go down near the bottom and change "Who can message me" to: Allow anyone to message me. Then, if someone clicks on your name they'll see a "Message" button in the top right used to send you a message. You wont see it on your own, but others will. If you click on my name, you'll see it. tj
...See More
Hosta Seedlings
Q
Comments (5)
Luckily we don't have hardly any deer. I will see some down crossing the main road, a mother and twins or a buck occasionally but they don't come up to our yard. They would have a major buffet if they did. I live on a 1 lane gravel road that is about 1/2 mile long with a total of 7 homes all the rest is woods and some pasture. The few deer we have are usually killed on the 2 lane that our road turns off from.
...See More
suncoastflowers
8 years ago
That's an excellent problem to have!
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
8 years ago
crikey .. lol ... they are semi invasive weeds ...

of no actual value..

they are NOT babies ... they are the devils spawn ...

ken
don_in_colorado
8 years ago
LOL semi-invasive
mkpearse (MI z6a)
8 years ago
LOL I never get any seedlings!
popmama (Colorado, USDA z5)
8 years ago
I had many seedlings last year and a few this year from my largest hosta. I didn't even know that was possible since I'd never seen them before. I moved one last year from dirt-to-dirt, no pot between. It's nearly as big as the parent now. I potted several others and gave them away to other garden nerds. I still have one growing next to its mother that will need to be moved or given away since it's too close to a foot path.
almosthooked zone5
8 years ago
mkpearse, you must weed too much lol I let them ripen on the stocks and break them off and tuck them under the mother hosta. Some make seedlings , some don't. I guess the ones that come up in the gravel paths are because of the raking in the spring when I do a clean up so who knows who their mommy is and as Don said they start to be like hosta weeds after a while. Maybe will pot them up and put them on the edge of the drive with a free sign next year. I still haven't the heart to weed them out
smorz
8 years ago
Give em away... to someone who will give you visitation. If one matures into sumtn you like, you can always ask for an for a piece back :)
bkay2000
8 years ago
ThisMelissa said she always cuts off the flower stalks after blooming so she won't have to deal with the weedlings.

bk
mkpearse (MI z6a)
8 years ago
Duh, I always cut off the stalks so that's why I never get any seedlings! Gotta fix that this winter!
val (MA z6)
8 years ago
Wow, my hostas have NEVER self-seeded!

They look big enough to transplant elsewhere if you want to move them elsewhere....or Dig 'em up and pot them if you need to get them out of your garden, I'm sure you can give them away or trade them on Gardenweb! :o)
Liz Gallardo
Original Author
8 years ago

Semi-invasive weeds? Shame on you!! I love my babies. Almosthooked that is what I did two or three years ago... But they took so well! This is the momma of the most babies.

I don't baby anything, as you can see from the butchered leaves.

Related Stories

GARDENING FOR BUTTERFLIES Great Design Plant: Columbine Grows Happily in Shade and Sun

By Paintbox Garden

Its ethereal beauty comes from complex forms and wide-ranging colors, but columbine’s benefits are highly attractive too

GARDENING GUIDES Great Lakes Gardener's August Checklist

By Barbara Pintozzi

Pick the peppers and drink in the scent of lilies this month, while you mull over a mowing strip to make fall gardening easier

GARDENING GUIDES New Ways to Think About All That Mulch in the Garden

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Before you go making a mountain out of a mulch hill, learn the facts about what your plants and soil really want

FALL GARDENING Why Fall Is the Best Time for Planting

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Spring is overrated for planting. Starting plants in autumn has advantages for both garden and gardener

FALL GARDENING 7 Reasons Not to Clean Up Your Fall Garden

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Before you pluck and rake, consider wildlife, the health of your plants and your own right to relax

LANDSCAPE DESIGN Great Design Plant: Retreat to the Shade of Hardy Catalpa

By Jocelyn H. Chilvers

Big foliage and a towering height provide a shady respite in summer, but that's not all hardy catalpa offers dedicated gardeners

GARDENING GUIDES Oh, Deer! 10 Native Flowers That Stand Up to the Herds

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Keeping a garden amid hungry deer can be hard, but these plants should fare well

PLANTING IDEAS Ferns: A Shade Gardener’s Best Friend

By Jay Sifford Garden Design

Bring rich texture and contrast to a dark woodland landscape with wonderfully diverse ferns

LANDSCAPE DESIGN 4 Tips for Creating a Small Garden That Welcomes Wildlife

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Win over birds, bees, butterflies and neighbors with these design strategies

SPRING GARDENING Top 10 Scented Plants for Your Garden

By Carol Bucknell Garden Design

A palette of perfumed plants can transform even the smallest of gardens into a sensory delight

Sponsored

CHC & Family Developments

4 Reviews

Industry Leading General Contractors in Franklin County, Ohio

More Discussions

What are you doing Monday 42224

11

Sun tolerant hostas:

6

Reddy or Not this Spring

19

HVX, yes? Confirmation, please :)

2

Anyone else having trouble with Rawsons lists?

3