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Time to pull the plug(s)

bragu_DSM 5
10 years ago

Yay, it's time to transplant, or pull, the 'plugs' of all my new hosta!

It's really quite fun, since 'most' of the work was already done.

I get my hosta in liners, or 1/4 inch plugs. I get them by the dozen. The liners are like tomatoes, instead of four to a pack, there's 12.

When I get them, I unceremoniously pull them from the 12 pack and plant them, three to a pot. I do nothing to them at the time. I figure it is like the yolk sac on an egg. Give it time to absorb the plug material and start sending out new roots in a larger space.

Then I wait about two weeks. I pull the plugs and carefully separate the roots from the original material. I wash each one off so it is bare root, and then I plant them two to a gallon pot.

Then I water and put them in a container (like a plastic oil catcher) and let them self water when I water them, allowing excess water to be retained so they can drink from the bottom. Oh, I mix pearlite and a handful of floor dry (the oil spill cleanup stuff) into the compost. Gives the roots space and moisture.

In 2-3 weeks I can take them down to individual pots. That's where the beauty of azalea pots comes in, they are smaller, inexpensive and easy to deal with. And slightly lighter weight.

Today, I pulled the plug on ...
Diamond Necklace
Goober
Bubbatini
Taurus
Green Mouse Ears
Holy Mouse Ears
Blue Mouse Ears
Tidewater
Orange Marmalade
Rainforest Sunrise
Fire Island
June
Praying Hands
and Cloudburst.

I also rescued a hosta from the garden that was going backwards, and popped Grover Cleveland from the transplant bin into the ground.

Whew.

Time to fire up the grill and have a frosty malt.

Where did I find all that energy?

Oh, yeah, county fair ended today and the scores of livestock photos are done. It's like a weight off my shoulders!

Now, if it would rain some more ...

^_^ --~

Dave

Comments (9)

  • Babka NorCal 9b
    10 years ago

    Do you sell them? My goodness, what do you do with all those hostas?

    -Babka

  • bragu_DSM 5
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I take them to farmers market.
    I trade them.
    I plant them in people's gardens.
    Some get planted by our master gardener group.
    ..and the rest end up in my garden.

    And every time I turn around, my DW is asking if I have an extra to give to a friend for a birthday, anniversary, or 'here let me cheer you up' thing.

    I especially like the small ones, great in group or understory plantings.

    dave

  • bkay2000
    10 years ago

    What does all that planting, replanting and washing get you after 6 weeks that you wouldn't have if you just planted them in 3" pots and left them alone?

    bk

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    10 years ago

    too bad you dont have a camera .... to show us this process...

    as apparently yours is limited to livestock...

    ken

  • bkay2000
    10 years ago

    I re-read my post. It sounds kind of "snarky". I didn't mean it that way. I'm forever curious about everything. Does it make them grow quicker? How much difference do you think it makes? Have you compared different methods? I would like to know more about the thinking behind the process - what are your reasons for doing a certain process and the timing of each process. (Also, I would like photos, of course.)

    bk

  • bragu_DSM 5
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    One reason is a limited number of pots, and of course, potting soil. Another is time.

    It is also interesting to note which plants take off the quickest.

    some are r e a l l y s l o w.

    when you get seven dozen plants, that's a lot of pots. Ganging them together saves me time up front.

    I dunno, mebbe I am doing it wrong.

    But it allows me time doing one of the things I enjoy most, putzing with the plants.

    Therapeutic.

    dave

  • idiothe
    10 years ago

    thanks... very interesting... I used to line out my tc straight from the packs into the garden... worked great with some, very poorly with others... I sure learned a lot! Now I would do some variation on what you are doing.

    And you are sure right - the azalea pot in various sizes is far better suited to the root and plant shape of a hosta than the "industry gallon" that is the standard...

  • bkay2000
    10 years ago

    I saw a thing on ebay for 300 azalea pots for $33.00. I didn't notice the shipping, though (I didn't know what an azalea pot was, so did a search.)

    I've certainly never done any of this kind of thing (though I was pretty good with propagating African violets in another lifetime). It seems like continually taking them out of the pot washing them and re-potting them would set them back. Does it not?

    bk

  • bragu_DSM 5
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I wash all my hostas i get from everywhere. I also get rid of the soil.

    The giganto rhombus stores are NOTORIOUS for slug eggs.

    I pitch the soil, give the roots a drink and put them in the ground, with sphagnum and compost and a handful off floor dry.

    I am still trying to figger out a better way for TCs

    at season's end, I just plant them in rows, like veggies and have entire rows of stuff in the spring (oh and I bury the plastic tags at ten o'clock and make sure they have a wire ID tag above ground to trip over in the winter.)

    remember, you always plant this year for next year, and beyond ... buzz light year, er, grasshopper

    ^_^ --~
    dave