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esther_b

Duds of the year---share YOURS, too!

esther_b
10 years ago

Looking over my hosta garden under the tree (the tree finally kicked the bucket entirely a couple weeks ago, thank you lack of co-op maintenance) and the Neighbor's Plot, I have been very happy with the performance of Rainbow's End, Remember Me, Paradise Island, Rainforest Sunrise, Gypsy Rose, Blue Cadet, Undulatus mediopicta, Sparkler, Yellow Polka Dot Bikini, Raspberry Sundae, Little Treasure (my personal fav), and one or two others I cannot remember at this moment.

First Mate grew a little better this year than last year, but I would not call it a fast-growing hosta. Major disappointments were Cracker Crumbs (it formed 2 more eyes this year, but still not exactly a mound of growth) and Yellow Eyes (ditto). Maui Buttercups got a little scorched, possibly because the stupid purple plum tree died.

How did everyone else's hostas perform? What were your DUDS?

Comments (19)

  • dougald_gw
    10 years ago

    I dont have the massive collection of many hostaholics - but I have had a very good season with the 80 odd that I do have. All have perfomed well with only one exception.

    This past spring I finally decided to try one of the Lakesides - it was my first and so far only Mary Chastain introducton. For reasons unknown to me, the Lakeside Paisley Print that I acquired did not grow at all and the leaf tips looked scorched all season. I'll give it a chance in spring to redeem itself but I am disappointed in it.

    The scorched look was frustrating given that it was planted in a shadyspot, the summer was not hot and had regular rainfall plus I run a sprinkler system.

    The vagaries of hosta growing!

    Doug

  • donrawson
    10 years ago

    Lakeside Paisley Print has been a VERY SLOW grower for me too. Mine is probably 4 or 5 years old and is still quite small.

  • DelawareDonna
    10 years ago

    I have two "Dream" Queens that are treading on water because of their lack of performance, but I've decided not to throw in the towel just yet on these girls. I'm giving them a chance to live up to their name.

    DD

  • hostanista
    10 years ago

    My English Sunrise was the worse. It hasn't died but hasn't progressed at all from this picture (bottom right) that was taken at the beginning of the season. The top left shot was what it looked like in 2012 when I first purchased it. A friend suggested it might have been planted too deeply so it has been raised and is still struggling. I guess 2014 will tell.

  • don_in_colorado
    10 years ago

    My 'Rainforest Sunrise' is shrinking, it seems. My 'Tokudama Aureonebulosa and 'Irish Luck'' died.

    Other than that, I've been pretty fortunate.

    Don B.

  • paul_in_mn
    10 years ago

    Don, I'd give Irish Luck another try - seems to be a good grower so far....though deer trimmed mine to celery stalks a few weeks back.

    Paul

  • Eleven
    10 years ago

    I just tossed 4 due to foliar nematodes but have had a good hosta year other than these other three:

    My only real dud was a 'Raspberry Sorbet', but I got 2 so I'm okay to wait and see how it does next spring.

    'Sparkler' kind of turned to toast once I planted it; thinking I need to move it beneath a large hosta for protection.

    And I got 'Humpback Whale' that came as a tiny baby, much to my disappointment. Now waiting on it to grow up before I decide.

  • don_in_colorado
    10 years ago

    Thanks, Paul. I will give it another try. In general, I've read good things about it, and it's beautiful, so why not?

    Don B.

  • Eleven
    10 years ago

    Don and Paul, the rabbits ate my Irish Luck multiple times last summer, so I bought a second one. This year they are both looking fine!

  • hostahosta
    10 years ago

    Cracker Crumbs isn't doing much. Purchased in 2010 and placed in ground. Thought I had pretty much lost it at the beginning of this year so decided to place it in a more controlled environment in a pot to see what it would do. A couple of new leaves over the season, better than disappearing altogether. We'll see what it does next year.

  • bkay2000
    10 years ago

    My #1 disappointment was Aphrodite. It wasn't a surprise, though, as the blooms didn't open last year, either.

    bk

  • hostahosta
    10 years ago

    There are a few other hosta that have not thrived for me, but due to my placement. (Loyalist, Twilight, Paul's Glory) I planted them under a hemlock and spruce, ground thick with roots. I really wanted hosta there, and hoped against logic that they would grow. Well, no luck. They dwindled. I dug them up and relocated them and they are all doing better. So I have learned, if a hosta isn't doing well, move it.

    I also have 3 Minuteman and a single Singing in the Rain that are very ragged, edges all sawtoothed. Size is OK, leaves are ugly. Not sure but wondering if they got cold damage early in the season. These I haven't moved, plan to see what they do next year.

