Hosta Pics

Victor, leaf crinkling on leaves that should be smooth can be a sign of HVX, I think, but I don't think it's a hallmark sign, like that telltale inkbleed stuff. I think frost hitting the newly emeged eyes can also cause crinkling. I would just keep a close eye on it for now or if you are really concerned, take a close up and post it over on the HVX forum of Hallson's website. Very pretty pics...you must have a ton of property for all those nice plants and trees you grow?

And yes, the snake encounter was horrific and I'm scarred for life. That thing was trying to bite me when I tried to scoop it into a container so that my husband could rehome it. I wonder if it would have bitten my dogs and caused harm?

Carrie, what is this winter sow of which you speak? Does that involve me finding space in my cramped and cluttered house to set up little peat pots and grow lamps? Not gonna happen, if my husband has anything to say about it!

We did have some cool temps recently, though not freezing. Will be down to 40 again tonight. Thanks. No, not nearly as much property as I would like. A bit over half an acre.

What is this HVX

Noreaster,
I hate snakes too so when I see one I don't scream, I gasp. Thats all it takes for my black Lab, Tia.....she pounces on it and kills it instantly!! She then kinda foams at the mouth, needs a good drink and she's fine.... she has killed many snakes over the last 10 years!!

No snakes here that I've ever seen, thankfully.

Lucky you Pirl! That is one downside with all this land surrounded by woods....we have things in there I don't care if I ever see!

Snakes are good!

Great. You keep them.

They are fine as long as they aren't within 5ft of me!

Yes, I don't need to be up close and personal.

I caught one last year put it in a can. Put the can in the garage in DH's chair. I heard a scream, he likes to be close to them.

Sherrie...your wicked!

I agree snakes are good. Here's one I am always on the lookout for. This spot is right next to my new stone seat.

It was just a tiny 8" skinny green garter. I try to be good ^_^

Oh Bill. He looks like a meanie!

Yeah, I'm just so not a fan of snakes....at least not in my garden, and I don't care how beneficial they are....I didn't like the way he was squaring off with my Boston Terriers...what if he bit their eye or something? And my poor, poor toad! Though, I don't want my BTs eating toads, either.

eastern water snake up from the pond to get some sun. They can be aggressive. i saved one last year that got caught in some plastic netting over my blueberry bushes. Had to cut it off him/her with scissors. Did not take to kindly to me at first, somthing about a hockey stick pinning its head to the ground I think. Once it realized what i was doing it just layed there and let me remove the netting. We walked side by side back to the pond. true story.

Oh, how sweet Bill. Did he come back later for a treat?

He's the one eating your clematis, Bill.

schicken- http://www.hostalibrary.org/firstlook/HVX.htm

There is the link for all that you will probably ever want to know about the disease. If you go to Hallson's Garden, online, Chris Hallson has started up a forum for us hosta peeps all about ID'ing HVX, and what to do, etc. I hope this link works, it's forever long...
http://www.perennialnursery.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=63&sid=efb19d7bdfddb76b8330104f2824b3fa

Essentially, almost like daylily rust, it's a plant specific disease. If you were to check into it, especially on the hostalibrary.org site, certain cultivars of hosta are more prone to the disease than anything.

One thing being heavily discussed by the people researching the Hosa HVX, is that the larger box stores, and some of the larger garden centers nurseries, are purchasing either plugs, tc hostas, or wholesale hosta from non-complaining peeps, who use something called the "5% rule" in regard to selling their infected hosta. Essentially, if 5% or less of their stock has the virus they sell it to the box stores, or other wholesalers KNOWINGLY. The virus, atleast to the most current research, is spread through the fluid inside of the hostas. If you were to cut back the hosta flowers, divide a hosta, or cut back the foliage of an infected plant, and any of the fluid from that cut got to an uninfected hosta, it could infect that plant.

I almost over obsess about this, I'm always out there checking my hosta, on a daily basis for this disease, I have been for over 2 years now. My problem...lol...is that some of my hosta are "breeder" hosta that are either misted, streaked, or have a blurring of the variegation, which is usually a place to notice the tell tale signs of HVX.

To anyone that has lost any hostas due to this, I'm so sorry for you. I know I would have to remove and destroy any infected plant material also, I just haven't had to yet. I hope I never do.

Hope that cleared up the HVX thing a bit. There is more to it than that, but that is the general information on it.

This message was edited May 29, 2008 3:52 PM

This message was edited May 29, 2008 3:55 PM

Good info, Thom - thanks. I'll have to make sure my hostas are not exchanging fluids!

Three years ago I was trading hostas on DG and then came all the news about the virus so I stopped trading completely and won't buy from any nursery that hasn't heard of the problem.

I have 21 varieties in just this little space but it's probably my favorite garden (aside from any spot that has Japanese irises).

That is gorgeous, Pirl.

Thank you!

Yes, very nice Pirl. I love gold ones.

Verrrry nice arrangement Pirl.I am becomming a fan of the
varieties with more white like Island Charm.

Thanks, Victor. The area I posted is for the gold family but I have plenty of the variegated ones as well, ge, such as Patriot and the others in that series.

I have white variegated ones but find the gold ones pop better in shady areas.

Thanks Pirl you shure make life easier.
I'm also looking for dwarf varieties.

Here's a view a bit closer than the previous one. I do have some of the mini's but not a good photo of them, ge. I'll take care of that right now.

Nice - is that a euphorbia to the right of the girl?

Oh, pirl ... what a little piece of heaven!

Yes, it is. I believe that one is 'Chameleon'. I have 'Bonfire' and a few others in that garden. The dark wine goes so well with the gold.

Thanks, Candyce.

What's the gold hosta to the left of her?

I think it's 'Gold Edger'.

Here's the mini hosta at the front.

Very nice.

Those are lovely Pirl...very nice arrangement.

Thank you, Victor and Celeste.

I knew I shouldn't have opened this thread!! I'm having serious hosta envy!!

Hemhostaholic, the second picture looks an awful lot like "golden tiara" to me.

Here are some up front that I divided but not enough. I need to remove them all I think and really break them up. They've swallowed a lot of plants in their wake!