Do you have a way of testing the big box store hostas for Hosta Virus X? That's the only thing I would worry about. If someone has some extra test strips to use on them OR if you can isolate them from your Hallson plants until you can test them, then I'd go ahead.

Made In The Shade Gardens is in Olathe, KS, if you'll be anywhere near there. Check their website to call to make sure the owners will be around...it's a home-based business and not a store-front biz with regular hours.

I kinda' doubt that Wal-Mart will have any hosta left. My local WMT, here in central WI, had a close-out last week on all of the 'parking lot' plants. Wasn't much left when I was there but I did pick up three hostas...St. Elmo's Fire, Dream Queen and Island Charm plus a Amethyst Harvest heuchera, all gallon sized, for $2.88 each. After I got home and read up on them, I should have passed on Island Charm--has a reputation for being a no-goodnik hosta. I like St. Elmo's Fire a lot and was really happy to learn, after the fact, that Dream Queen is essentially the same hosta as Thunderbolt. Thunderbolt was on my Serious Hankering list.

OTOH, down where you are in the Tropics, I'm wondering if the climate will allow stores to display plants like hostas out in the middle of an asphalt parking lot like they can do up here on the Frozen Tundra...so the box stores may very well still have stock.

Have fun and Happy Hunting!

No I won't be near Olathe. :-( I'll be on the Kansas/Oklahoma border. People forget Kansas is a big state and there's more to it than Olathe and Kansas City and Topeka (I grew up with people always assuming I lived near there when they heard Kansas.)

Our local Walmart has hosta left. They still have Minuteman, Paul's Glory, Fortunei Aeureomarginata for sale. They haven't gotten desperate yet and they prices haven't gone down... But they aren't getting any new in right now. So I thought I'd check and see if theirs has anything different (in Coffeyville Kansas and Bartlesville Oklahoma.) I'll stop at all the nice looking nurseries I can, my mom and I will between the two towns in different states.

I will of course keep them isolated from the Hallson plants until I know for sure.

Actually, Brandy, I'm pretty familiar with your stomping grounds. Have a lot of family in the MO Ozarks, a brother in Sterling, CO, lived in Oklahoma most of my life before moving to WI about 15-16 years ago and have been across KS east-west and north-south more than a few times. Uncle lives in KC, MO but I am more familiar w/ the western part of the state than the eastern.

Good to hear that WMT still has hostas down your way. Hopefully you will hit paydirt!

Ci lantro, usually... In my experience the hosta go pretty fast and steadily throughout the season at our Walmart. Like I've said in the past... They do have good looking and most importantly HEALTHY plants. So their hosta look way better than Home Depot's and Lowe's do at the moment. HD and L's look TERRIBLE right now- I wouldn't take one home from either place for FREE right now.... But I am told it's not HVX, it is just because they have too many and they haven't been planted soon enough... Possibly overwatering too as many of them look mushy. But for Walmart, eventhough everyone makes fun of Walmart products, they do have great hosta... My first, the U. Albomarginata, and my Paul's Glory and F.Aureomarginata are from Walmart and they are gorgeous! And my co workers hosta I helped her pick out last month are all beautiful and doing great, too.

I am just hoping that the places have good hosta where I am going. I am extremely picky and look my hosta over very carefully and any signs of imperfection, I put it down and move on. I know that doesn't always help as it may not be showing signs yet... But it helps me feel that this one is the strongest not because it is the largest but because it has been through what it had to to get there and still is perfect.

Brandy you need more PORCH, not Hosta at this point ! hahahah

This site has given you the HOSTA-osis pretty bad ;)

Oh they won't be going on the patio... They will be going over by Mama Mia, Minuteman, and Midwest Magic. ;-)