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How to Grow Hostas From Seed
How to Grow Hostas From Seed. Hostas are popular ornamental leafy perennials in the lily family and are often grown as filler plants in flower beds. Most of the 5,000 varieties (cultivars) are hardy from USDA growth zones 3 through 9. Hostas were imported from Asia in the mid-19th century, with just a few original species. Hostas are shade...
Hostas are popular ornamental leafy perennials in the lily family and are often grown as filler plants in flower beds. Most of the 5,000 varieties (cultivars) are hardy from USDA growth zones 3 through 9. Hostas were imported from Asia in the mid-19th century, with just a few original species. Hostas are shade tolerant, generally require little special care aside from watering and can be grown easily from seed.
Things You'll Need
Commercial potting soil
Black plastic seed flat
Plastic wrap
Sand
Fill the cells of the seed flat three quarters of the way to the top with the commercial potting mix.
Moisten the soil by dipping the flat in water or by thoroughly soaking with watering can with a sprinkler attachment.
Sprinkle a pinch of Hosta seeds in each cell. This is necessary since Hosta seeds do not germinate reliably. If you get more than one seedling in a cell, you can always remove it later.
Cover the seeds with a thin layer of the potting mix and water again.
Cover the top of the seed flat with plastic wrap to hold in moisture and store in a dark place at 60 to 70 degrees F. The seeds should germinate in about two weeks at this temperature.
Remove the plastic wrap and move the flat into a sunny window or under a fluorescent lamp suspended about 6 inches above the flat once you see the first sprouts.
Start to "harden" the seedlings (prepare them to be transplanted outside) once they have three or four leaves apiece and the temperature outside will not dip much below 50 degrees F. Do this by leaving them outside in the shade starting for four hours at a time over the course of about a week. Leave the plants outside for an hour or two longer each day until they are outside all day.
Plant the seedlings in 6-inch holes wherever you want the plants to stay. Top dress the surrounding soil with 1/4 inch of sand to prevent disease.
Tips & Warnings
Keep the soil in the flats continuously moist by placing the flat in a tray filled with water periodically, or by misting from above.
Hosta seeds must be grown in sterilized soils. Soil from your garden will contain pathogens and parasites that can harm the seedlings, so use a commercial potting mix.
