Question regarding growing from seed
Moderator: redcrx
Question regarding growing from seed
I don't understand if the seedlings are not like the parent plant, how do people keep reproducing the same plant over and over again for sale?
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Chris_W
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Re: Question regarding growing from seed
Hi Boops,
I get this question a lot here, that people ask if we produce all those rows by seed. Since hostas don't come true from seed the only way to produce more of the same plant is by division, however the vast majority on the market are done by micropropagation in the lab, called tissue culture. I'm sure you've heard people talk about tissue culture plants, or TC for short. As a grower I'd say about 90% of what I sell started out as a tissue culture plant, and we grow them on from there for usually 2 seasons before selling to make sure they are good growing and to the best of our knowledge true to type.
There is a quite a lot involved in the tissue culture process, but basically think of it as producing a lot of test tube babies, dividing them up, then growing them on. You can take one plant and produce a couple thousand in just a couple years (if it goes well).
Hope that helps a little!
Chris
I get this question a lot here, that people ask if we produce all those rows by seed. Since hostas don't come true from seed the only way to produce more of the same plant is by division, however the vast majority on the market are done by micropropagation in the lab, called tissue culture. I'm sure you've heard people talk about tissue culture plants, or TC for short. As a grower I'd say about 90% of what I sell started out as a tissue culture plant, and we grow them on from there for usually 2 seasons before selling to make sure they are good growing and to the best of our knowledge true to type.
There is a quite a lot involved in the tissue culture process, but basically think of it as producing a lot of test tube babies, dividing them up, then growing them on. You can take one plant and produce a couple thousand in just a couple years (if it goes well).
Hope that helps a little!
Chris
Re: Question regarding growing from seed
That helps a ot, I have heard of Tissue Cultures and I believe there is an online seller of TC. I think I'd rather just admire the beautiful plants you sell and pick from those, LOL. I do believe I have one or two errant seedlings that I am going to pot up and keep on my patio, they're cute, I think they may be from Fragrant bouquet. But who knows, I always leave the flowers on till they die off by themselves and don't trim down till fall. Thanks for your answer.