Hosta question... (growing, trees, Canada, hostas)

[World Citizen]

I've got five or six baby Hosta's that are growing in pots that I started from some root stock that I purchased late in the season for a dollar each. They're really little - an inch or less each. They're really tiny, just getting started. I brought them in tonight because it's almost freezing at night right now.

My question is what to do with them right now to keep them alive over winter ????

Do you think I can overwinter them inside and plant them in the spring?

I don't want to kill them...

Any hosta experts?

[azoria]

Originally Posted by World Citizen

My question is what to do with them right now to keep them alive over winter ????

Put them in the ground. Tomorrow. Outside.

They should be fine. I've seen hostas at a latitued of 55N survive winter in the ground, frozen for months and under several feet of snow. That's approximately the latitude of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. I'll bet you're well south of anything like Calgary.

Your hostas are more likely to be weather damaged in a pot than in the ground. Plant them.

[Pitt Chick]

Mine are all in the ground too...
plant yours now.

[World Citizen]

Thanks for the answers.... but, they're so little!

I was actually considering keeping them inside under lights until Spring planting since they're just developing foliage... I overwinter my geraniums and some other stuff.

I wonder what would happen if they didn't have the first cold season and I let them develop all winter inside ???

[brien51]

Deer love Hosta so don't get so attached to them

[Hollytree]

Actually hosta are very difficult to kill. One good sized plant can be divided into many. So rather than starting tiny ones, just get a good one established and then you'll have hosta for life.

[graceC]

I agree with Hollytree. Hostas are tougher than they look!

My husband once accidentally spilled some chemical from his deck cleaner and sealant all over my baby hostas that lined up on the side of our deck. He claimed he didn't know that he's supposed to cover the plants around the deck before he started working on it. The chemical practically 'fried' my baby hostas to crispy brown and I almost cried when I saw them. So I trimmed all the fried leaves and left them be; then a week or so later they bounced back with new leaves. I was so relieved...!!

They're really one of the best plants you can have, very low maintenance and tough.

[World Citizen]

Thanks. I'm wanting to get an entire area under a tree in front of the house filled in with them.

So far I've got 12 established plants.

I may try overwintering these 5 tiny little things inside with my geraniums.

[tcs1366]

Originally Posted by World Citizen

Thanks for the answers.... but, they're so little!

I was actually considering keeping them inside under lights until Spring planting since they're just developing foliage... I overwinter my geraniums and some other stuff.

I wonder what would happen if they didn't have the first cold season and I let them develop all winter inside ???

I too have wanted to baby some of the babies I've had [grew a few by seed one year]

BUT -- Hostas NEED to go thru that cold cycle.

You'll notice, you rarely see hostas in the south. From what i've read - they do not survive in or above zone9.

Something about 40 days below 40degrees.

they are very hardy COLD weather plants.

I know a gal in TX who will store them in her frig or freezer until she can ship them to me in the spring.

i've also read with perennials, it takes about 6 weeks to get roots established, not sure how that goes with hostas too.

Hopefully - your area is not getting ready to freeze yet.

[susancruzs]

I vote for plant them! Last year I moved hostas in Nov., some were quite small, they looked great this summer!

They were on the east side of my house (sunny - previous owner) I put them under some pine trees on the north side of my backyard I was amazed at how big they got!