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weekendweeder

winter project

weekendweeder
11 years ago

Hello, hostaholics! Just wanted to pop into the forum to share my winter project in progress: hosta markers!

In the fall I started gathering river rocks. Then I followed the tutorial: washing and scrubbing the rocks, drying them out, then using white and black paint pens to make the letters.

The next step is to spray them with Durasheen. If anyone else is curious, I am linking to leafwatcher's thread, where I got all the info. and directions.

Thanks for looking!

Here is a link that might be useful: leafwatcher's thread

Comments (9)

  • hostanista
    11 years ago

    Hey WW! Great way to spend a winter's day. I just wonder if the stones you used are big enough. I did that one year and the river rock I used were too small. Easy to lose them in the mulch or autumn leaves. And if they're too small they're easy to kick over upside down and even easier to lose in amongst the garden beds.

    Another thing, if they're too small, the growing leaves of your hosta cover them up - you have to keep moving the small stones out further and further. The more you move 'em, the easier you'll lose 'em. Don't want to burst your bubble, but been there, done that.

    So last year I got bigger, heavier rocks. These are big enough to trip me without budging an inch out of place. I didn't spray them with Durasheen or any kind of top coat though, I forgot. When spring comes I'll re-write them then spray them like you suggest.

    Good luck with your stones!

  • weekendweeder
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Oh, wow. Now THAT is a hosta marker.

    When I picked out the rocks, I took into consideration the fact that most of my hostas are babies, and I have a few minis, so I didn't want the markers to overwhelm them. I guess we'll see how they work out this growing season. If they don't work out, at least this was a fun, enjoyable, and painless process. It's about as artsy-craftsy as I get!

  • lupinguy
    11 years ago

    Personally I like the smaller ones, they are less distracting! I don't label in the garden though that way when my visitors are awe struck I can seem extra intelligent because I know all the fancy names lol!

  • weekendweeder
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Would that I could remember all of mine (and I don't even have that many). I was pretty good during the growing season, but now that they are all cut down, covered in snow, I don't trust myself to recognize them when they come up again in the spring!

  • User
    11 years ago

    Great project, for those who have stones laying around. Wish we had some, but none here. I would have to buy the big gravels or visit a mountain stream to find a supply of them.

    Perhaps doing stepping stones for the garden path, with the names in front of the really big mature hosta, could work. I do have 12 x 12 pavers for pathways. However, my hosta are currently in containers.

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    11 years ago

    what a great project ....

    now.. and forgive me.. some of those names are technically incorrect ... and i say who cares .. dont get me wrong ...

    e.g. ... there should be no plantaginea on any of the named cultivars ...

    but i say to the nomenclature purist.. as he bending over to criticize.. i hope your butt doesnt hurt too much ... as i kick it.. for saying such.. lol ... ALWAYS put something low to the ground.. just in case you have to discipline guests ...

    but!!! ... what it tells you ... is which are supposed to be fragrant.. so come flower time .... you remember to to stop and smell the glory ...

    and the sieboldiana one.. tells you it has the potential to be a slow grower .. depending on its other parent ....

    and the tokudama one ... will be slower than molasses in february in MI ....

    soooo .. congrats.. great job.. and when some idiot starts to correct you [except me.. lol] .... you tell them.. why you added such to your name tags.. for the educational purposes ... while you are stuffing the rock in their LEFT ear.. and kicking them out of the yard ... lol .. you can always make a new rock.. never pass up the good feeling of teaching said person a lesson in civility] .... [which is: if you aint got anything nice to say.. shut the heck up] ....

    ken

    ps: i figure the left side of the brain is logic.. so stuffing it in the left ear.. might make them understand the lack of logic in criticizing your glorious project ....

    pps: most likely.. you will never have such peeps in your garden .. i have had them.. they are a PIA ... and usually not invited back.. unless they brought one heck of a gift plant for me ... for opening my garden for them ...

  • weekendweeder
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Well, darn. I thought I kept meticulous notes. Knowing this will bother me! ("Thanks," ken!)

    Luckily, I am a procrastinator, and haven't yet Durasheened these. Well, I know what I'm doing next weekend: flipping them over and starting again!

  • newhostalady Z6 ON, Canada
    11 years ago

    Small stones would work well with potted hostas, I think.

    I remember reading on the forum that it was a good idea to actually have two markers per plant---one you can see and the other buried. So if the hosta plant grows well (and the stone becomes too small), then perhaps you could bury it (make another one, larger and visible) and that way you can be ensure that you will always know the name of the hosta.

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    11 years ago

    oh come on.. a gratuitous 'guilt' trip ....

    what i do in the conifer forum ... is post the list.. and let the purists make all the changes..

    and then make my labels .... and then FORGET to change the database ... lol ... years later wondering why all the tags are different than the database ... now thats a system!!!! .. lol ...

    what you should see.. somewhere.. usually in schmid tomes ... is that most named cultivars .. the part in the quotes... have been 'reduced' to cultivar status ....

    so Hosta plantaginea... with no quotes.. is a species ....

    Hosta 'Stained Glass' ... is a seedling.. a cross.. or a TC find ... and so we dont put in the plantaginea part ... and add the quotes ...

    do NOT ask me why?? .. but i have no idea why we leave out the plantaginea part .... because at this point of a nomenclature discussion i wonder why i started the conversation.. a quit caring ... these name Nazi.. are a little to retentive for me ... see link ...

    besides... this will give you a lot more room on your stones ...

    my daughter gets so frustrated.. when the first time she tries something doenst work to perfection.. i say 'practice makes perfect' ... and 'i have done it a hundred times.. and made it look easy.. and this is your first try sweetness and light' .... and then she glares at me.. trying to set my soul on fire ... these special times of sharing.. are so precious ...

    ken

    ps: on my labels.. with a brother p-touch label maker... i leave off the H. part ... crimminey.. if you dont know its a hosta.. get the heck out of my garden.. lol ... so even i defy the name police .... you redo yours because you want to ... not because of what others will think .... [and i gave you justification for such above] ...

    Here is a link that might be useful: i lean toward the second definition .... lol