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mommomsgarden

my poor hostas!

mommomsgarden
10 years ago

I have many many many hostas. They are blooming like crazy and look beautiful. I will post more pics ASAP. Anyway this poor guy is suffering and I don't know why! Any ideas? I've never seen this happen to a hosta!!

Comments (13)

  • User
    10 years ago

    A question:
    Is it planted against asphalt paving? I'm craning my neck to put the soil at the bottom of the picture, and it sure looks like the edge of the driveway.

    I had one which it took about 1 day for southern blight to kill it. The leaves all wound up flopping like this, and I noticed that small balls almost the color of Osmocote time release fertilizer were located above the crown and lower petioles. That was the blight working. Next day the hosta was dead.

    If you've had hot humid days lately with very little air movement, stagnant air, then blight can do its worst to your hosta. I do not see any of the blight from your photo, but please check it out.

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    10 years ago

    hold your phone upright when you take the pic ...

    in another post.. her garden is drowning from rain, i believe ...

    has it been stifling hot also??

    all moc's questions too....

    ken

  • mommomsgarden
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    No it has not been too hot. I water everyday. This hosta is right next to the driveway and also right next to 2 others that are just fine. These are in the front if my house in the same bed as my japenese maple that is also not happy and has stopped any growth!! What is blight?

  • User
    10 years ago

    I'm going to quote this, and give a reference to an article from Auburn U. about fungicides to control or eradicate it.

    Quote:
    Typical symptoms of southern blight, which is caused by the soil-borne fungus Sclerotium rolfsii, include sudden wilting or flagging on one or more shoots, then a dieback of the damaged shoots, and finally plant death. Usually, the superficial, white, fan-like fungal growth mat of the causal fungus can be found on the soil surface around the base and/or lower stem of the wilted plant as well as on fallen leaves and other organic debris. Clusters of brown, round sclerotia, which are about the size of mustard seeds, are often scattered on the surface of the soil or potting medium as well as on the lower stem or collar of the dying plant. Disease development in both the nursery and landscape can occur from June through September after several days of hot, wet weather.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Blight battlers

  • mommomsgarden
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Wow thank you for the info. Great stuff!! What should I do with this specific Hosta?

  • Tim
    10 years ago

    IF it is southern blight, your only option is to remove the plant before the pathogen infects the rest of your hostas. Here is another website that deals with this disease: http://www.apsnet.org/edcenter/intropp/lessons/fungi/Basidiomycetes/Pages/SouthernBlight.aspx

  • Tim
    10 years ago

    IF it is southern blight, your only option is to remove the plant before the pathogen infects the rest of your hostas. Here is another website that deals with this disease: http://www.apsnet.org/edcenter/intropp/lessons/fungi/Basidiomycetes/Pages/SouthernBlight.aspx

  • User
    10 years ago

    Since I am a container gardener, my option was easy to do....toss the plant, it was all over with. Since your hosta is in the ground, and your Japanese maple is ailing also, I'm not sure how to proceed.

    There is a forum for the Japanese maples on GWeb, and they might know. Or even good ole Ken since he specializes in driveway plants. Good luck.

    If I were you, I'd back off on the watering and give the area a chance to dry out somewhat. Pull mulch away from the base of any plants in the area, or maybe remove the mulch and let it dry out as well. Beyond that, you'll need someone with more experience to guide you. The southern blight thrives in a hot and wet area with poor air circulation.

  • dg
    10 years ago

    Here is mmsgarden's photo turned upright for easier viewing.

    hth,
    Deb

  • bkay2000
    10 years ago

    You have to dig it up and wash off the roots, and dip them in 10% bleach solution. Then put what's left in a pot to recover. Since I grow in pots, I can't tell you what to do with the soil. You may need to use a fungicide, but I'm not sure.

    My U albomarginata had that a couple of years ago. I didn't know about the bleach thing, so I just washed it off with city water (chlorinated) real well. and replanted it in new soil. It recovered.

    Last year, it didn't have much of a white edge. This year, it's almost back to a normal appearance. Although it didn't have the edge, it looked healthy last year.

    You need to get going on it. It moves quickly.

    bk

  • mommomsgarden
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thank you all!! There is no mulch in this area. When I put the roots in bleach then what do I do?

  • bkay2000
    10 years ago

    Pot it up in potting soil and let it rest and recuperate and regrow it's roots.

    bk

  • Tim
    10 years ago

    Besides a disease or fungus it may be chemical damage. Did you spray anywhere around that plant with Round-up? If so, maybe you accidentally oversprayed onto that particular plant? I'm just trying to think what else it could be in the event it isn't a fungus.

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