Last fall, something unexpected happened in my garden – my hosta plants produced seeds! And the best part? They were free! Intrigued by this serendipitous event, I couldn’t help but wonder, “Should I try growing hostas from seed?”
The Harvesting Dilemma
All the sources I consulted advised harvesting the seeds when they turned black and papery. While the seed pods might still have a hint of green, it was crucial to collect them before they fell off during winter. However, I noticed that even though the seeds I collected didn’t fall off, they didn’t germinate either.
A Second Attempt: Stratification
After months of waiting in vain, I turned to the internet once again for guidance. Surprisingly, only one source mentioned that some hosta seeds might require stratification – a process involving soaking them in cold water in the refrigerator for a few weeks before planting. Intrigued, I decided to give it a shot. I placed another batch of seeds in water and let them sit in the refrigerator for a few weeks before planting them.
Signs of Life
Two weeks later, a glimmer of green appeared, followed by more sprouts in the subsequent weeks. Hostas are well-known for their slow germination rates, so despite planting numerous seeds, I didn’t have an abundance of growth. Nonetheless, I was thrilled to witness the birth of these tiny baby plants.
Patience, The Virtue of Hosta Growers
To give my hostas the best chance at thriving, I placed them near a sunny window, providing them with fluorescent light overnight. Slowly but surely, they grew. Throughout the process, I discovered some key lessons:
- Germination rates are low, necessitating the planting of numerous seeds to yield just a few plants.
- Germination is a slow and unpredictable process, ranging from slightly over two weeks to as long as 2-3 months.
- Hostas grow at a leisurely pace. If I were to attempt this again, I would start in the fall, allowing them the entire winter to grow sufficiently before being planted in the garden come spring.
- I highly recommend stratification (refrigerating the seeds in water for a couple of weeks). While I didn’t experiment with immediately planting the seeds in the fall, which might yield different results, I experienced no germination at all when I skipped the stratification process in several trials.
- It may take up to two years for the true appearance of young hostas to manifest, and they don’t always resemble their parent plant. Currently, my hostas vary in leaf width, but as they are still small, I’ll have to wait and see how they develop.
- Hostas can tolerate continuous exposure to light. You can leave a grow light on them 24/7 to enhance their growth. Personally, I only tried this on weekends due to our time-of-use electric rates, but they seemed content in the fluorescent land of the midnight sun.
Reflections on the Experience
Would I embark on this adventure again? If you have the option to divide your existing hosta plants, it would likely yield a higher return on your efforts compared to growing them from seed. However, despite the challenges, it was an enjoyable project, and I would never pass up the opportunity to receive a gift hosta.
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