I stumbled into a very dangerous place... mamajacks co-ops and there is a Hosta Co-op offering 4" pots or liners.

I'm just not sure how small a liner is. Or what a liner is....

I went on a nursery tour this week (more on that here if you're interested: http://petiolejunction.wordpre...) and they showed us liner-sized plants. In terms of perennials, trees and shrubs liners are the same as plugs are to annuals--tiny little rooted starters.

There's a photo of some annual plugs here (http://petiolejunction.wordpre...). These are next to 4" pots, so this gives you an idea of how small the plugs are. I expect it's about the same with hostas. If you get liner-sized plants you can expect the plant to take a year or two before it looks like the ones you'd see sold in a nursery.

thanks K.

I did a bit of snoopin around after I posted. I may get a few, put them in pots and sink the pots into the ground all in the same area - then give them a nice 'blanket' of mulch before the winter.

thanks for the links.

Tcs,

I have purchased lots of liners. They're pretty small, but if you have the patience they will be fine. I think I read that they are usually grown in the nurseries for two years before they are sold. Here's some of mine from 2009 coops (pic taken April 2010). I've found that they do better if you pot them up the first year.

Rose, where do you put yours for the winter? do you bury them?

I have a bed that is called my baby bed. I plant them in the ground, or if really lazy I plant them pot and all in ground. Then I cover them with a thick layer of pine needles. I got really behind last fall and put a lot in the ground in pots. Hopefully I won't have too much loss.

I started a bunch of seeds on a whim. (Started them too late, actually--they should've been rolling in December but I didn't get them until mid-February.) I now have about half a dozen itty bitty hosta seedlings showing. Too early to have any guess at what they look like and whether they'll be variegated. (They came from streaked pod parents. I got them from Chris at Hallson's.) I was thinking of building a raised bed to serve as a nursery for the babies since they're going to be so small.

This is going to be my first attempt at this and I'm a little nervous. I don't have much invested except some time, but...I'd still like to see these babies grow, even if they're nothing special. I can always give the ones I don't want away. I really don't have the heart to cull them.

K -- I was able to WS some Frosted Jade seeds 2 yrs ago... all other attempts have failed. I had about 3-4 babies that i planted. 1 was a decent size, meaning it may be a larger plant - not sure, but it's a guess. will have to see if they survived this winter. 1 may have already keeled... i think there were 3 last summer.

I'm still undecided if i'm going to order these... i'm spending too much money -- and i've already cancelled 1 order of Echinaceas ... so after recalculating, i still may have a bit of cash left over. I try to only spend $100 a year [Bday money from MIL]

40 went to Caladiums
i think that hosta order would be just under 30 for 7 plants, then added s/h
then bluestone co-op another 40 plus s/h
OH and not to mention the baskets i want to buy.....

but i guess i could have worse addictions... and this is seasonal, not all year long.

Yep, there are definitely worse addictions.

I don't think I've ever managed to stick to a budget when it comes to buying new plants. The only thing that prevents me from buying them is not having a bed prepared in which to put them. And sometimes even that doesn't stop me. This means I'm usually a) broke, and b) watering plants in pots that I don't have room for yet for most of the spring.

I bought some caladium bulbs the other day. Do you start yours inside early or wait until it's warm enough to leave them outside?

Rose -- this is my first year with them. from what i gather, the guy i'm getting them from, in Fla wont ship until the soil warms up... June i think. it was caladiumsforless on DG.

I cant go back and re-read the thread... for some reason, it was deleted. something about the 'guy advertising' in the thread, which was not true - but the powers that be, deleted it. Such a shame, because i really dont know much about them and a lot was talked about in that thread.

Tcs,

Thanks. Maybe I'll try some inside and save some for warmer weather. Four in a package, so hopefully two will survive!

Rose

Liners are itty bitty baby hosta's... I got some from Ed Thauwald last year and got them in the ground right away -- they started sprouting but it will be 2-3 years before they look like the ones in the stores!

Like Rose I have a baby bed. Will thin out and move when they get bigger....

Enjoy!!!

Liners can vary greatly in size. QandZ and Shady Oaks are the best sizes. But it can also depend on the popularity of the variety. Sometimes we get liners that are ready to go into a gal pot and others are very small.

And it will also depend on the time of year you order. Hostas from the g reenhouses are just breaking dormancy, so they are smaller, but in May and June, they are much larger.

Pam -- those look great! I will take a tray or two!!

I stuck all mine in the ground when I got my liners last Spring from Ed. We'll see what sprouts this spring!!

A tray of 20 h. Vulcan from WaltersGardens

The liners i got from Ed's are a nice size. I will definitely order from him again.

Is Walter's Garden wholesale??

Yes, it is wholesale. One of the places we buy from for co-ops.

Walter's Gardens always have nice stuff.