Hello Fellow Gardeners!

I am wondering if the prep work for Hosta, for the purpose of mailing or in person transactions, is much the same as prepping a daylily? Bare root, cleaned of all dirt, sterilized, and trimmed foliage, etc.?

Thanks a Bunch!!

I don't trim the foliage when I ship hosta. I wrap the roots in a wet paper towel, and seal in a plastic bag. Then I dampen some newspaper and wrap the whole plant.

Dana, how do you "sterilize" the plants?

Bev, for daylilies, soaking the root system in an EXTREMELY weak, diluted solution of water and bleach. Just a half a drop! Or thereabouts...for cautionary reasons, even though only healthy, non-diseased specimens exchange hands, and the gardens are disease free. I have three healthy clumps of hosta in this solution, and they are doing just fine, so the sterilizing question is answered.

So, I'm meeting a local hosta buyer, tomorrow. I am just not sure whether to trim the foliage back slightly, to give the roots a chance to use their energy on establishing in the soil? It's done for daylilies, when transplanting, selling and shipping them.

Here's an example. These three daylilies were near casualties, when one of our trees was being cut down. So, after the tree was gone, I dug them up out of that garden and trimmed the foliage, potted them up to be transplanted back in the same location, after it's prepared with amended soil and a new Alberta Spruce goes in. Note to self, dig up and save the precious babies before the tree guy shows up!

I would not trim the foliage of a hosta when trading.

I know it is done for iris and daylilies.

@Pandora Thank you!
The deal fell through, the other day. I haven't trimmed any foliage, and they'll be potted up in the next day or so.

Thanks again!