Diamonds Are Forever going gang busters

[Diana]

I got this one last Spring, with 4 eyes. It gets beautiful white margins and a deep green center with a touch of gray in between. It looked good all summer and was one of the very last ones to sleep, maintaining the strong colors all season long. This year it has NINE new eyes. Its a wide margined sport of Diamond Tiara, and to me looks like a little Patriot w/o the cupping and a lot more vigorous for me. I am losing my patience with touchy hostas, and since space is at a premium I am extremely pleased with this one.
-Diana (Babka from GW)

Hosta Registry - http://www.hostaregistrar.org/detail.ph ... %20Forever
MyHostas - http://myhostas.be/db/hostas/Diamonds+are+Forever
Hosta Library - http://www.hostalibrary.org/d/diamondsareforever.html

[bkay2000]

This makes me want to go out and see how many pips are showing on DAF. Mine was new last year, too.

Well, I got the flash light and went to check. It's not up yet. It has 4 or so little pips showing, but they are so short, there may be more. The cold slowed down the hosta I left outside. Several of the ones I put in the garage already have leaves.

I agree with you about this hosta. I'm really pleased with it. I loved Diamond Tiara. I had that one for 10 or 15 years, before it got sick. This one is much nicer. It doesn't look "splayed" in August like it's mama did. It would be nice if it had white flowers. Since you cut them off, I guess it doesn't make much difference to you.

bk

[Diana]

Keep watching, Bkay. I looked one day and saw 7 shoots, then a couple days later (with 70 degrees here) discovered 9 shoots. (well, "pips", I guess).

When do eyes get to be pips or shoots When they elongate and turn green? Terminology request here????????

-Diana

[Hostajocee]

Jo here. I've been reading and enjoying the comments and photos on this site and decided to join in. I have not abandoned our hosta forum, but felt I needed more....you understand, don't you?

Babka, in answer to your question...here is some info from the AHS Hosta Dictionary.
EYE: undeveloped or dormant shoot
SHOOT: the stem and set of leaves of individual division.

[bkay2000]

Babka, mine has 9 pips, too. It's one that stayed outside during our two week cold spell, so no leaves yet.

I usually don't count eyes, but maybe it's time to start. I have some I bought in the fall of 2013, that did not do well due to lots of factors. I think they are even smaller this year. Had I counted pips last year, I would know.

bk

[Diana]

Thank you Jo. Got any info on pips? If an eye is dormant, and a shoot has leaves, I guess pips are in the between time before they unfurl? (like you see with Lily of the Valley plants). Then there is the division with many eyes, but it isn't necessarily a chunk divided off a mama hosta, but could be a tc that has been grown for a few years, or seedling that has several eyes coming out of the same crown and its own root system. OR is that just a hosta plant. Oh dear me.

Does anyone know why we started calling them pips? Aha! I went to the AHS dictionary and I see that THEY used the term "pips" in their definition of where the cataphylls are located. But, if you look under "P" there ain't no pips, only shoots under "S". http://www.americanhostasociety.org/Edu ... ionary.htm

So I don't really care anymore...pass the wine. I think we need an emoticon with wine glasses. Chris??

-Diana (Babka)

[Mountainy Man]

Hi guys, I have heard people call pips bullets, but I don't know if that is a european thing.I just call them eyes unless I'm talking with my new world buddies. Anyway just thought I'd add to the confusion lol

Denis

[almosthooked]

Could the term "pips " come from as shortening of something called a loving tern of a pipsqueak( as in small fry) ? I have used this same term because I had heard it used on the forum by some of the seasoned growers.

Got my first hosta hit today and came home with a large division of Lakeside Spellbinder with 21 shoots showing so far.. It is starting to open and now will have to babysit until our night temperatures warm some . A few are showing up in the garden and hopefully the frosts will be gone soon. Things are turning green in our area and warm afternoons to sit outdoors is more then welcome

[Diana]

Almosthooked- 21 shoots! Holy shoot! Or holy pips! (take your pick). Is that from a Canadian source? Pic pic PIC please!
-Diana (Babka)

[bkay2000]

Boy, that LS Spellbinder sounds like a nice plant. I'm jealous.

