Steve,I like your seedlings. That said,it seems that the forecast for early March is more winter here,so I hope the hostas don't start emerging,even though some do start the first of March. I may go out today and take a look,as montana A. never wants to wait until spring. Phil,in cold NC

Mine are coming up now. So sweet is probably 7 inches tall, but not totally unfurled. This was taken a week ago.

bk

Beautiful seedlings, Steve. Thanks for posting. Do you have a picture of Frank Lloyd Wright? That hosta intrigues me and I'd like to add it to my garden but I think its probably way too big at maturity to fit in with my other hostas.

Drifts of snow 3 feet high here in some of the areas of my yard but I'm not complaining as it will nurture our trees and hostas come spring. We had quite a snowfall the last 2 days... the heavy, wet, fluffy stuff... broke some branches on our evegreens.

Thanks, Ira. Here's FLW.

It's a second year plant and this is not the best photo of it. What I like about it is it's shape. It's tall and upright with long petioles. That's why I crossed it with Dorset Clown. I was hoping for the shape of FLW with the enhanced blue and streaking provided by Dorset Clown. I won't know for a while if I got what I wanted, but I will continue to work with FLW next year to try for that form.

Here's a picture of FLW in Rick Goodenough's garden. You can see the form better in this picture. It's the original clump.

Steve

Hey,Steve! I just looked in my garden and a couple of my early risers are up already! Wolverine was up about 2 inches,and Stiletto has small eyes up. I coverd them up with more leaves,as it is far too early,considering the weather! Phil.

Your seedlings look nice and healthy. I hope you get what you're working on.

bk

bk,
It's cool to see your hosta already unfurling late February/early March. I'm curious, do I see some other hostas in the upper left in your photo?

It's gonna be a while before pips appear here...Yours unfurling and Steve's seedling photos are great to see! I like the red stems in Beet salad.

Deb

I just noticed a couple beginning to peek out. Too early!

Mine are covered with snow. Tho last week my very early species Nameless was up about an inch. If past is any indication, the freezing temperatures will not hurt it a bit. (no clue what it really is, except very aggressive, small and green.)

Supposed to be in the 50's by Sunday, that probably means the snow will be gone. Maybe spring won't be far behind.

Sandy

OK,now we have snow this morning! This is the first time since I have been growing hostas that it has snowed in March. It did snow once back a few years ago on April 15th,but it was all melted by the afternoon,and then was all gone,but that was really rare. Phil

Deb,

No those are clumps of a variegated vinca that I try to kill ever so often. It's really pretty in the spring, but turns to carp about June 1 when it starts to get hot. It improves again about October. Then the freeze kills it back in November. It's hard to kill by digging it up, though. However, I don't seem to want to get rid of it bad enough to use chemicals.

bk

hostafreak, weather report looks like you might get more snow on Tues/Wed of this week. My area is still a big question mark. I love it when snow comes down in big flakes and all gone by dark.
plantbug

My eyes long for green - thanks for that hit Steve.

We're still buried up here. This is my "Hosta Walk" through the spruce trees that I started last summer. It'll be a while yet before I see any green poking through.....sigh...

Spring just sprung here this week near San Jose, CA. Tiny unfurling leaves on crab apple tree, blossoms are open on the purple leaf plum, and the usual hosta suspects...Invincible, Spartan Arrow, and Diana Remembered. Hoooooray!!! The tarp comes off the atrium today, and I will begin watering my pots as each one emerges.

-Babka

{{gwi:945117}}

bk,
Oh sure, how silly of me :-) Guess I was still a little dreamy from viewing your hosta unfurling and Steve's seedlings. And now Babka's pips!

These are exciting times for the warmer zones and those with babies under the grow lights.

Deb

Okay, I took pictures yesterday of my hosta from the mere tiniest of green showing, to leaves opening up. Of the ones most advanced, the majority are plantaginea family hosta.

I have yet to view them from the SD card I took out of the camera, and will here share just one shot. After that, like some time tomorrow, I'll put tags on them and upload to Flickr and thence to here.

It was too cold today for me to spend much time outdoors, but I think the still dormant hosta will appreciate this (hopefully) last gasp of southern wintertime. Tonight and tomorrow night will be 31 and 28-29 about.

