Hoster's

Hi.

I saw some pictures of very beautiful Hosta's and bought some mixed Hosta seeds but I don’t know what to do with them, can you help please.

potted.

 

Hi @potted you can just grow like any herbaceous perennial - a tray of seed compost, sprinkle seed, then add fine layer of compost and pat down. Water gently, preferably by soaking tray in water then draining.
HOWEVER - the ones you get will probably be very different from the highly selected (and Photoshopped) ones on the packet - probably mostly just green plain leaves.

 

If seeds are from China, these may be even something else . Can't see from the photo, if they look like hostas seeds (actually never seen those, just googled how they are supposed to look like).

 

Hi.

I should have started with... ‘first day Apprentice Gardener’

I have always loved our garden but it was my wife who did that, I just dug the holes, she passed away recently so it is for me to learn and do it now that I moved to another home, so even the most beginner information would be appreciated - which soil - with or without perlite - water or don't water - etc.
I bought these seeds from eBay and hoped that I have done the right thing.

potted

 

I'm sorry to say but I don't think they are hosta seeds. Hosta have longer seeds more like a flattened sunflower seed, or at least the ones I've collected have.

 

Sorry for your loss @potted . We all have to learn, so just ask here! If growing any seeds, the simplest way for a beginner is to just use a multi-purpose compost. Once you've been doing it a while, you can then start modifying it to suit your growing habits. For example, I water too much, so need to add grit to make the compost more free draining.
If you love hostas, the best way is to see them in other gardens or garden centres, and select the type you want. Or neighbours might give you a chunk...

 

I don't have any seed trays, will pots do? or should I just go and buy some trays please?

 

Thank you.

I found an unused cat tray, we have never had a cat so I don’t know where that came from, the seeds do appear to have a Chinese connection, I am keen to get this going so I will use this for now to see what grows and buy some proper seed trays, would you suggest a particular type and size please.

 

Hi Potted,

As said the colours of the plants in that picture look rather dubious but worth sowing them to see what comes up, but it will take a good year for them to become a decent sized plant.

If you are after Hostas then suggest you look at places like this who have a good selection of inexpensive Hosta as Loose Roots that will quickly grow into decent sized plants this year.
We bought some of these White Feather ones the other week and they are already pushing up new leaves.
https://www.jparkers.co.uk/perennials/hosta/?pgNo=1&limits=12&sort=RELEVANCE

 

In china some parts actually eat hosta shoots like asparagus. Might give it a try in a few weeks. Snails certainly love it...!

 

I chose Hosta’s because of the pictures I found on eBay, very big and very colourful as above, but perhaps they wont be as nice as they are in the pictures.

My idea was to have big colourful plants in big pots and hanging baskets, I needed my garden to be as maintenance friendly as it could be and to put the pots and baskets around the house as they flourished, do you have any suggestions to what I should be looking for please?

 

I bought these plants a few weeks ago, they seem to be doing well, do they need repotting now or am I just making work for myself please.