I feel blessed when I find something local with 10 pips.

bk

[almosthooked]

Dianna,I looked again tonight and had to pet it a bit before heading to bed and now you will be jealous .. 26 strouts was my count . They have about 30 or so pots at a local(70 miles away) and may have to make the trip Saturday and get some more.$9.99 it is like growing for at leas three years or more in my garden to get them this big. This time I will leave the dear other home! hah

[bkay2000]

Faye, we have a local nursery chain that brings in hosta in the spring. They are in "2 gallon" nursery pots. They usually have 6 to 10 eyes. It's nice to get that head start over the ones you get by mail. Last year, I bought a Minuteman on impulse, which was the last one I needed as I already had a Patriot and a Minuteman. But it had such wide margins! It was so nice and big and I knew it would take another two years for mine to get there. So, I bought it anyway. It's nice when you get a head start.

bk
My existing Patriot, Minuteman and the new Minuteman

[BChosta]

Almosthooked,
Great find!!!
I too have been tempted already this year, purchasing two Trifecta that were on sale. Each one has approx 8 or 9 sturdy eyes developing. I already bought one last year, but since this one has a reputation for being a slow grower, it made sense at the sale price to have a couple of spares!!! I also bought a Hudson Bay - 3 good sized eyes that have overwintered. This is another supposedly slow grower, but I was reeled in again!
I enclose a photo of Trifecta last year and today.
BC

[almosthooked]

Bkay and BChosta , Nice finds. I love the minute man, Patriot, etc too. I had to go back for a quick trip today and check out the other large pots and I managed to pick up several I didn't have and a couple that I so love . It is nice to have a large spare or two. I did get one that was also on the wanted list called First Mate but was a tiny pot with 4 shoots . The rest are just coming in for their new stock . Their main supplier was Q&Z and now are in search for more . Not sure if they will be getting many new in until then. My beds are starting to fill in anyway and with the ones I purchased today , I should have enough( for now anyway) to fill in the two new beds made in the fall. It was a great exciting day without my husband tagging along wondering why I really have to have this many! Let the games begin!

[BChosta]

Almosthooked,
Sounds as if you had another successful trip!
Mind me asking which nursery you are purchasing from?

Babka and Bkay,
Good growth! It looks like a worthy addition to the Tiara series.

BC

[almosthooked]

It is The greenery in Kelowna BC. They won the best nursery award this past season . Lots of beautiful plants, nice staff and very helpful with information if needed. Harder for Canadians to shop in the US and with our $$ so poor and snow in the Eastern Provinces we take what we can

[BChosta]

Almosthooked,
Thanks for the referral.
BC

[Zkathy]

Around here most of the offerings seem to be 2 or 3 one year plants shoved in one pot so it looks cute, like that darling dress on the rack that is a size 2. That's how SIL got her first hosta, Krossa Regal. We're both starting with little bitty ones as it fell apart when I planted it, so I potted one up for her.

Kathy

[bkay2000]

Kathy, I'll even take that. It gives me a nice full pot sooner. I bought some older fragrant varieties from Green Mountain a couple of years ago. I ordered two of everything as they were really inexpensive and I was hoping for an immediate impact. (Unfortunately, it didn't work out, as ordering in the fall seems not to be a good option here.) On my first mail order, I accidentally ordered three So Sweets. I had a great pot almost immediately. (Instant gratification may be why I'm so fond of So Sweet.)

If my memory is correct, this is those three So Sweets in a pot their second year.

bk

[redcrx]

Diamonds are Forever being planted last season next to Diamond Tiara. DT is left and DaF is right.
That's Pizzazz top/right and a large clump of Touchstone on the right with a bunch of others.

Diamond Tiara and Diamonds Are Forever - August 8, 2015

And here is the group earlier this week. That's Grand Tiara on the left with Diamond Tiara center and Diamonds are Forever on the right. I think that's Platinum Tiara at the top/right.

Diamond Tiara and Diamonds Are Forever - May 3, 2016