Overwintered in Garage Hosta

wzbt03 · Post by **wzbt03** » Apr 11, 2007 7:51 pm

The guys are just starting to poke through after spending winter in my garage and then a stint in the unheated greenhouse before being forced into the sunroom.

renaldo75 · Post by **renaldo75** » Apr 11, 2007 9:36 pm

Good idea!!

Maybe I should just invest in some big pots.

Keep 'em all indoors in my very unheated basement all winter & move 'em out when all danger of frost is past....

It'd be a lot of work but it'd save a lot of my pain & suffering.

Justaysam · Post by **Justaysam** » Apr 11, 2007 9:49 pm

I wasn't planning on it, but have a wooly bully leafing out in the garage. Kind of neat, I had to pot it up it was growing in some wood chips and the pips were really starting to bend over. It was the free be from the WSM. Its coming up a nice, bright golden color, not what I expected.

Mary Ann · Post by **Mary Ann** » Apr 11, 2007 10:32 pm

Linda, my WSM Shoremaster is growing in my crisper drawer.

eastwood2007 · Post by **eastwood2007** » Apr 12, 2007 12:36 am

Very nice, wz, nice labels, too!

newtohosta-no more · Post by **newtohosta-no more** » Apr 12, 2007 6:24 am

Is it just me , or does that last pic that Mary Ann posted look like bunnies trying to escape that bag??

It sure is good to see eyes, isn't it? I upended all my pots that I had overwintered by my deck and there are tons of eyes showing. There are several I'm still waiting to see though, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Justaysam · Post by **Justaysam** » Apr 12, 2007 7:51 am

That is exactly what mine was looking like Mary Ann! Poor little thing looked like it wanted to escape, all bent over, I couldn't stand the abuse, and potted it up. It went outside on a bench, started to leaf out, then WAM 6 inches of snow yesterday. I put it in the garage last week, so it didn't turn to mush.

thy · Post by **thy** » Apr 12, 2007 7:55 am

Ohh my.. it is really crying for some light

thehostagourmet · Post by **thehostagourmet** » Apr 12, 2007 8:56 am

I too had success in the garage this year. I moved a tc twelve-pak into the garage in late fall. (I had been too lazy to transplant it during the season.) Almost all of the little guys are sending up large shoots.

George

Walnut grove · Post by **Walnut grove** » Apr 14, 2007 4:51 pm

I overwintered approx 50 hostas in my unheated barn due to I ran out of time before getting them all planted. I don't see any growth on mine. Do you think that's a bad sign?? I am really nervous...I hope they survived. I have yet to bring them out, because just when I think the weather is going to cooperate we get snow or cold temps. Is there still hope. Should they be popping their eyes up by now?

thehostagourmet · Post by **thehostagourmet** » Apr 14, 2007 5:01 pm

Walnut Grove, I, too, am in Western NY. I have lots (hundreds) of potted Hostas outside. Some don't make it through our winters, but most do, especially if we had good snow cover during winter.

Right now only some of them have poked through. Depth in the pot and what variety will decide that.

Did you water them before they went in the barn? Are they very dry now? If they're not too dry, I'd guess they survived. You can carefully poke around in the top couple of inches to see if you can feel any eyes. Maybe you planted them real deep. If they're very dry, you might water them thoroughly, and hope.

George

LucyGoose · Post by **LucyGoose** » Apr 14, 2007 5:04 pm

Mary Ann!

..

Walnut, I have a bunch of potted hosta's under the patio, and I only see one that has eye's..... I AM NOT GOING TO WATER them YET! Last year I did, too soon, and boy I was freaking out cause I lost a lot!.....I hope they are alright, too....

Hey Linda and Mary Ann.....did you guys get those hosta's near you? I know that Menards have had theirs now for a good month or more.....the bag looked like theirs.

malaprop · Post by **malaprop** » Apr 14, 2007 5:47 pm

Mary Ann, explain! What are you doing? I am interested in storing hostas in fridges in warm zones......like if I were to move to Monterey Calif.

Mary Ann · Post by **Mary Ann** » Apr 14, 2007 6:42 pm

Elaine, not to worry about them, they'll be popping soon. Don't water at all until temps moderate. They'll be safer in dry condition. In a couple weeks I'll bring mine out and water them.

The bagged hosta were a gift from Klehm at WSM in January. He suggested we store them in a cool dry place. I should have set my fridge cooler than 45 degrees to keep it dormant. How did the hosta know it's April? What's the magic number to keep it dormant longer?

Mal, it would be an interesting experiment for zones 8-9 to refrigerate hosta for the required dormant period, maybe even freeze them?

Some growers have cold houses where they keep the bareroot hosta, then ship them out from there.

thy · Post by **thy** » Apr 14, 2007 7:25 pm

My garden act like 2 gardens

One half get sun during spring ,summer and fall.. other part only get sun mid summer mornings...

So, what's to do with hostas

quite a lot...

When hostas are unfutling in the sunny area they will show tiny eyes the shaded area...

If it can change- sure it can, but then the night temps have to be more than 4 C or 44 F for a week or so..

From my 2 cents.. hostas rely on the geneal temperature of the soil ..

If not in pots and in sun, do not water id not stone dry, they know when to come.. but are to darn stupid to read the forecast

Pia

Please disagree

Walnut grove · Post by **Walnut grove** » Apr 15, 2007 11:46 am

Thanks everyone...I think I am just having that last minute panic lol. But I will sure feel a whole lot better when I actually see them poking up. I guess I need to be patient, it is suppose to be cold here for a while yet. I need spring to get here soon Lol.

Elaine

Hallson Gardens

Overwintered in Garage Hosta

Overwintered in Garage Hosta

Garage overwintering

Barn