Hallson Gardens

I'm sure mine are up too...under that 2 foot snow cover. Right!

George

I promised my grandmother a mink coat when I was a teenager. I ended up getting her a nice warm camel-colored wool coat. It was what I could afford. Perhaps you could buy 'Seventh Heaven', a great fragrant breeder for $50-65. Then breed her own 'Grandma Jane'. She might get a kick out of its uniquen...

Jamie, that's really a moat to deer-proof the beds. A couple dozen Piranha will be in the moat. Have you ever see pictures of what they can do to full grown cattle?

George

No pictures yet. They're too small yet. But over the next few weeks I'll be boring everyone with them.

George

All six trays have germinated. Even the tray from 1/29 has some germinated. Spring is around the corner!

Oops, there's still 2 feet of snow out there.

George

One of the trays planted on 1/27 has its first germination. That's 13 days. I'm glad I caught it this morning to move it under the lights.

George

Linda, over the 35 years I've been sprouting seeds in our basement I've put smaller trays and 6-paks in plastic bags on top of the old, metal fluorescent fixtures with the big wings that I bought when I built the first two wooden gro-light stands. Those still work. I still use them for bottom heat f...

Planted 0n January 21st, the first seedlings are up this evening. None were up this morning. Even with 2+ feet of snow on the ground from this weekend, it now seems like spring again. The other half of that tray was planted the next evening. None of those has germinated yet. 15 days! The first up ar...

'Surprised by Joy', which won best of show two years ago at the national in Cleveland, is pretty upright, especially when young. Its pollen might work. I can't get 'Rhythm and Blues' to set seed, although I think its pollen is OK. I don't think it's that upright; at least mine isn't. 'Salute' is my ...

Mike, the answer is no one knows, because no one has done an actual study on it. A few years ago I had quite a few 'Donahue Piecrust' (considered by many to be the best parent for piecrusting) OP seeds to plant and I mentioned it to the late Ed Elslager, asking the same question you're asking. He, b...

Mike, as Kent said, some parents' traits don't show immediately in the offspring. I think waviness, rather than piecrusting, shows more often the first year. Color will show immediately, except the blue wax, which takes up to several months. Mine all show blue before I remove them from under the lig...

Paul, last year after about 30 years of growing seeds under lights, I changed some procedures which resulted in too dry a growing medium. After 2-3 weeks, no germination! I figured out the problem, watered the flats, and started counting. They were up in two more weeks. Try it. Nothing to lose. George

The basic rule is that the seedlings will pick up the color (those inheriting from momma) from the center of the leaf. With 'Cherry Berry' that's white. I cross 'Bright Lights' all the time to get its yellow centers into the mix. A white or yellow margined plant will pass on its green/blue center. G...

This is Bob Axmear's reply to my last email: "Ask them to write me if they want to return to the old. Naylor Creek wasn't too happy at first either. I don't think that is why it quit though, it was more people on ebay sold so cheap. It makes no difference to me which they want, if I know I will do i...

Viktoria, it's not that different from mail ordering Hostas (which you sell), if you know the person on the other end, or at least that their reputation is good.

I have emailed Bob Axmear to advise him to monitor this thread.

George

I went to the Hosta Library site the other day to check the Auction section for Hostas and seeds, and found it completely empty! In the past I've sold my extras and divisions of expensive varieties there to help fund my addiction, and also had bought there. I emailed Bob Axmear to ask what had happe...

They're ripe in about 6 weeks, green or not, an supposedly late bloomers will ripen more quickly, biut I'm afraid to experiment with crosses I care about. I have no trouble drying them in paper bags. Small quantities (1-3 Pods, pods vary in size too) are fine in small coin envelopes. The banks used ...

Freaky, I don't want the Hosta police to tramp around my garden. They might comment on how lousy it looks.

George

Scootersbear, you cannot register a Hosta with a name that has been previously in print for commercial purposes. The name is then unavailable for registration. I'm afraid you haven't convinced me. Jaspersail said: "It records plant data that can assist future hybridizers/growers/researchers in traci...

Folks, there is the factor of individual rights to be considered here. No way should someone HAVE to register any Hosta. I believe the AHS is at fault here. There is very little incentive for registering a Hosta other than ego satisfaction and being able to show leaves in more classes in leaf shows....