I think I would, because when I put Hosta roots directly in the ground, the voles ate all of mine up. At least if you put them in a container, they will be protected until they get bigger.
I rec'd a bareroot of chocolate Bells of Ireland and I put them in a milk jug instead of in the ground, mostly because I didn't get to get them in the ground soon enough, but also because I'm afraid they'll become vole-fodder.
L

From my personal experience I would say-
NO- NO NO NO NO NO NO!
For several years I have bought hosta in a box from Costco- They seem to sell some good ones at more affordable prices! And I keep trying to grow them from bare root in peat filled bags- and I get it wrong- almost every time!
1st year- I put them in potting soil- and placed them out doors in early spring- they grew and froze and died. All of them.
The next year- I waited till I saw that they were drying out a bit- and had to pot them up and kept them in a cool darker part of the basement till I thought it had warmed up enough to put them out side- in a more protected place- well- it wasn't warm enough and about half froze(?) and died.
Last year- I potted them up right away- kept them cool and dark and on the dry side, till they sprouted- then stuck them under lights well watered till frost date was over- and almost all made it.
To my mind- Hosta divided and sold bare root in peat bags, can be done- but they are so stressed from division, drying, cool storage at the "farm", then warm in the stores, then the long wait to growing season- that it really takes a toll on them. They prove that theory to me by being very stunted growers for about 2 years after planting out too. Even with the very best of soil and care.
I think I am never going that route again- but it always seems that there is a couple for sale that I would really like- at such affordable prices that I do try it again and again....
BTW- Costco has MG in it's stores now.... No hosta yet...
Best of luck to you!
Julie

Julie

Yours die so easily on you and me I can't get rid of mine. I dig them up and give them away and yet the net year bam baby hosta's. When we bought this current house about half the house was lined with nothing but hotas no other flowers at all but I sure have changed that. In my case any little bit of root left in the ground become a new hosta.

Paula

I haven't tried them, but I pot up dahlias and cannas in the spring indoors on occasion, and I think you could use similar techniques. There's also something to be learned from recommendations on growing bareroot/dormant trees adn shrubs and roses.

Take them out of the packaging as soon as you get them, and soak them in a bucket of water overnight to rehydrate them. DOn't let them soak any longer than that because you don't want them to get mushy and rot.

Plant them in pots (probably at least 2 quart size) with plenty of moist (not wet) potting soil. Keep them in a cool frostfree area, and keep the soil moist by watering as needed - don't let them fully dry out. I do this in my sunny southfacing kitchen, but don't put them in direct sunlight. I start bareroot stuff several weeks before the last frostfree date here in MN - typically end of Mar, early April for dahlias. Once the plants start to sprout, move them into more sun or outside if you don't have to worry about freezing anymore. I would leave them in the pots for a while so that their roots get a chance to get established before being disturbed. Depending on how quickly they grow, you can either transplant them in a month or two or sink the whole pot in your garden to give them a chance to acclimate and transplant them in the fall or next spring.

Hostas, once they have a bit of a root system and a reservoir of nutrients, are almost impossible to kill in my experience. I've split plants into tiny pieces, forgotten about them in the sun for a few days in the high heat of July so that they all shriveled and dried, adn then finally planted. I haven't lost any of them. Just make sure that they're fully hydrated, and you should have a good shot.

OTOH, boxed plants are pretty stressed, so don't feel awful if they don't work out for you. I got a ton of cheap hostas ($4/apiece) from Bluestone from their online Memorial Day sales the last two years. THat's competitive with the box prices I've seen, adn the plants are beautiful and vigorous and unusual varieties to boot. If this doesn't work out, I'd encourage you to check that out later this spring.

Julie, check out taterbug's zone.. Texas.. I'm betting their last frost date is in a few weeks..

Taterbug, here's what I'd do, in my zone, (my last frost date isn't until mid may).

I'd go ahead and pot them, and if the weather stays well above freezing, I'd water them well and put them outside. If there is a frost or freeze pending, I'd put them in my unheated garage for the night. They should start to grow, and then I'd plant them out in the garden once I pass the last frost date. You should be able to tell if the crowns are healthy, you'll see the conelike part at the top of the roots, it should be firm, not mushy. Assuming the crowns are healthy, they should grow for you. Make sure the roots have a crown.

Soak them in water for a few hours,no longer than 5-6, you do not want the crown to get soaked or you will get crown rot,pot them up,set in your garage til frost is over,place them out side if it is sunny,place them in full sun,for the next month,put away at night,full sun will not hurt them this early in the season.Also,for those who plant in zones where the ground freezes,if you have pots in the fall and you do not get them planted.just place your pot's in the garage or shead ON THE FLOOR,not high up or they will not make it,or, you can leave them in their pot;s, when you know they have frozen,tip them on their sides and set them back up when spring has arrived.Hosta are a very forgiving plant,hard to kill.Good luck to you,Carol

Yeah- I got zone envy when I saw Taterbug's zone.... Oh well. I do what I can here in Minne-SNOW-duh.
My sister lived in Dallas for a while- and I was surprised at just how cold it got there! I thought for sure that far south there wouldn't be the snowy, icy weather that we get...
I too have many hosta- and have shared many and split many right out of the garden many many times- even sent them though the mail, and received them that way too- and have also forgotten some that were set aside, and have found that they rooted themselves where they were tossed- so I was quite surprised with my bare root- out of season- losses. I like to think I have a pretty good handle on knowing about what I grow- and was really shocked at how these boxed, bare root babies behaved for me. I was just hoping to spare the shock and loss for Taterbug by sharing my trials and errors...
Seems like SpartanGardener, Lynnem and Just1MoreHosta have some great advise- wish I woulda' known then what I know now....
Wish I would have thought to ask... Oh well- live and learn!
Thanks for the tip about Bluestone's Memorial Day (my frost date) sale! I think I may just have to make it my first purchase from them....