Strange, leathery spring growth

HostaDesigner · Post by **HostaDesigner** » May 25, 2006 8:19 pm

Has anyone ever had a hosta emerge in the spring and look completely different from the previous year? The differences are:
1. Narrower leaves
2. Thick, rough, leathery texture
3. Veins very thick and pronounced on the underside of the leaves
4. Loss of vigor, maybe only 3-4 leaves emerge

Anyone?

I have seen this in every garden I've ever been to. Noone has an explanation. Half the time, I'm the one who points it out to them. I'm sure it isn't a virus since it is so random and comes and goes intermittenly.

Sometimes, the plant recovers the following year. Sometimes it takes years to recover, if ever. Here is my 'June' this year. Some of the leaves are normal sized, but some have this wierd growth. I've heard theories of frost, cutting the roots when moving it, or tree roots. I have NO idea.

Mary Ann · Post by **Mary Ann** » May 25, 2006 8:56 pm

Logically, it sounds like some kind damage to the crown before the leaf forms, and the leaf is trying to re-invent itself while it heals.

Post by **Chris_W** » May 25, 2006 11:58 pm

That was my thought too. I've noticed that exposed eyes during a bad winter often come out a bit twisted and crinkled, heck sometimes very distorted. This past winter we had no snow cover so that could have contributed to some of this kind of damage.

Eyes that were stepped on while dormant are pretty ugly now (yup, we have some of those among the rows

)

Looking at June in the picture it looks like there are many small eyes that are very tight together. This would lead me to think that it might be planted a bit shallow. A crown that is right near the surface tends to have many but smaller eyes. Plant the same crown 2" under the soil and the eyes are often fewer but larger. Just guessing here though...

MikeWI · Post by **MikeWI** » May 26, 2006 1:21 pm

another issue could be fertilizer induced. not sure how it works or happens but it seems like too much and timing could have impact.

Kas · Post by **Kas** » May 26, 2006 4:22 pm

I have had that problem a lot. Sometimes it only affects half a leaf. My theory is it is a water diffencency from the year before. The ones I potted up have mostly recovered. One of the exceptions is Green Piecrust. It has been all leathery and weird for the past three years. Andi saw it and didn't believe me at first that it was GP. And yes, it might also be from too much fertilizer. All of the ones that did this three years ago were from the same nursery. They were all healthy, lush plants. I think they were just weak. However, not all the plants from that place did this.

So I guess I don't know what is causing it. Lack of water from the year before or over fertilizing the year before. It isn't a virus because I sent some of these leaves to Dr. Lockhart. All neg for any virus, he said.

Kas

HostaDesigner · Post by **HostaDesigner** » May 26, 2006 5:31 pm

Well, you can rule out fertilizer too. I don't fertilize at all. Mine are hit regularly by the yard sprinklers, so lack of water is ruled out for me. Now, too much water, (?) maybe? ...especially combined with a late frost from melting snow? With my heavy soil, I suppose it's possible.

This one has me stumped. I was so looking forward to a huge, lush 'June' this year, but nature got the best of it somehow.

HostaDesigner · Post by **HostaDesigner** » Apr 16, 2007 4:07 pm

Well, nearly a year later and this funky spring growth is on my mind again. We've had a VERY strange spring with lots of freezing and thawing after some eyes have begun to push thru the surface. My fingers are crossed for minimal damage.

For anyone who never saw this thread the first time, have you seen anything like this? I still don't have a definitive answer from anyone I know.

barbara · Post by **barbara** » Apr 16, 2007 4:32 pm

I think the crown was damaged somehow between then and now, not really sure when then and now are. Like Chris mentioned, ones that are planted deeper rarely show this type of growth, but those under the surface do. It could be from cold, or a stomping of sorts. Nothing scientific, just a personal observation.

thy · Post by **thy** » Apr 16, 2007 5:43 pm

Do not know, but love to see yu have found a nearly one year old post and refere to it

Don't know for sure if it was the same thing but 4 years ago I got a lovely healthy Guardian Angel from Chris, planted it and it looked good all summer. Late fall I got one more from an EU nursery, way smaller - needed a back up

and the next spring the one from EU was bigger than the one from Chris... I was crying and at last I asked here on the forum. I was advised to dig it up to look at the crown and roots and to my big surprise it had started a crown under the original crown.. I had planted it to swallow.. Next year it did very good...

Do not remember the veins but it only had few leaves and was in disorder and the leaves was leathery

Do not know ......

Pia

Linda P · Post by **Linda P** » Apr 17, 2007 5:51 am

I've had that happen to several plants. Sum and Substance, montana Aureomarginata and nigrescens in particular. Big healthy plants one year, and just a few twisted leathery leaves the next. When I dug them up, the entire crown was woody. I'm pretty sure that it was cold damage to the ones I mentioned above. I've now lost the nigrescens and there was just one good eye left on MA last year.
Linda P

eastwood2007 · Post by **eastwood2007** » Apr 17, 2007 12:13 pm

After reading various things on the forum, and after getting my box from Chris with planting instructions, I think I may have a number of hosta planted too shallowly. If I mulch over them will that work, or do I need to bring in soil? I think in some beds it is not just an isolated plant, but maybe the whole bed could benefit from being deeper....help?

Ginger · Post by **Ginger** » Apr 17, 2007 12:35 pm

If the eyes are not up yet on those that are planted, throw some more dirt over them. For the whole bed, I have no idea, I suppose you could do the same, but you sure don't want to make it too deep. I usually top dress mine each winter with about an extra inch of soil beacuse my soil is so sandy.

Ginger

sugar · Post by **sugar** » Apr 17, 2007 3:53 pm

My Fried Bananas and Guacamole are behaving very strange this year. Some eyes did not want to unfurl (leaf stucked inside ), and the leaves got damaged in the process of unfurling. Leafs are strongly corrugated , with a lot of cracks and feels very 'stiff'

barbara · Post by **barbara** » Apr 17, 2007 4:03 pm

Sugar, that sounds like they got a little too cold, to me. Usually, its the first outer leaves, but the ones inside should be fine. Good luck.

sugar · Post by **sugar** » Apr 17, 2007 4:21 pm

barbara wrote:Sugar, that sounds like they got a little too cold, to me. Usually, its the first outer leaves, but the ones inside should be fine. Good luck.

I was suspecting that. My 'Blue Flame' has about the same problem btw, and the first leafs of 'plantaginea' and 'Royal Standard' are not that great either.

The other fragrants are OK ('Secret Love', 'Flower Power', 'Sugar baby ', 'Lederhosen' and 'Diana Remembered'), but those are all in pots and have been better protected during the cold april nights