How to Germinate Hostas

Collect hosta seeds from dried, open hosta pods or purchase the seeds online through a reputable seed dealer or at the local garden center.

Pour equal parts perlite, peat moss and vermiculite into a bucket and mix together with a wooden spoon.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the mixed soil into an oven-safe glass container and cover with aluminum foil. Heat the soil in the oven for at least 30 minutes to sanitize the soil. Sanitizing the soil will kill any diseases or weeds that may have been in the mixed soil ingredients, giving the hosta seeds a higher germination rate.

Remove the soil from the oven and allow it to cool down to room temperature for up to one hour. Moisten the mix with water to create a workable consistency.

Fill a seed-starting tray with the mixed soil. Sprinkle hosta seeds on top of the potting soil and use your hand to rake over the surface to obtain good soil-to-seed contact.

Dampen the potting soil with water and cover the tray with the included dome. Set the tray in a south-facing or sunny window. The hosta seeds will germinate at a faster rate if kept in a warm environment of between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep the seed-starting tray in the window until the hosta seeds begin to germinate, which is commonly within one to two weeks.

Remove the dome from the seed-starting tray when the hosta seeds begin to germinate through the soil.

Transplant hosta seedlings outdoors in partial to full shade after the passing of the last frost.