Well Susan... you can 'winter sow' hosta seeds but I don't see a good reason to do so. First off they don't start to germinate until the ground is near or above 60 degrees (80 degrees is what I use with success with germination in 4 days common, the cooler the longer it takes). Hosta seed is very small and is surface sown or with a very light covering and while waiting for the warm temps in spring all kinds of problems like washing away from rain, snow melt ect...getting eaten by bugs, birds, ect... trampled by whatever travels through the garden. What I would do if you want to sow them outdoors is wait till spring to do so. Like Paul said you could do a flat or what have you and start indoors late winter early spring and then plant the little seedlings outside or into pots/cups and take outside once it gets warm enough. I do have ventricosa and would send you a division this spring if you are interested....just send me a reminder. Mine came to me from my Grandma Pearl's garden.
Yes Paul I am fond of the streaked plants and most of the seedlings I grow are streaked. This is one I am going to donate to the upcoming AHS fund raising auction. I have named it 'Pretty Persuasion'.
Shoe....yes it is and it is just a fun way for me to pass the cold snowy days of the Iowa winter by. You can and there are lots of hybrids from ventricosa out there, most from using it's pollen but you can emasculate the near ready flower (like the evening before it would open) and pollenate it that way.
