Is this HVX?

[kaylyred]

My mom just got a truckload of huge, mature hostas from a friend from work. As she was proudly showing them off to me, I noticed this on the largest specimen (which my uneducated guess tells me is probably 'Sum and Substance'.) I told her I was fairly sure this hosta had HVX, but I wanted to verify it here before she dug it out and destroyed it.



I'm sorry the photo's not great. I took it with my phone because I didn't have a camera at the time.

She also asked me whether she could move another hosta into the same location from which she digs up this one (after sanitizing her tools, of course.) Since I'm not 100% certain of the answer, although my gut tells me it's a bad idea, I thought I'd ask that, too.

She did plant this hosta with the same spade she used to plant the others, and she didn't sanitize in between plantings.

[hippieindenial]

Sure looks like HVX to me.

[ViolaAnn]

To me too.

[newtohosta-no more]

Uh oh....I'd say yes...that looks like HVX.

[kaylyred]

Darn. I did tell her I was 99% sure, but I was holding out for that 1%. *sigh*

Unfortunately, she planted a bunch of hostas from the same person, and using the same shovel. I worry that some of her other plants may be (or may become) infected. And it was such a large collection of mature plants she got, too. Not a very nice surprise to find an infected one. (Although I doubt the person who gave them to her realized that one or more was infected.)

Now, can anyone tell me if it's okay for her to plant another hosta in the same location after she removes and destroys the infected one?

[ViolaAnn]

To be safe, she should wait a year. Even then, Chris has been saying maybe it should be longer. But if those plants were transplanted recently, it may be easier to ensure you've got all the roots. Some on this list plant the new plants within a barrier of newspapers as well.

It is possible that other plants have been infected and it's too late to do anything about it now except to be sure that all tools including hands are sterilized between their use on different plants and keep watch on the other plants.

Ann

[kaylyred]

I just called to break the news to her and she's in tears.

I'd be terribly sad, too. She literally got a truckload of hostas from this person (nearly filled the back of my dad's large pickup bed.) I got her into hostas this year and she's been working to fill her shady spots with them. She's heartbroken.

[R. Rock]

Hi Kaylared,

I sympathize w/ the situation. Sorry.

Honestly, now is the time to simply trash the works. Toss the shovels too.

Research has proven once the plant/ground is infected, left vacant for 18 months, another clean plant placed there; the result: infected plant. I used the 18 months because of the research, it could last longer than that. This hvx virus is way beyond any known viruses; such as illnesses, etc. All reserach, since the beginning of time shows most viruses cannot live w/o a host. So much so, it was considered law. This was mind blowing to all viralogist.
Hvx is bad news.

I could somehow handle losing a mature plant if I could put another in it's spot. It just isn't possible w/o creating the cycle again. The thought of contaminating the entire gardens is devastating and closer to reality then most want to think about.

[Chris_W]

Hi,

Personally I think that if this entire plant gets dug up and pitched and you get all of the roots and any dirt that touched the roots out of there then another hosta could go there in fresh soil. I just don't think it has been there that long so the roots should all come out. A garden fork would be more useful than a shovel as it wouldn't cut roots and leave them there.

I wouldn't worry about the shovel used to plant, but would be more worried about what was used to dig this truckload. There is a chance that other plants she got may have already been infected and others could have become infected when they were dug. Moving big plants like that without cutting roots would be just about impossible.

The shovels don't have to be thrown out. Just wash and scrub them really clean - I like to use lysol foaming spray as it is a really good cleaner plus kills virus, fungus, and bacteria.

My concern now would be with the rest of them. Are others infected as well

Sorry

Chris

[Ginger]

Bummer. Being the enternal optimist I am, I would wait and see. I know HVX is a bad bad thing, but shoot what are the odds all of them will be/are infected? I would trash the known ones, and leave the others to see what happens. Maybe pot them till she knows for sure.

Ginger

[ViolaAnn]

I'm also an optimist and would not trash ALL of the plants yet. But I would be VERY careful working around them to ensure that if one is infected that I don't spread it further. Chris' advice sounds sensible to me.

[R. Rock]

To clarify; toss them out means to get rid of them before roots develope and root into the ground which is the real problem w/ cantamination. Where do she start and stop? This is a way to not have to worry. Removing them now is a heck of a lot less work then moving and lifting rooted in 75# rootballs. After they have rooted, then the opportunity she has now to plant another hosta in that spot is gone for good. A few days of hard work, loss of some common plants, and little if any monies will have to determine the reality/risk. In reality, the plants could actually be replaced "clean" for maybe $100-$200 and probably w/ some much better variety's. What does a person really want to live with?

Sorry, I am no longer an optimist. The cold, hard truth of reality is always there tomorrow. Tip toeing around always come back to haunt. I have based my recomendation souly on the number of infected plants seen in everyones garden.

Yes, the shovel can be cleaned, scrubbed, and saved. It seems most of these situations involve an $8.00 shovel. So, I guess we go from there.

Good Luck! You're a great , kind person and I imagine Mom is too.

[eastwood2007]

Yeah....I'm afraid I must agree with Nut House.

If this one plant has the virus, and the owner is unfamiliar with the HVX virus, it is highly unlikely that precautions have ever been taken when transplanting, trimming, removing spent scapes, etc.

I wouldn't risk it, especially with the new findings that show it stays in the ground so long....huh, uh...not me...

I understand how sad it is to think you have lost the opportunity for all these mature plants. But most of the oldie-but-goodies are pretty good growers (that's why there are so many for folks to share), so just get some good quality plants from Hallson's and start fresh....JUST TOO RISKY!