Looking forward to spring, but worried about damage

[HostaDesigner]

For years, I've noticed and asked about some hostas emerging with a complete lack of vigor, thick leathery leaves, and drastically reduced size and appearance. I've been told by a few that it's because of freezing and thawing of the ground with ice crystals injuring the crown of the plant. Well, it's been nothing BUT freezing and thawing this year. In fact, our ground never really froze! I'm worried my hostas are going to suffer from it.

Pics from 2005 of June. These leaves are suffering:



As of 2011, the plant has still never fully recovered. I have distorted leaves on part of the plant still. Hope 2012 is better.

FINGERS CROSSED?

[Angel3K]

you have a very lovely hosta. I hope they will recover this season. Here in Zone 5, we have thaw and frozen again.

I won't expect a lot from my small and young hosta garden, but if it does ....I hide them and plant coleus over it for colors.

Angie

[thy]

All I normally have are freezing and thawing- not the last years, but "normally". Do not think it is the reason.
The leaf looks fine to me, a bit of a wavy edge but some of them do it some times- sort of trying to sport. But I can not feel the leaf. Is it possible it is sporting to triploid ?

[Schattenfreude]

I don't think that the constant freezing and thawing affects the crown, rather the roots. The ground cracks, leaving large crevices around the root ball and pulling the soil away from the root tips. With the smaller, more tender roots exposed to the drier, cold air, they die back. At least that's how I was told. That's why we're supposed to mulch our beds each winter, to keep the ground frozen on those wamer days (not to keep the roots "warm", as many believe). Of course, this winter I doubt that the ground froze at all around here....

I tend to see the cracks develop more in August after a lengthy hot spell. So I water well, then step around the plant to work soil back down around the roots. If I have any compost, I'll fill the cracks with that first before tamping down with my feet.

Have you seen large cracks in the soil around your plants in the past?

Kevin

[Angel3K]

Kevin. no cracks around my area. it was hot summer though.

I am still worried about some of my pots, tilt to its side. I wonder how they handle his freeze and thaw as well.

i was told they has less chance than the ones on the ground. Anyone has experience on freeze and thaw in pots?
angie

[Schattenfreude]

Angie,

Maybe the crowns of your plants are buried too deeply...

[Chris_W]

Like Kevin mentions, mulching does help to even out the soil temp. And Angie, the freeze/thaw is a lot worse in pots if they are holding a lot of water. That's why we tip them on their sides, so that they stay more dry. With less moisture there is less ice to form and less damage when they go through those cycles.

I've been checking out in out growing areas pretty regularly, or at least when I'm able to walk the hill without doing the downhill mud slalom, and unfortunately I'm going to see a lot of damage to the 2013 crop. Way too many of the younger tissue culture plants have heaved out this winter, and that will cause the crowns to struggle and the dormant buds won't develop since they are exposed, or worse they will just dry out to nothing. I've been tucking them back in so I won't lose too many, but it will set them back a year.

It's crazy, but right now we have about 3" of snow yet the ground below isn't frozen, but I'm happy for the snow cover. Spring won't be too far off now, and then we'll just have to see and learn from here.

Do you have a lot of young seedlings out in the ground Mike?

[HostaDesigner]

... walk the hill without doing the downhill mud slalom...

Ha! I can picture this...funny.

Do you have a lot of young seedlings out in the ground Mike?

Fortunately, no. All mine were planted spring of last year, so they should be well established. The only plants that were moved later in the year were larger clumps, so they'll be ok (knock on wood).

[thy]

Way too many of the younger tissue culture plants have heaved out this winter,

Yes it is a problem, specially if they are planted late summer/ fall. Try to press it ia bit with your hands, may work- okay normally do not work.But just dump compost, chicken grit , soil or what ever you have on top of it. Trust me, it is our north western Europe normal winthers you have had.
It was the main reason for me to loose hostas- I plant too tiny plants too late in the season. now I have learned the lesson
Angie: Do not worry. Sorry Chris, but this winther have been unknown for most of you, but normal for a lot of "us". In a warm winther hostas do fine in pots. I have never tipped mine- some have been tipped by the wind, but it have never helped them.
I have never lost a hosta in a pot due to frost thaw, they have survived in pots as small as 2 inch.
First year I lost small potted hostas was last year, when our winther was like a Michigan winther, they dried out from the dry, frozen heavy winds.
Pia

[HostaDesigner]

More worried than ever now! A week+ of mid to upper 70s in March? We still have 2 months of frost risk. Warm weather is kind of bittersweet this early in the year.

[thy]

That's mid summer temps here- in a good summer
Normally it can be up to 10 in the daytime here without any problems as long as the night temps are less than 4 C, but with so warm days,I doubt the soil temp will go down that much even the nights are cold.