Lawnmower them so you don't have to watch them suffer ...

Mowing a hosta bed seems like a great way to swap plant juices. So evil, Dave, sooo evil. : )

Don B.

Well...we are in the low 80s through the weekend, so the yarden still has some time on the clock. There are a few hostas getting tired out, but honestly most of them don't know it's October yet.

I look forward to seeing your year three!

It sure was an exciting season following you around your garden, Don! :-).
You accumulated a serious amount of hosta, developed new beds, and kept us guessing as to "what's next?" You've enabled quite a few of us throughout the growing season and Spring will be that much more exciting, won't it?

We're having continued lovely warm weather...good for me as I'm still potting up for the move. Ginsu Knife still blooming and looking pristine! Can't believe it...also Lakeside Shore Master takes No. 1 spot for "beauty" ...absolutely unblemished yet...GE is all done in (first one entering hibernation, lol).

Hope your foot heals quickly for you. :-)
Jo

good ol' GE ... last one up (except Montana Aureo) and first to fold ... so reliable ...

ÃÂ .ÃÂ --~

dave

randy goodwin used to mow his...

see if Leopard frog is still in the library ...

he ended up renting a backhoe.. and taking out 3 or 4 feet of soil in his garden ... or SO I HEARD .... you know how that goes.. lol ...

do NOT mow

ken

ps: besides the fact that dead leaves is a self mulching feature of hosta ... and we tend to remove it .. whats that all about... but that IS what you do.. if you are fighting slugs ....

Here is a link that might be useful: even has a story by RG

Don, I had no idea that you were a relative newbie as well. From the threads I browsed looking for info before deciding to join, I thought you were long time. If you are relatively new to hostas, we are all in serious trouble!!! Who am I kidding, I'm there already, as I think most of us are. Jo, I absolutely agree with you on LSM, perfect yet. My GE is pretty close to perfect yet as well. To be honest, many are holding on very well. Dancing In The Rain has doubled from a 1gal in spring, no discolouration, only a few slug marks. Fragrant Bouquet was put to sleep a couple of weeks ago from the frost, has sent up 2 new eyes to compensate (really, mom, it's not bedtime yet, is it?). Lakeside Kaleidoscope has pretty much snuggled in for winter, many are putting on their fall colours (rather yuck compared to spring and summer glory), but it is surprising how many are holding on for the time being.

It will be another 6 weeks or so until my hosta's bedtime. Many are looking raggedy. Some still look ok. None are pristine. They made it through a Texas August, so I don't expect them to be pristine.

I'm ready for hosta bedtime, but I always am at this time of year. Like the guys in Minnesota in May, I'm ready for this season to be over. I'm ready for some cold weather. (Well, as cold as it gets here, anyway.)

bk

Okay then ...

don't mow them

Put a hosta cam on them and watch the little buggers freeze and suffer; screaming, writhing silently in abject agony and anguish...

yes, much better

sounds like a good solution for those schmoes in DC ...

ah, let the winter nightmares begin!

ÃÂ.ÃÂ --~

This post was edited by bragu on Fri, Oct 4, 13 at 16:25

Oh yes, Ken, 'Leopard Frog'. Very interesting, to say the least. I'd encorage everyone to click on the link Ken has provided, and see what he is talking about. Eeesh.

Don B.

NOW you're talkin', Dave!

Don B.

Wow, Don... 25 degrees at night already? That's cold! We don't see nighttime temps like that here until January, and even then not regularly.

Some of my hostas are beginning to look ratty, but most of them are up and looking pretty good. In my garden, I notice that the white margined ones tend to melt away the soonest.

Even though I'll miss my hostas, I like the fall season. A lot of mine turn bright yellow or pumpkin orange and it's actually pretty.

Yeah, we sometimes get a really cold snap before Halloween...Then this coming Tuesday, it's supposed to be back in the high 70's! LOL Go figure.

Don B.

We had high in the 30s a week ago at night, now in the 40s. The last 2 years the first killing frost was around October 22. 35 years ago usually it was Sept 16.
Tomorrow I have an arborist giving me an estimate to remove 3 trees and several pine branches to bring more light to the hostas (there will be enough shade left). So I am discussing with myself, that in around 2 weeks frost would have taken care of hosta leaves anyway. So what when trees, branches and boots flatten some hostas. Boots might wake up dormant buds and I will see more eyes next spring.
Bernd

This might be coming your way, Don. 10-04, Friday, this is what I woke up to....

Blue Hawaii is going to bed

But Regal Splendor is in front of a lilac and underneath a big tree branch. No snow on it and still looking good.

We weren't as cold as you're getting. 25 degrees. Ugh, that's gonna hurt.

That reminds me, I have to change the oil, spark plug and gas up the snow blower.

Jon

Hey, how are you guys up in Minn. faring today? FORTY-EIGHT INCHES OF WHITE STUFF? SMACK, kick off the cold season with a big SMACK.

Meanwhile, my hosta are doing okay, but not all of them. I think southern blight worries are over for the year though. One which contracted it, Totally Twisted, is making a comeback. And so is Sparkler, which somehow all its leaves disappeared overnight, just stubs remained, and now they decided to live too. I like little Sparkler, so I'm glad. It gets the first covering of hardware cloth, because I think it was a critter ate it. Where are those wrens when you need them!

bernd ...

global warming?

Never did hit 25 degrees, it was a low of 31 last night/this morning, briefly, with a little snow. Plants are still hanging in there so far.

Don B.

You people with snow may have to come north to Canada.. no snow here but whoknows when? Was 43F last night so not too cold yet.
Bradu I have mowed between my rows in the vegetalbe garden before because it seems to be last to get done. After all hostas and flowers are more important anyway and I keep downsizing veg. garden for more hosta./ Sounds redneck to me lol but it worked. I want raised beds next year instead for vegetables

I for one love all dons post and pics . Would have never thought this is his second season . cant wait to next spring . sleep tight hostas.

Thanks, HH. Yeah, guess I made up for lost time and got a bunch of plants for the short 2 seasons I've been hooked on hostas.

Aside and including yourself, there are many great teachers/enablers on this forum. Looking forward to learning much more in the coming seasons.

Cheers,
Don B.

don, it's only been two years.

You ain't hooked yet.

This is the appetizer round ...

wait til you decide you want all the seavers, or the lakesides, or all hosta starting with the letter 's' or some screwy idea you come up with in the middle of the night.

The winter cold can do strange things to your brain ...

this is your hosta. This is your brains. This is your brains on hosta ... in colorado. You're a goner.

ÃÂ.ÃÂ

dave