It's just the nature of the beast. Potted hosta come up early. Just watch the temperatures and how advanced the pips become. The fragrants come up first. You may have to cover them or even bring some inside, depending on the temperature. Covering them with paper sacks might help if it doesn't get too cold.

It's just the way it is. Mine are coming up, too. I just hope the "Easter cold front" isn't too severe.

bkay

Thanks, bkay. Saturday night is supposed to be 30 degrees. The pips were about 1/2" long yesterday. Should I bring that pot inside or put some bubble wrap over the pot for Saturday night? The other days and nights are forecast to be well above freezing.

Thanks, Ken. These are definitely pips, not leaves about to unfurl. I would simply put something on the rim of the pot (it's the only one that is a plastic pot, not a black fabric grow bag) to lay over the soil and protect the little hosta.

it has to be tented just a bit.. so the material doesnt actually touch the leaf and transfer cold ...

an inverted grocery bag tucked under the pot .... and a stick to make a tent would be easy ...

ken

Ken, the hosta is potted in a largish plastic pot. The surface of the soil is about 2-3" below the rim of the pot. If something were laid across the rim, it would not be touching the plant or soil. I have plenty of plastic shopping bags--manage to collect them even though I usually bring a canvas bag into the store. Is that better than laying a strip of bubble wrap across the rim, anchoring it with a stick or something?

PICTURES!!

From my quiet balcony, accompanied by my faithful cat Zizu, I went out today to take some pics of my pipping hostas and baby leaf producing heuchies. In one case, I was amazed to see one hosta unfurling already. Way ahead of the usual May emergence, that's for sure. It's a shame that Coconut Custard is already unfurling, as Saturday night is supposed to be below freezing, and there will be several nights of 36 and 39 degrees predicted in the next few days. Should I just lay a towel over each row where there are emergent pips or unfurling leaves?

Here's my hostababies:

Generally speaking, you don't have to worry about those with barely emerging pips, like your last two photos. Also, I find that it doesn't get as cold here in the city as they forecast. We're surrounded by concrete, which holds the warmth overnight. My street is concrete, my alley is concrete and I have a concrete patio. This is true for at least five miles around me. So, I don't worry about anything in the 32 degree range, if it just for one night, unless the hosta is leafed out. If they are forecasting 32 degrees for several days in a row, you need to protect your hosta.

Plastic is not good for protection. Use paper grocery sacks, or buy some row cover. It's available in nursery centers and will protect two or three degrees and you can lay it directly on the pot and leaves. If you have extra pots, you can turn them upside down over the pot for protection. Be sure and remove your protection when the temperature goes back up. The protection will warm the pots and make them grow faster, which you don't want.

If you get 25 degree weather for several days, nothing will help. They won't die though. The worst that can happen is they have to re-sprout, which is a minor setback. They may have crumpled leaves, spots or something that looks weird, but it's not fatal.

bkay

Frost and freeze damage:

Thanks Bkay. There is only one night where the temps will hover around 32 and that's tonight. The other succeeding nights will be in the high 30s, low 40s, so no concern there. I figure the couple of baby leaves on Coconut Custard might get some cold damage, but the rest of the plant should be OK. As you saw, my hostess are in fabric grow bags on wire shelving units, up on my balcony, about 15 feet above the ground. There is a large grassy courtyard in the immediate vicinity of the balcony, not concrete, but I think just that one chilly night won't do significant harm. My friend came over tonight and told me she heard the wind howling during the day. I didn't hear any such thing, but I may have been asleep. I still think, with the promise of warmer temps, the plants will be OK. They will have made it through the winter while in pots on a balcony, which you know worried me!