One year ago, I started my first hosta plants from seed. Over the winter, I grew them under lights 24/7 until they were ready to be planted in the garden in spring. I grew around 1500 seedlings and slowly culled them down to about 50 seedlings. These seedling represented traits that I was looking for in a hosta plant. The seedlings went to the test garden for their first year outside this past spring. You can see the seedlings in the photo taken back in October 2009 to the right in "What's Growing in My Greenhouse".
Several of my favorite seedling were given garden names and I hope that they will continue to show possibilities in future years. Some of these plants bloomed their first year and produced seed. I plan to grow the seed during this winter to produce a second generation.
If you have not tried growing hosta from seed, you should give it a try! It is fun and it keeps us gardeners playing in the dirt inside the house during those cold winter days.
Happy Gardening!
The Creative Gardener
Check back for my next post on how to make plant markers for your garden by recycling old window blinds.