Levels of Hosta Obsession

Wanda · Post by **Wanda** » Apr 05, 2007 11:22 pm

I am afraid...very afraid!!! I really want to play at hybridizing, have lots of room (26 acres) and a freezer full of seeds, but am pretty sure I won’t have the energy or time after caring for the hosta I have now. Never would be able to get rid of the hosta I have to make room for seedlings - heck, I am still waiting to see a truly mature hosta! And to tell the truth, have come to the realization that once the hosta here now reach mature size, I will have to at least triple the 5,000 sq. ft. currently under hosta cultivation just to hold them. That is if I never get another hosta (yeah, right)! I don’t think there are enough hours in the day for me to “progress” to the next level (hehe)!

wanda

ademink · Post by **ademink** » Apr 05, 2007 11:29 pm

Wow, NICE CASTOFF! Since this is my first year w/ seeds, who knows what kind of messes I will get into.

I know that I won't be able to cull this year...or probably for the next 10 years...for fear of prematurely killing a late-bloomer. LOL

I do have some very interesting seedlings for my first year! I'm excited to see them grow up!

eastwood2007 · Post by **eastwood2007** » Apr 05, 2007 11:49 pm

Donna, two weeks is just fine! My first batch took nearly 3 weeks before I saw even a speck. The second ones I just did recently, germinated much faster though. Different seeds germinate at different rates, too. This second time I did put clear lids on mine. Last time I misted them every day, but this does seem to be better. Sounds like you are having fun, though!

Keep watching!

scootersbear · Post by **scootersbear** » Apr 05, 2007 11:50 pm

only 34 so I'm still 1 of the younger hosta addicts, or whatever you want to call it and have been collecting for years so I can only imagion 20 years from now. Hybridizing for now 7 years and still haven't grown what I'd call the perfect hosta seedling or close to it (and not willing to register another hosta that looks like all the others) My prefernces have changed and my idea of whats a good hosta have changed, but the excitement hasn't.

PS ROD
you forgot to mention planting seedlings on a very cold day. How many of those lived? The 1 I took with me has atleast 3 eyes poking out so far

ademink · Post by **ademink** » Apr 06, 2007 12:00 am

38 here....we are both in trouble! lol

eastwood2007 · Post by **eastwood2007** » Apr 06, 2007 12:07 am

Hey! You two...when did this age telling thing start on the forum?

I thought this was a neutral place!?!?

scootersbear · Post by **scootersbear** » Apr 06, 2007 12:16 am

Of course been trying to convince my wife I'm still 29 for years but shes not buying.
My point is though in 20 years I'm going to have to have 2 mortgages, 1 house to live in and another to grow hostas at. I can use all the rooms to grow seedligs in.

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Apr 06, 2007 7:28 am

You've got this thing completely wrong.

You shouldn't recover, simply because there is nothing to recover from.
After a long and intensive taxonomic study, I've come to the conclusion that Homo sapiens is evolving into Homo sapiens var. hostaholicus.
Based on the symptons you describe, I'd say you have mutated into this new human variety.

Sooner or later all of mankind will evolve (except for those in more arid regions, they will turn into Homo sapiens var. cactiholicus).

Be proud of what you are !!

Rob

PS I could do with a H. s. hostaholicus specimen, purely for scientific purposes.

Jimmy Mac · Post by **Jimmy Mac** » Apr 06, 2007 9:45 am

I don't have the problem you are all talking about.No matter what Linda P. says.Rod and i made the beds to get rid of the grass.(Maybe i can keep the rest of my toes) I don't grow seeds?(in the house) I just just sow them out side and let mother nature grow them for me.It seams to work very well.Just nothing to look at all winter.makes for a very long winter.Rod just needed some place to put his culls and my wife can not throw a hosta away to kill it.Heres how bad she has it.We went to Audra Wilson last spring to help her clean her gardens up.Audra said to pull the seedlings growing and throw them.Here my wife is picking up the culled seedlings and putting them in her pockets.Plus if she came across one she would have me pull it.She planted her culls here at home.Oh yea Rod split all of Audras streakers taking out the ones with no streaking.(We have them to).Jimmy

eastwood2007 · Post by **eastwood2007** » Apr 06, 2007 10:20 am

Tell yourself whatever you need to, Jimmy Mac.....

hostarod · Post by **hostarod** » Apr 06, 2007 1:16 pm

Well I am very happy to see that I will have lots of company when then take me away to that farm out in the country. I just hope they have enough padded rooms and straight jackets to go around.
Maybe someone will have to let them know to put in a supply of them as there are lots of new addicts on the way.

Scott I am guessing from last fall any way that 90% of those cold day seedlings survived.
I am sure that the only ones to die were the very nice looking ones.

Jimmy lives with the Queen of the save them all Hosta.
I really do not have any room for the greenie weenies.
They make good compost in the long run.

So I will see you all soon, I have my room booked so hurry along.

THINK SPRING
Rod

MikeWI · Post by **MikeWI** » Apr 06, 2007 1:27 pm

Not sure where the age thing started... but I'm in that range as well... lots of hosta seedling killing years ahead of me.

I'm a great buyer of hosta too.... but I always spend the $ on the breeders... what for... i'm starting to ask myself.

hostarod · Post by **hostarod** » Apr 06, 2007 1:29 pm

Mike ,
sorry to hear about your troubles with seedling growing
They can be very picky sometimes.
Looking forward to working out a trade this year and I can throw in some seedlings to experiment with.

Rod

MikeWI · Post by **MikeWI** » Apr 06, 2007 1:36 pm

I'm always up for a little tradin' action..... Only thing that is worrying me this year.... is I've not yet seen my beds at the farm. The weather this year is reminicent of the year I had my huge die off. 2 bid differences... this year the beds are mulched... and this year is 3 years later. What I have there should be fairly mature and strong enough to handle a bit of a freeze.... I'm guessing from at farm reports that since the daf's are only about 2" up that the hosta haven't broken ground yet. I have my fingers crossed... as temps last night were in the teens.

renaldo75 · Post by **renaldo75** » Apr 06, 2007 2:13 pm

Rod - you'll have lots more space to grow hostas at that farm you're gonna end up at. And all the time in the world.

I've got 2 seedlings you gave me in 2004 that I can't wait to see what they do this year. And a couple from last year that I'm interested in doing some hybridizing with. The next day after we were at Jimmy's Marlys ended up with piece of that blue seedling you thought was probly from Dorset Clown. I really like that one a lot too. Rod's got some really nice rejects.

jimrex · Post by **jimrex** » Apr 06, 2007 3:45 pm

My name is Jim and I'm a HOSTAHOLIC

Hey Rod looking at the first message I'd just have to insert my name in place of yours and not change anything else.
I'll have to admit it does get easier to cull after a few years and not telling others that tell you they aren't addicts (yeah right) that you threw out several hundred plants will help with not getting that evil eye.

Jim-hosta forever

Hallson Gardens

Levels of Hosta Obsession

Hello Rod