I think that would all depend on the size of the plant, and more so, the size of the root system. Is there a good sized root system on your plants?

I would plant them in the ground so they can get established. If u put the bare root plants (only up to the roots) in a glass or bucket of water for a few hours--they can soak it up and will be very happy! U may want to put them in separate buckets to avoid any potential diseases. Happy planting!!

the best way.. is roots in the ground... leaves upwards ... geez gotta tell you everything.. lol ...

personally .... i care nothing what a new hosta looks like the first season ... so i would tend to plant them in the garden.. and let them do their thing .... and whatever they look like is fine with me.. as long as they live ...

i understand.. some of you retentive types.. must have a perfect plant.. or it will drive you near insane ... and if that is the case.. i suggest potting ... until early fall.. so you can enjoy and apply TLC to keep it looking perfect ... and then plant in early fall.. so the soil can grab it.. so it wont heave in winter.. IF that is an issue in your zone in winter ...

ken

I think it's important to let the roots (not crown) soak in water for at least an overnight.

I have one I got last week that's still in a soak, for no other reason than I'm lazy! I have no room to put it into the ground till a new bed is finished, so it's going into a pot.

In some cases, if a bare root had been potted in a greenhouse, it may be a little mad at ya if you put him into sunnier spots. So, putting him in a pot and acclimating him to the outdoors will help reduce his anger.

Lately, I have been potting all new bare root hostas to give me time to decide where they will go. Then I don't feel rushed and the hosta do fine.

The longer I garden the more confidence I have to try things and not worry so much.

Agree with Ken, 1st year if it's alive I'm good.

Paul

as to the soak .. even better if you put them in COLD tap water .. and keep them in the air conditioned house.. or the basement even ...

cold and damp aids recovery .. rather than leaving them in hot water on the back porch ...

i have had no problem doing that for up to 3 days ... in coolness ... but rec'ing them on tueday.. and leaving until the following weekend .. is really pushing the envelop ....

the problem is usually the tags fall off.. so i take a sharpie or ballpoint pen.. and write the names on the tallest leaf .... that way names dont get confused ... or lost ..

ken

Ken... that's exactly what I'm doing. Mine are in the house in the AC! No problem with the tag... it was a Walter's tag!

well.....these hostas weren't bare root....but damn close!
One year right before I was going away for 2 weeks a friend arrived with a box of severely hacked up hosta, no time to plant so I put them in a bucket with about an inch of water and stuck them under a tree. In 2 weeks they got a lot of rain and were in water nearly up to the crown....and roots were emerging from the areas where the roots were cut. I planted them and they suffered the rest of the summer and came leaping out of the ground the following spring.
So I humbly suggest that you can soak bare root hosta lots longer than 5 days without any harm....just don't submerge the crowns.
Linda c

well linda.. there is the safe way ..

and there is winging it..

i thought we were discussing the safest way ...

i mean really .. [its been a while] .. but they are hosta... odds are.. you can throw them on the driveway for the summer.. and then replant.. and all but the foo foo ones will recover ... they may not be pretty ... but they will live ...

so it doesnt surprise me that you 'got away with it' .... i just wouldnt recommend it as the favored procedure.. lol ...

but you cant use them to make tea in tepid water.. maybe the rain kept them in cool water .. who knows ...

mel.. back in the day .... if i was going to pay $50 for shipping .... i was going to amortize that cost over 50 plants ... lose 4 or 5 tags.. and your head is ready to explode...

when i started... shipping was up to 25% of the cost of the order .... that was the quoted rate ... so on a 200 dollar order.. you do the math .. the local stores had the usual suspects [undulata and the blue one] .. there were no options ...

ken