Let me check what looks good from the camera.......
......Steve, I won't upload it now, but Beet Salad has about 4 leaves out and nice red petioles.

American Sweetheart is looking really nice.

BK, I left out how much I appreciate your So Sweet. It is really a fine looking hosta.

Well,it just too cold here for hostas. I have two Wolverines,a Stiletto,and a montana A. up,but I am putting them under extra tree leaves to prevent damage to them. South Carolina TV station today said their temps were 22 degrees under their normal temp for the day. It is 29,as I write this. Our temperatures are more like the 'frozen tundra',than North Carolina. Phil

'Sugar and Cream' starting the new season in the warmth of the house, still way too cold outside!

Don B.
Westminster, CO.

One more...

Nice looking fresh Sugar And Cream. Hope mine does as well.

Here is another one of the plantaginea family, Sweet Marjorie. Taken on March 1. Came up sort of crooked because the pot was tipped over and I did not see it. I presume these will straighten up in the coming weeks.

Yes indeed, Moccasinlanding, you're ahead of the game in that Alabama climate.

Oh, I tell you folks, it is hard not to be excited with the season soon to be in full swing.

My first order from Naylor ships March 23d.
I got two clematis from Brushwood Nursery the other day, one with a tendril seeking the sunlight so vigorously, I have to keep turning him several times during the day. The other one is short and bushy, but great leaves on it. Shorty is C. Diamantina and the tall guy is C. florida Sieboldii (no quotes used on labels). They'll soon be entwined with my star jasmine.

Wow, I am so jealous of nice soil.

bk

Well, it's up! Montana aureomarginata is showing about an inch. Guess I might have to pile some leaves on it before it gets down to 23 tonight.....

Sandy

Sorry to keep bumping this post up,but I'm actually afraid to go out and look in the garden anymore. It has been sooo cold,and this is the time my early-rising hostas start to come up. It was 25 this morning,after yet another snowstorm yesterday,and I don't know if the hostas can survive another blast of winter! Yeah,I know you all 'up nort' go through this all the time,but ths is North Carolina,not other places in the north. Sorry to vent,but I'm tired of winter! Phil

Great looking seedlings Steve! Enjoyed everyone's early Spring pics too. Thanks for sharing them.

Dan

Sandy - You bring back memories of my time spent in Rolla and Mtn. Home. Hosta pips and forsythea get spring going, just like the song of the whipoorwill says it's time to go catfishing. The gobble of a spring tom turkey kind of kindles my spirit also.

Nice hostas, all you warmer weather and pot-head hostaholics; and seed starters. Thanks for starting this Steve!.

Les

Yesterday I saw pips on hosta 'Titanic'. Just next to it an 'Elizabeth' had its sprouts eaten off, so it seemed. And today we have 4 inches of snow on top of that in upstate NY. Bernd

That's nitrogen, Bernd, and you won't even have to pay Monsanto for it. :~)

Today we have about 18" of snow from a Nor'easter, but tomorrow it will be 45 degrees and 50 on Monday. If you don't like the weather, wait a minute.

Steve

Still no signs of hosta here,outside of the ones I previously mentioned;but get this: I planted Easter Lillies last year outside,and they are coming up with many more shoots than what I planted! I didn't even think they would come up,considering you can't plant Caladiums and have them make it through the winter! You just never know? Phil

Yes Steve, you guys in Mass on the coast really got it again!
My snow is already melting, all roads are clean and dry again. And in my basement I just took this picture of some streaker seedlings.

Bernd, those streakers are something to be proud of. Are you planting those in the big outdoors later this spring?

Moccasin, yes, I will plant them in a place with some shade probably in June, will keep them in pots initially.
It is really nice having beautiful hosta seedlings growing in my home over winter. Especially now, after 3 1/2 months they are pushing out larger leaves. It is enjoyable and so easy to accomplish, see the hostas seed growers forum. I am also looking forward what the streaker seedlings from last year will show this spring. Last year's seedlings were from seeds by Trudy and Mr. Hosta (LotG). This year's hosta seedlings are from left-over seeds by Mr. Hosta from last January.
Bernd