MrBrownThumb garden blog.
Gardeners who grow hostas usually grow them for the foliage and because they lighten up shady gardens, but these perennial garden plants have just as impressive star-shaped flowers. The first hosta was introduced in my garden by way of seeds I swapped with another gardener online. In the fall I dug a small hole in the soil and placed the seeds, covering them with an inch or two of soil...the next spring I had hosta leafs!
I now have a couple of different hostas, all grown from seeds I collected once I learned how easy it was to gather and sow the seeds.
An open hosta flower calling bees to visit and pollinate it.
When the flowers have been pollinated the seed pods looks like green sausages hung out to cure.
When the seeds pods are ripe they turn brown and start to split length wise. These seeds pods are far along and one seed pod is ready to release the seeds. If you notice your hosta seed pods are starting to split open while they are still green-you can go ahead and collect them then. Even when the seed pods are open most of the seeds will remain attached.
If the seed hosta seed pod is still closed, you can split it open with a finger nail and remove the hosta seeds which are black and papery. Gardeners who don't have time to check on the progress of seed pods every day can cut the flower stalk when it looks like the pods are ripening and place it in a vase of water to finish ripening indoors. I've also cut the flower stalk and placed it in a paper bag and let the pods open and release the seeds as they dryHere's a video from my garden that shows a couple of bees pollinating the hosta flowers.
The hilarious comment by Garden Faerie below reminded me that one day while walking my foster brother to school, I stopped to collect some hosta seeds that were hanging out of a fence and over a sidewalk. I was bent over gathering the pods when he started screaming; "They're coming! Run, MrBrownThumb, RUUUUUN!!!!" When I looked up he was half a block away, his backpack bouncing like mad. It turned out he saw someone coming out of the house and he was sure we would be arrested for taking the seeds.
17 comments:
Good information, Mr BT! These are really cool looking seed pods!!!
Have a wonderful Halloween Day!!!
Julie
OMG I NEVER knew hosta's had seeds! I will be on the "prowl" next season for some new specimens.
Most of the time I cut the flower stalk before seeds are produced but not always. I've gotten seeds before, but never collected them. I just figured they were the type that wouldn't germinate easily or wouldn't produce a plant of any size in several years. Silly me.
You do such a great job with tutorial posts MBT. I've never started hostas from seeds, but you've shown how easy it really is.
I love hosta blooms. Until moving here I'd never seen hummingbirds enjoying their nectar, but in this garden a few varieties are hummingbird favorites in late summer.
I've never started hostas from seeds, either... in fact, every single hosta in my garden was given to me as a division. (Which reminds me of something Felder Rushing (who is a hoot and a half) once said, “Anybody who doesn’t have a hosta doesn’t have any friends.”) Still, it's a great option starting from seed, too. And stealing seed is so much more polite than dividing strangers' plants--HA!!!! ;-)
Great information, MBT. I always cut the scapes once they start looking ratty and never have let them go to seed. I'll have to amend my ways next year and save some seeds.
@Julie,
The hosta seed pods are one of my faves because they look so weird.
@Debbie's Garden,
I was suppose to post this post about two weeks back so it is really late, but while looking around the neighborhood I see that many hostas still have some seed pods attached. Look around and you may get lucky.
@Kylee,
I think mine took about two years to be fully mature plants, but like you I thought they'd be among those 3-4 year perennials I'd have to wait to grow and flower.
@garden girl,
Thanks. I didn't know that hummingbirds visited them but it makes sense since the blooms are a perfect shape for hummingbirds. You reminded me I had a video from this summer of some bees pollinating the blooms and I added it to this post.
@Monica,
You are hilarious! You reminded me of this one time when I was walking my foster brother to school and I was taking some hosta seeds and hilarity ensued.
@walk2write,
I hope you do, nothing better than adding to the garden "free" plants. If you're like me and you're not a hosta fanatic who cares about cultivars growing them from seed is a good option.
Home Depot is selling flowering dwarf hostas here in Miami. That must be a first. I guess the idea is to treat them as annuals -- or instant snail food.
Alas, we are Hosta challenged. It is too hot here for hosta to be comfortable. But I would like to see those seeds sometimes. Maybe when we go to Dallas- no that won't work, we are going in April.
Drat!
@Penny,
I'm so jealous. I've seen some minis here in Chicago in a boutique garden center that were really awesome. What wasn't awesome was the price, I'd love for my HD to carry some.
@Janie,
Hope someone comes along with a hosta that can tolerate heat. Because that line posted by Monica above is almost 100% true.
Like most other commenters, I usually cut back the straggly stalk when it's finished blooming. I have so many hosta around my yard, all because of my thrifty shovel! They are SO EASY to divide. Even the smallest piece, if it has a root on it, will grow. I'm curious about the seeds though, so am going to make a point of trying that out next year.
Re: a comment you left at Garden Girl: 100 Flowers and How They Got Their Names is a favorite book of mine. So interesting, and short, easy chapters! (I find my eyes don't like me reading too long any more!)
@Jan,
I hope you did give it a try.
@Monica,
It is one of my fave too and agree about the chapters 100%! Perfect length for reading a bit before going to bed.
I never let things get that far along... I usually trim the stems. However, this was very interesting and I appreciate the information! You gave me a chuckle with your last story. I often feel the same way... are we NOT supposed to harvest seeds when we're "out and about?" i.e., public gardens, etc. ?
Yipee! I never thought about growing Hosta from seed (also cut mine after they flower). After reading Mr.BT article I went for a walk and found many Hosta seeds in near-by park. It would be some variety for sure. Will be growing those babies, even though I don't have an idea how their mommas look like. To those who also collected seads this year, I would highly suggest that they research on Winter sowing Hostas and they can have little ones in Spring already. I will be doing my first Winter sowing with all kinds of seeds this year. Thanks for heads up on seeds, they are still some to be found in Ontario.
Good luck.
I started some hostas from seed in the spring. They have grown incredibly slowly and are only about 5cm tall. I think I'd rather divide but then there's no way to find new and interesting hybrids...
So am I the only one disturbed by the fact that your foster brother called you Mr. Brown Thumb? Just sayin'...
Lisa C
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