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berndnyz5

Can a 1 hour 10%-bleach-bath change growth?

in ny zone5
10 years ago

I always wonder about this problem. Some people here swear by giving bleach baths to a new hosta.
In 2009 I bought 2 hostas 'Dancing in the Rain' and gave them a 1 hour long 10% bleach bath. I read then about nematodes and HVX in this forum, and then it seemed to be a great idea to do that bleach bath for new purchases. I remember doing it only for those.

Those two plants never grew since then. They are under some sun and daily watering where other hostas grow wonderfully. They look healthy, but are only 8 inches tall, whereas mature height is 32 inches. I wonder if 10% bleach bath for one hour can let a plant stop growing for 4 years. Do you have any experience with this?
Bernd

Comments (9)

  • josephines167 z5 ON Canada
    10 years ago

    I thought a bleach bath was usually a short one, 15mins. Max? But never heard of newly purchased plants requiring one. I'm interested in the outcome to your question.

  • jadie88
    10 years ago

    Wow, something is up for sure. After so long, I would dig them up and see what's going on with the roots...there may be other factors at work, or you may have discovered that an hour in bleach is the hosta formula for eternal youth!

  • mosswitch
    10 years ago

    Bleach is chlorine; read this from ehow:

    The environment in which plants grow is rich with microorganisms and bacteria. Chlorinated water may disturb healthy bacterial growth and harm beneficial microorganisms. It can also prevent nutrient uptake essential to the growth of the plant, as well as alter pH levels.

    Read more: http://www.ehow.com/facts_6610758_effect-chlorinated-water-plants_.html#ixzz2Ze4dITFA

    Seems like after so long a time the effects of the chlorine would have worn off, but who knows? Maybe it altered the structure of the plant somehow.

    Sandy

  • in ny zone5
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    This is its 3rd location, is the second year in this more sunny spot. I tried more shady spots before that, but it did not grow there because of that much white in its leaves I think. Digging in the present bed, I have never encountered tree roots. Maples are far away. I also did not use herbicides close to these plants.

    I read that new cultivars can be created by exposing seed (or plants) to herbicides. One of my transplanted h.'Frances Williams' has very wide yellow borders this year and is also a little smaller. I had sprayed Roundup 2 ft away from it, though not towards this plant, though there might have been drift. There are effects from chemicals on plants.
    It is a mystery. Perhaps these plants with a lot of white got changed by bleach. So I have a mini now, planting both together.

    I bought these two plants from Jung Seed and Plants via mail order, which is a general purpose nursery. They looked like 1 year TCs when I received them, though paid a normal price. Perhaps something happened in the TC lab or at Jungs?

    Bernd

  • bkay2000
    10 years ago

    Several of the last few plants I received by mail order just don't seem to grow, either. They were small when I received them and they just seem to sit there. The plants I've bought locally seem to be growing just fine. My 2 year old Victory has 5 leaves. My three year old Cathedral Windows has 10 leaves. It's enough to make you give up on mail order. On the other hand, I have an Ann Kulpa I bought locally that is three years old and is barely bigger than Blue Mouse Ears.

    I think sometimes we just get lousy plants.

    bk

  • User
    10 years ago

    Early last spring I treated three hosta for foliar nematodes. Two were plantaginea species, one was LS Kaleidoscope. I did a 20% bleach for 30 minutes, I think it was, and then rinsed them and repotted in a new pot, new soil. Here they are this year, growing but still very small, considering I got them in 2011. They are smaller than other plantaginea I bought last year. I think it does set them back. Plus the leaves are small, the height is short. I see no signs of nematodes returning however.

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    10 years ago

    as bruce once taught me about the non-vigorous....

    i would unpot it.. and scrape the roots on some cement..

    then toss it around the yard....screaming obscenities... and show it the driveway .....

    then repot it,.. and watch it take off like a rocket ...

    he theorized... that it will trigger a hormone release based on the insult to it...

    ken

    ps: i added the obscenity part [bruce is really too much of a prude to do such.;..] ... i mean really.. if you are going to threaten it.. may as well go full bore.. and it really did make me feel better... lol.. but the neighbors are still talking.. and i moved away 13 years ago.. lol

  • in ny zone5
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I agree with Ken, scaring plants helps. I read and did it myself that pruning some roots off fruit trees and rhododendrons will lead to more flowers the following year. It seems you have to do the root pruning in spring to early summer. Bernd

  • bkay2000
    10 years ago

    Back in the days...I swear I could threaten an African Violet with death if they didn't bloom. They always did.

    I also heard the "Dirt Doctor" (our local organic radio guru) say that beating a tomato with a stick would make it start producing tomatoes. He said ii was a survival mechanism that when stressed, it would produce seed to secure the survival of the species.

    Hmmm..... interesting.

    bk