    Other than that, I've been lucky and all seem to be doing well.

  • flower_frenzy
    10 years ago

    My biggest dud this year was 'Hoosier Harmony'. It grew ok, but there is no other hosta in my 100+ hostas that looks so raggedy as this one. Even though I put out plenty of slug bait & bug killer, it appears that every bug in the neighborhood managed to take a nibble anyway. It must be so tasty that bugs and slugs will risk certain death just to get a bite. Maybe I should try it in a salad instead of in the ground. Lol

    This post was edited by flower-frenzy on Mon, Sep 9, 13 at 18:14

  • MadPlanter1 zone 5
    10 years ago

    My duds are the same plants that have limped along for years. I haven't needed the space, but some are getting the axe next year. There's a Liberty that has four scrawny leaves after 4 years. I put a new one next to it, and that one has doubled over the summer, so Liberty #1 is going. Minuteman is five years old and hardly bigger than when planted, Twilight was beautiful until moved and now has ratty edges that get worse all season. Jim Mathews' only eye turned solid green. Barbara Ann also has disintegrating edges. Singing in the Rain was burnt out until the rabbits ate it to the ground. It and a scruffy St. Elmo's Fire were covered by Daffodil leaves this spring and got off to a bad start, so they're getting another chance.

    Hate to get rid of Jim Mathews - it was fairly expensive. It's not bad looking in solid green. Maybe I'll just call it "Robbing Hood".

    That sounds like a bad year, but almost everything thrived. It's just the same old bad apples.

    BTW, Lakeside Paisley Print has done well for me. Not a fast grower, but getting bigger and developing corregation. The Humpback Whale I got this spring was a decent size for a new introduction. No new leaves, but the roots have grown fast. Time to get it in the ground and hope for good things next spring.

  • idiothe
    10 years ago

    Are you sure Jim Matthews didn't show some misting in the spring? It does turn all green... markings disappear fairly early in summer - but I've also had it throw all green eyes as well.

    Just wouldn't want somebody to put one in and then think it had gone bad on them when it went green and dispose of it before seeing the spring color...

  • MadPlanter1 zone 5
    10 years ago

    Jim Matthews had a tiny bit of lighter color down the middle when it finally came up, but each leaf got greener. It didn't look a bit like it did when planted last year. Disappointing, since it was such a beautiful hosta. I'm not going to pull it out, still hoping against all odds. Besides, it doesn't make a bad green hosta. Thanks for warning me, though.

  • hostahillbilly
    10 years ago

    this was a pot full of halcyon for over 10 years , this spring - poof !

    jus aint no telling bout some thangs

  • unbiddenn
    10 years ago

    Zounds is actually shrinking. In years past it was a beautiful medium size chartreuse to yellow stunner. This year it has beautiful color, but few leaves.

  • User
    10 years ago

    Two that are on the fading quick list are Pandora's Box and Pure Heart. I guess I'm going to stop buying the minis and dwarfs, and go no smaller than small. The smalls are doing fine in a group bowl, but the minis cannot take being repeatedly dug up by the squirrels. I am facing some difficult choices, and either I focus on the fragrant hosta and get those and the small/minis that are related to fragrance or excellent flowers in some fashion, --or I wind up with puny hosta that don't thrive in my zone. It's tough being a wee hosta here, since containers dry out quicker or they are susceptible to heat or else they go heat dormant more quickly and I just THINK they are dead. Until they either reflush now or emerge next spring, I'm not getting another mini.

    One that I was disappointed in was Sparkler. It is barely there....think a big fat worm chewed on it.

    Lakeside Black Satin #1 from 2012 doesn't look like much. But #2 from another nursery is still small but doing much better. The leaves are a really dark silky velvety green, like Miz Scarlett's velvet draperies made into a gown. I hope both of them prevail.

    Stargate is a fragrant that I plan to feature at the entrance to my hosta garden, first thing you see when you enter through the Star Gate, and take the Moonwalk for an evening stroll. However, it is a sweet sadness that dear Stargate is sterile. BUT, I believe the jury is still out on that one. Perhaps it needs a longer growing season such as the one I can offer it. If it can produce pollen, and another set the pod, I'd be exctremely pleased. It (Stargate) is supposed to be streaked, and perhaps it will be later on. Mine is just new. However, it is still the choice for entry to my garden.

    BTW, I'm still reading the book THE EVENING GARDEN. Fascinating book, since it gives multiple evening blooming plants which can be companions to my fragrant hosta.

    But I digress.