I never collected seed,but this year I had so many that I kept some to sow them next spring. Just for fun...not that I need more ground cover:-) And I left seed pods on Empress Wu to see if Mother Nature will surprse me with a few gifts...

I've found seedlings under some hostas now and then..if I had a greenhouse or conservatory (dream on!) would love to have trays, lights etc and have seedlings in the winter..but for now it seems like too much trouble..you sow in the spring?..this was the first time that I tried it..did it in the fall..

I got the advice from a friend to sow beginning of May. I will try it as he said next year and if it does not work...there will surely be enough seeds next fall for another try. Next year I will concentrate on Valley's seeds and a little experience might not be bad :-) A greenhouse, yes, that would be nice, but also only a dream for me...

I remember thinking in nature they fall and overwinter outside..so I went ahead and put them down in the fall..I'm pleased to see that it worked..you might have a higher germination rate in the spring..

That's why I left the seed pods on Empress Wu, so I can try both ways :-) They are dry and open now and I hope there have been some good seeds in them...

plants are wonderful..we'll never stop learning..there's too much to know..

I'm confused... nicholsworth- you scattered these last fall and they're just now coming up? Or, you scattered them earlier this fall... ? Or, that's a picture from last fall?

windymess..scattered fall 2016..saw them months ago but never took pics until yesterday..

Aha! Well, maybe I’ll try that with my Blue Hawaii seeds.... cuz I don’t think I’m going to have time to baby them indoors this winter- that I may try some other year but this winter I have a bunch of indoor projects to work on.

I took the easy route..I'll let them grow just where they are..will have fewer weeds there..and they were free!!..

That looks like so much fun! It's always a nice surprise to find those little hostas. I, too, use to cut off the scapes. Then I read that the seed pods were food for the birds and the scapes could be used as markers for hosta location. I now keep some of them for as long as possible. Just this week I was watering my Liberty and thought there were little black bugs on the leaves. Well not! They were Liberty seeds that were falling from the open pods!

I did leave some seedlings exactly where they were growing, but I didn't find that successful. Many of them didn't survive because of lack of light (growing under a hosta) or it was to dry for them (because of too much sun). I think I will relocate most seedlings I find next year.

It's great that you have so much room to play with. I envy you! I want a greenhouse too!

Good luck Karin with your seeds!

Wouldn’t a greenhouse be awesome!!! I’d spend a lot of time in it, if I could have one.

newhostalady and windymess..hard to read but our lot is #17..back side is 83' (left) 128' (right)..it feels straight because of the woodland..it's big..the 83' side is where I put the hosta seeds..about a 15' length 4-5' back from the line..there were trees and shrubs (that I planted) spotted along the length..a mass planting of hostas there will be great..we're kindred spirits with nature, plants, gardens, greenhouses etc..FYI - I did rake the soil, scattered the seeds, sprinkled compost and watered to increase my chances of sprouting..more effort than just throwing them down..and it paid off..

I cleaned seeds today and that was a hell of a work! More felt than saw those tiny little things in some of the black wings. I hope it pays off :-)

nicholsworth, that's a big piece of land you're tending. I can understand why you try to grow seedlings. You could spend a fortune on hostas and other plants.

I got a few seedlings from my friend Renaat and that made me think about growing some for myself. My very first seedling had been on a Striptease I threw away because of HVX :-(

Karen..you know what?..I didn't clean my seeds!..I'm ignorant about starting seeds..just happened to see volunteers and thought I should put the seeds where I want them..I've spent a fortune on plants but the garden is big and I have room for more..sorry about your infected seedling..

newhostalady..our property is roomy and quiet..not much traffic at all..there's an island with 2 trees in the court..my neighbor built a sunroom onto the back of her house and it's beautiful..if my husband would let me I would fill my breakfast room with plants..

nicholsworth, your house reminds me of the opportunity we had to purchase my father-in-law's house. His property was similar in size to yours, but rectangular in shape and it was a quiet street on a ravine. It required a lot of work and we ended up selling it. The people torn it down and rebuilt a larger house. It had a sunroom at the back. I would have definitely filled that room up with plants just like you would. With a property that size, a sunroom would be fantastic---and in my opinion, better than a greenhouse. But heck, you could have both!

newhostalady..on the left see the skylights and patio door?..that's the breakfast area..a nice spot for plants..I bought the hibiscus for a neighbor..she was buying tomatoes from a farmer's market and gave me some several times..I said "you can try to save this but if not enjoy it for the summer"..she brings it over last week and says "I have no room..I don't want it to die..can I give it to you?"..so I took it out of her pot..this pot is too small..bought a new pot and haven't finished potting it..so it will be coming inside for the winter..don't you think I need a sunroom or greenhouse or both? haha..I bet I would like your father in law's house..a ravine and sunroom would be right up my alley..

I love your skylights---all of them! When we bought our house a long time ago, we said we would put in a couple of skylights. Well, we did, but it took us a few years before we actually had it done. What a difference they make! We wished we had done it sooner.

That's a very healthy hibiscus and you're right, the pot is too small. You'll be doing the right thing to repot. The plant will love it. And yes, you absolutely need a sunroom and greenhouse---a definite must-have! Are one of those a possibility in the near future? Well, you just have to do something with all that room, don't you? LOL

When I get frustrated with the size of my garden, I often think of my father-in-law's house. My husband would have bought it in a heartbeat. But our kids did not want to move there, and we didn't think we could do or arrange to have done all the work it needed. We couldn't have handled building a new home. I can't even make decisions when renovating one room in our home!

newhostalady..the hibiscus is just sitting in that pot..I removed it from her pot before I realized my pot was too small..it's weighed down with a brick since it isn't filled in..bought a bigger pot that day but haven't planted it yet..hopefully tomorrow..I did water it..I should've taken the pic from the side that shows a few of the peachy orange blooms..if you had doubts about your father in law's house you made the right decision..need to be fully committed to it..like getting married lol..I've never researched greenhouses..maybe I will..

Peachy orange blooms sounds delightful! My father-in-law also had a large hibiscus, a red one and he would bring it in for the winter. After he passed, we had it for a while, but I just didn't have room for it.

My father-in-law built his own sunroom actually from sliding doors! I thought I had a picture handy, but I can't find it right now.

I agree about being fully committed to the house. I just wanted my house to be on that property and in my neighborhood! LOL

Winter is long and you have a lot of time to research greenhouses---and maybe make your dream a reality one day!

this is my first hibiscus..I think it will look great in the house..the breakfast area could feel like a greenhouse if it was full of plants..raining today..good for the plants but I wish I could work outside..might try to repot the hibiscus in the garage..