JoeFixes
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Location: Southern NH

What is wrong with my hostas?

Hello, I am new to the forum and apologize if this is not the place for this topic.

I have provided some pictures of my hostas. They have always grown perfectly fine in past years. Any thoughts?

Image
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Thank you in advance


JoeFixes

cynthia_h
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"Perennials" seems as good a place as any to discuss hostas; don't worry about that. :)

Information helpful to other members would be:

--Knowing where you live (please give an idea in your profile; that way it shows up without you having to write it in each post. You don't need to be as specific as I am; something like "central Wyoming" or "western Panhandle Florida" is fine).

--What the weather has been like, both generally this season and recently, for these hostas.

--What kind of sun/shade situation they live in.

--What kind of soil they live in.

--The photos seem to show that the hostas live in the ground as opposed to living in containers; is this correct?

--And anything else you can think of that may have been different this year versus previous years: different watering schedule? different nutritional source(s) for the plants? have you been ill/away and had to rely on others to take care of the plants? have unfamiliar insects been observed elsewhere in your yard? Just whatever observations you may have made that could bear on the health of these otherwise beautiful plants.

Best wishes for some good advice! I unfortunately have no experience with hostas, but I do know that the above information may bring some hypotheses to mind and will help others figure things out. The photos are a big help, too; thank you!

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

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rainbowgardener
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cynthia is right, but in the meantime, when you said they have been perfectly fine in past years, was that in the same location? Did anything change about the location, such as a tree being cut down so more sun is on them? Has it been hot and dry where you are?

Hostas are shade lovers. Too much sun or too much heat and not enough water, can lead to dry brown edges of the leaves like that.

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hendi_alex
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Looks like some kind of chemical burn or sunscald type of problem as opposed to disease. Have the plants had some harsh exposure when leaves were young and tender? A late frost could have possibly damaged the leaves in early spring before they fully emerged and opened.

*dim*
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if the hosta has been growing in that area for several seasons without any problems, it could be a virus

here is a link that explains some of the diseases:

https://www.extension.umn.edu/yardandgar ... y0102.html

imafan26
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Below is a link to a site on hosta diseases that might be helpful.

https://www.plantpath.iastate.edu/files/SUL14.pdf

JoeFixes
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Joined: Thu Jun 20, 2013 8:20 pm
Location: Southern NH

Thank you for all of the replies and offers of help. Let me give some back story now...

We are in Southern NH and we have had a coldish spring. A LOT of rain. These hostas usually grow with little or no maintenance each year. No change of environment that I can think of. Not moved, not in a particularly sunny area either. They usually grow into monsters on their own. They are in the ground with small landscape rocks around their base. They get plenty of water, and particularly this spring there was plenty of water. What else did I miss? I agree that they look burnt by the sun, odd though because they have been in the same spot for years.

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rainbowgardener
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It is mysterious. If we assumed no one sprayed herbicide where the wind could drift it onto your plant, then we have pretty well eliminated environmental causes and you should start checking in to disease possibilities.

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applestar
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The rest of the leaves look so healthy though!

To me they look like the leaf margins were abraded on the rocks. But I was puzzling over the inner leaves that are standing up more and don't really touch the ground. Could the leaves have been weighed down by rain and then could they have been whipped back and forth by gusty winds that came from all directions? Is it in a location where whirlwinds could form?

Dillbert
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I'll chime in on the "late visit by Jack Frost" theory - looks like the 'earliest' leaves got nipped but the more central part is doing fine.

WildcatNurseryman
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I was thinking it looks like a late frost got to them too. It looks like it hit them right as they were about to unfold and only the tips were open enough to get the major damage. I was thankful that it wasn't one of the virus strains when I opened the thread. I've seen a lot of that going around here in Ky.. I'd bet that yours will be great again next year.



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