Re: Potting up hosta.

I'm forcing a few varieties for a very large flower show in February and I
just brought them in from their cooling period. 
The problem with focing any plant is you throw them off their normal cycle of
growth. You trick them into growing when they aren't suppose to. Many hostas
force very well, but one has to have the right conditions for them to grow
properly. Once after the cooling period you have to allow them to thaw and get
accustomed to their forcing temperature. Then they must sprout and be placed
underlights to flush out the leaves. 
Some hostas especially the smaller, earlier, faster growing types are better.
Avoid the tokudamas or the really large cultivars. Tokudamas will force, but
are very slow and you get these small plants, the larger varieties have a
difficult time re-adjusting to their normal cycle after forcing and with
inadequate light, you get floppy weak leaves you might as well chop down or
collect to petioles to  cook in a stew or throw into a salad!!

Here's an article that helped me a lot:
go to:

http://www.hostas.com/articles/hostas/general_info/forcing_hostas.html 

Good Luck if you want to try one or two plants.
Hostas are best left undisturbed to establish in the garden.

Rizanino "Riz" Reyes
GMagcalas@aol.com
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