Hosta Pics

I have my 3 new ones from last year to show

Paradigm

I lost Sum and Substance to HVX so I wanted new big ones

Holy Mole'

Parhelion

I am out of room for big back of the garden plants but find bulbs can fit in everywhere.

How long had you had S & S when it showed HVX, Al? I dread it showing up in my Parhelion...someone on the hosta forum had it show up in her Parhelion after seven years. :( Can't even imagine removing a seven year old Parhelion or S &S. I am considering having mine tested now, but I almost want to remain in blissful ignorance.

Geez, seems it's getting common. Lucky, so far. I thought hostas were one of those bulletproof plants - other than the deer and slug problems.

I guess they used to be, Victor. You are lucky if you got your hosta garden started before it was the tremendous problem that it seems to be today. I see HVX infected hosta virtually everytime I go to a nursery, it seems. Sum and Substance and Halcyon, which is the one I just lost, are widely infected culitvars, although there are many others too. I think a handful are thought to be resistant, but that's a drop in the bucket when you think about how many cultivars are out there.

They sell infected ones?!

Yeah, they do, because not a single nursery worker or even owner I've spoken with, after finding an infected plant and pointing it out to them, has ever heard of HVX. I keep meaning to make a printout to take with me when I go to nurseries.

But you can spot it easily?

On the ones with gold leaves, the traditional ink bleed marks along the veins are quite easy to spot. So an infected S &S or Gold Standard at a nursery would jump right out at you, most likely. There are other signs, but I think the ink bleed and collapsed tissue are the most common. On my Halcyon, you had to look close. I was concerned about it with the eyes came up looking deformed. When it leafed out, the collapsed tissue and darker marks became apparent. Here is a pic of mine.



Another one that people seem to keep reporting as infected is Striptease, and I guess with that one you might have to look more closely because of the plant's markings.

Yes, I see that mottled appearance. I would look closely at Striptease anyway...

It was in it's second year and really starting to mature. It's was a clearcut case I was told by the hosta people. I have pics here somewhere.

HVX is the reason I usually only buy from hosta specialty growers, like NH Hostas. I've seen infected hostas everywhere at big and small general gardening centers, and they don't seem to care. I think I've bought from Hallson's, too, but the only grower close enough for me to visit is NH Hostas. I bought my 'Parhelion' there... I love it and gave it a place in the sun, only to have it munched by deer b/c it is out of my deer-zapper's range.

What is your deer zapper??

The Guardener: http://www.aimergard.com
So far, so good!!!

How long have you had it? They tend to learn to avoid things. I would need quite a few to cover their paths. It could get pretty expensive.

Here is one of my NH hosta- High Society. If it stays virus free, I think it will become a favorite.

I am biting. What is a favorite?

My favorite is Regal Splendor, because it's the very first plant I bought for my garden, four years ago, and because I just love everything about it. I like the vase shaped ones a lot. I'd like to find some smaller ones with that form. This Regal Splendor pic is from last year. One of the criteria for favorite for me has to be slug resistance!

Wow. Are those little blue flowers in the background Campanula "Blue Falls"?

OK I just was thinking - Favorite was a special thing that was going to be for sale or "something"..............

Regal Splender is stately nice tall bloomer part.

I like Pandora's Box, and I probably have room for it (but not for your lovely container). I've seen it before, but your picture really gives a sense of scale. Very nice.

Yeah, it's a cute one. I moved it into a slightly bigger container this year. I like the fact that PB comes up with the same coloration it has all season.

Here is Thunderbolt today after a thunderstom. This one is looking great this year. The hosta behind it and to the right was labelled June, but it doesn't look like June to me. Regal Splendor looks pretty different in the Spring.

ge, I'm not sure which flowers you mean, but I don't have any Campanula....I have considered them, but never seem to getting around to buying any.

Wowie, you guys have fantastic looking hostas. Yum!

They are always so pretty and "pure" looking in the Spring, Sof, which is why I tend to go a little snap happy with the camera. Late in the season, after the slugs have had their evil way with them, not so much.

Speaking of slugs, I am surpised to find mine in such good shape, when a certain chipmunk, or twenty, eats my Sluggo as fast as I can put the stuff down. I have to toss it out at night, and tonight when I was on my Sluggo rounds, something moved. I think I have a toad on duty out there. Doing a good job, too.

Good deal! Toads are great.

I found my HVX pic on my S & S

I love Campanula! Bought a few last year from Bluestone and they have doubled in size. Also WS some that I got from a seed swap and they are doing awesome so far.

Al,

Yikes on the pic of the S&S with HVX. I only have one and would be heart broken if it became infected.

I don't know what type they are but my sis--in-law gave them to me when she divided hers. The originals came to NJ with her father 40 years ago.

Oh, should have mentioned came to NJ from Ohio.

Still looking good!

I planted them 2 years ago after they sat for a week or two in a rubbermaid bin with some water in it. I never thought they would make it.

So that's the secret!

Wow, that's good to know because I want to dig up and move a couple and I don't have any containers with holes to put them in, nor do I have garden space ready yet. Guess I can just use some bins for the short term.

Those are lovely, and it's cool that they have lived that long, too.

I'm very traumatized this afternoon because I just caught a snake eating my toad and hiding out in my Lily of the Valley. Then, later, my dogs went out to pee and found the snake along the back fence, with his belly grotesquely full, and hissing at them. I screamed. Yeah, I'm sure it's a garter snake because my husband says that's all we have here, but I DO NOT LIKE SNAKES. I don't know how I'm gonna garden, knowing he's still out there.

Oh, bummer. Not a nice thing to witness, I'm sure. You guys have me freaking with this hvx. This is Guacamole. Notice how some of the leaves are crinkled? Is that a sign of the disease? What else might cause it. These are in the ground at least six or seven years and are about three feet across.

Noreaster, Campanula are easy to winter sow.

This is under my large JM. Three Sum and Substance in the front, and the rest are Guacamole. Other plants include five dwarf JM's, gold hydrangeas, Kumson forsythia and establishing hellebores as a ground cover. Chameleon is in there too - hard to get rid of.

Another view.