If you are sure this is cold damage then all you can do is wait for them to grow through it. Some remaining distorted leaves may be present through the whole season.

In general these are quite hardy, the best situation would be to have them planted in the ground in a suitable shaded position in a woodland-like environment such as beneath trees or on the shady side of a structure.

Hi BKay,

I had the same thing happen to several hostas early last year, here is my 'Invincible' from 2013 still leafing out. I don't know that there is anything you can really do after the cold zaps 'em. It leafed out pretty nicely and was still a pretty good-looking plant. After the second flush, I pretty much forgot they had been damaged at all. I kept the leaves, scarred as they were, on the plant just so it'd collect as much sun energy as possible. You can remove the leaves, but it might end up looking sparse and kinda 'naked'. Healthwise, they should be fine, albeit a little 'ragged' on the parts that were bitten. I think you should just leave 'em be.

Regards,
Don B.

Here's the same plant on August 7th. 2013. Not too bad. I can't really tell which leaves got zapped; I possibly removed them in the summer, but I honestly can't recall whether I did or not.

Don B.

ALL ... and i mean .... ALL .. fragrant hosta ... that plantaginea gene ... are subject to cold/frost/freeze damage ...

and that is what i see in the pix above ...

per chance.. did you poke these ... lol ... like that other guys post???

ken

ps: never cut on them this early.. even a damage leaf can do beneficial things .... if they fail and brown.. pull them off in a month or two ... if they just remain ugly.. wait until some other flush starts to cover them ...

Here is a link that might be useful: i tried to warn you

No, Ken I did not poke or peek at them. They just came up after a few days of warm temps and sunshine. Allmost all are showing pips now. Both So Sweets are already in full leaf. We just get an early start.

Bboy, I assume you are new or you wouldn't have said that. Welcome to the forum. Stick around and you will appreciate the joys of growing hosta in pots.

Don, thanks. I'm sure you're right. My Guac came through with flying colors. Invincible is just poorly named. It's pretty, but sensitive to everything.

bk

My So Sweet #1 today

Your #1 looks like #1....that is, a real beauty.! Really looking forward to seeing mine emerge...some time....this year, lol...more snow and low of -18 tonight...but it can't last forever. :-)

Love your pics Bkay...even with the "cold sores".

i would put the plantiginea.. the fragrant ones.. in the garage ...

but then.. you have all of them.. dont you ...

ken

Jo, below ZERO? You poor baby, come on down where we are enjoying foggy misty mornings and how slightly cool breezes.

Bk, your So Sweet No. 1 is gorgeous, do not think it sustained long term damage. After I visit the doc tomorrow , hope I can be back among my babies, wearing a dust mask to protect my breathing. Plus sitting down to repot and relabel. The sun did a number on readability of my labels.

Never concerned about labels of other plants, but MUST KNOW the name and history of every hosta.

Thanks for the sympathy, Mocc! How I'd love to be sitting in your corner of the world...but I wouldn't be doing much sitting, lol when there is so much to see in your garden...I'd be lost in hosta heaven for hours and hours. You take care, y'hear? Hugs, Jo

Bkay....I just remembered the damage sustained (same look as your cold damaged ones) on my Honeybells and AlboMarginata last year when roofers next door covered my hosta with blue tarp, then proceeded to tromp all over with ladders, boots and other gear. Three quarters of the plant was affected. I wanted to remove the damaged ones immediately because it was so unsightly but there were too many so I removed only a couple that were broken in half. By mid summer surprisingly it didn't look as bad as it should have, thankfully. You grow your hosta beautifully so I can appreciate how disconcerting it must be to have any leaf misshapen. Take heart, they will likely look great as they continue to fill out.

Jo, I should show you So Sweet #2. I got both from the same (not to be named) source.

On number 1, I accidentally ordered three of them. So I just put them all in one pot. (That was my first online hosta order.) Instantly, (the next year), I had a really nice pot of hosta. It rivaled some I'd had for years. I've loved it ever since.

On number 2, I ordered three So Sweets. I received 3 slices from a huge hosta with a few roots on them. The next year, they reverted to juvenile leaves. I didn't think it would ever amount to much, but it did. It's going to be one of my faves, too.

Ken, you're right. I should have put them in the garage. The garage is attached, so it doesn't get that cold. But, it's a front entry garage, and I didn't want to truck them around the house to the garage. I was lazy. I hoped the shed and sheets would do...it didn't. Live and Learn. I'll truck them around the house next time they talk about morning temps in the teens. (We don't have much of that.) As my dear old grandpa used to say, "Some people live and learn and some just live." I hope I am in the first category.

bk

Yes please...show your #2 So Sweet...how many times have you up potted them now? In your opinion, Would a three-year stint in the same pot suffice for a not-so-fast grower? Is there a hard and fast rule/guideline about that sort of thing? (Other than checking for roots coming out of the bottom)

I would imagine the vigorous growers would need an annual increase in pot size? I have a new SS which I want to continue to grow in its pot and am curious. Thank you.

I have to say that I enjoyed looking after my potted hosta as an experiment. I would often pick up a pot or two or three, sit down and admire them from every angle, ruffling their leaves and generally speaking, being so happy doing so. They truly are a thing of beauty.

So Sweet #2 today.

I think it's going to be a nice fluffy So Sweet that stays pretty until August when it sprawls.

bk

This post was edited by bkay2000 on Mon, Mar 24, 14 at 8:22

My hosta look like that every year, its unavoidable in the north. They recover fine. You cant see the damage to the emerging leaves in the fully unfurled July hosta.

Thanks Unbidden. I hoped for that good news.

bk

Sorry to hear you got nipped. That happens here some years - I just avert my eyes and leave the leaves unless they die. By June the damage isn't as obvious. 16 degree nights here, too, but only the spring bulbs, iris and day lilies are up, so no damage done.