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Buy with Confidence from In The Country

We are serious about growing premium quality hostas and companion plants for gardeners.

Hosta growing area at In The CountryWe do not sell tiny, first year tissue culture liners. Some growers sell tiny liners, just so they can be the first to offer a new plant. Not us. Liners are just babies and need some TLC before they can safely be planted in the garden. We grow our tissue culture liners for at least a season, so you will receive a plant that is strong enough to survive in the garden.

Our hostas are pot grown. This means you receive a plant with a fully intact root system. A field grown division may be bigger to start, but the process of digging and dividing results in significant root loss and damage to the plant. A fresh field division has to put all of its energy into growing a new root system, before the plant can increase in size. Often, a field division will be smaller the second year, as it keeps its top growth in proportion to its root system. Our pot grown plants establish quickly and continue to grow, with very little set back.

Pot grown plants mean our hostas are not dug or divided. This greatly reduces the risk of infection by Hosta Virus X and other diseases. Any time a hosta is dug or divided there is risk of HVX infection.

We start with healthy plant stock and take great care to ensure our plants remain healthy and disease free. All pots, flats, benches, and tools are sterilized before they are used. We do not re-use old potting mix, which could be infested with pests. All plants are potted in fresh potting mix. We have strict protocol about tools. We have tools designated for use in our garden and tools designated for use in the nursery. They are never used interchangeably and are sterilized frequently. These steps ensure we do not bring pests and diseases into our nursery, and do not spread any pests and diseases that may find their way in. We constantly monitor our plants for problems and destroy any that show symptoms of disease.

Our nursery is isolated from our display garden. This helps ensure our plants remain free of pests and diseases.

Our plant stock comes from reputable growers. Not all hosta suppliers care if the plants they produce are healthy, disease free, and true to type. We do! We are very selective about the growers we work with and only buy stock from a handful of growers that we trust.

example of a one quart hostaWe do not baby our plants. Most of our plants are grown outdoors, not in a fancy, climate controlled greenhouse. Being exposed to the elements means our plants are tougher, and already adjusted to the real world. Some of our plants are grown in a greenhouse for a few months in early spring. As soon as the danger of frost has passed in the spring, we roll up the sides of our greenhouse to acclimate the plants to the outdoors.

We grow our hostas in more sun than many growers. This encourages the plants to grow substantial, beefy root systems, which results in a more mature plant for you, sooner. This may result in some leaf burn and washed out colors in plants purchased in late summer, but the plants will emerge in your garden the following spring bigger and with their normal vibrant colors. A strong root system is well worth a little temporary cosmetic damage.

We are active members of the American Hosta Society and American Hosta Growers Association. This ensures we know first hand what is happening in the hosta world and keeps us on the front line of scientific research.

Josh and Sue Spece - owners of In The CountryWe have been growing and collecting hostas for over 25 years. We have close ties to industry experts and top hybridizers across the country and around the world. This network keeps us on the cutting edge of the hosta world and allows us to offer you the newest and most exciting hosta introductions on the market.

We (Josh and Sue) are personally involved in every aspect of the business. We plant every plant. We care for every plant. We pack every order. We answer your phone calls and emails. We are a small operation which allows us to treat you like we like to be treated.

Our customers speak for themselves. Read some of the glowing messages from our customers:

What Our Customers are Saying About Our Plants and Service.

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