i am pretty sure.. jims hosta sells seeds ...

i think there are other sources ... and thats why i wanted you to ask the group ...

oh.. there might be offers on the hosta library auction.. or some such... thats what i want others to answer for you .. [but that might end up.. just jim]

ken

Bungalow, I'd get on the hosta seed growers forum. I'm not a member, but I think Bernd is. That would probably be a good source.

bkl

Doug Belstein has a website called Hosta Works from which he sells seed. Usually he is up and running by around Thanksgiving time. His seed are from crosses and generally produce excellent results.

The best source, IMO, is the Hosta Seed Growers Auction. That will happen in the Fall/Early Winter. This has a wide range of seed available. You can get seed from streaked plants, plants with fragrant flowers, plants with red in the petioles and plants with the potential for intense blue wax. This has become more and more popular over the past few years and some of this seed can get expensive. $60 or $70 for a pack of 25 seeds is expensive, IMO, but these are seed from rare cultivars that you just can't find anywhere else. You can still find bargain seed for $10 in the auction.

The AHS auction and the First Look auction have also been adding more and more seeds over the past couple of years. Once again the seeds have become more popular. However, the AHS auction is in January and the First Look Auction is in February. You can still grow seed in that time frame (Olga starts hers in February), but the seedlings are smaller in June.

Here's a seedling from a cross I did (Red Sox x Frisian Pride). I grew this some of this seed and then donated some to the HSG Auction and to the AHS auction.

Steve

The Hosta Seed Growers Forum and others run Seed Auctions on the Hosta Library around the end of the year, so you have to watch for it. Some on the HSG Forum sometimes offer free seeds. Then there is Hosta Works which is by a former AHS president Beilstein, but does not seem to be up yet, see link labeled 2013. I once bought from Jim's Hostas, but did not get a good germination rate.

Here is a link that might be useful: Link to Hosta Works

I also recommend hostaworks. I bought some seed from Doug and ended up with over 100 nice sized seedlings this year with a high percentage of them being streakers that are setting seed now. I probably would have ended up with more, but I added a little too much foo foo to the process. It was my first time growing from seed.

I think seed can cross international boundaries, right?

At least, Madelon Gilligan in Australia or NZ donates seed to auction. Otherwise, pretty hard to get some of her hybrids and sports. Then there is Trudy, who has always been very kind when you win seeds at auction, she is lavish with additional seeds.

I'm hoping to grow seedlings this winter, if I can persuade my DH to help. He has life-long experience starting veggie seeds for his Massachusetts gardens, something I never learned since we usually plop the seeds right in the ground and they simply GROW. Seed are a great way to get new fragrant hosta, seems to me.

Thank you all for the suggestions. Went and registered for the seed forum and will be browsing there. Will also check those sites mentioned.

I'm nervous ordering from Jim's. Over the past month have sent him several emails with no response. Hate ordering from places that will not respond to general inquiries.

Keep in mind most of the seeds are still maturing on the plants and will be later this fall before they are ready to harvest and the pods cleaned.

I am still doing lots of crosses on some of the most interesting plants of the year and that should go for a couple more weeks.

I can say that here and most seed growers I talk to are having a very good year for seed production so there should be some great offerings available this year.

Jeff White "Black Hawk Giboshi"

Yes, Jeff is correct. This past summer has produced a bumper crop of seed pods. It seems that everything I hit is setting seed. We have had very few 90 degree days this summer and as a result of the cooler weather, seed setting is at record levels. So Hosta Works and the Auctions should be loaded with choices. BTW, I agree with you about Jims for seed. I've not had good luck germinating seed from there.

Steve