This may be unethical to ask here, but now I am really freaked out about getting any new hostas. I have hostas selected to order from New Hampshire Hostas. How do I know if their hostas would be safe? Who IS safe to order from since Hallson doesn't have some I wanted? What about Bridgewood Gardens?
It sounds like some people plant their hostas in the garden in pots. Is that for HVX protection? Do they ever go in to ground? I know I'm naive, but want to learn.
Thank you,
Judy
Embarrasing HVX question
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Chris_W
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Re: Embarrasing HVX question
Hi Judy,
I would simply ask any mail order nursery what steps they take to make sure their plants don't have Hosta Virus X. Do they import plants from Holland? How much testing do they do to make sure their stock doesn't carry HVX? If they are importing plants from Holland but don't personally do any testing of those plants I would avoid them. And even if they do test, do they quarantine the plants before selling any?
I learned the hard way about HVX, but became very proactive about it immediately afterwards. From 2005 to 2007 when we bought any plants from ANY source we quarantined them for at least a year, randomly tested 10% to 20% of the plants in each batch the first summer and second spring, and watched for symptoms of all viruses and also nematodes during that time. We also wore disposable gloves and washed our hands and work space between handling each batch. In 2005 we found HVX infected plants from both domestic and imported plants, including some very large domestic growers. In 2006 we only had a couple batches with HVX out of about 30 different plants from Holland, and no plants from domestic sources had it. In 2007, though, 15 of 18 batches of plants from Holland had HVX, so we refuse to order from Holland ever again. Those last 3 batches are still in quarantine even now, and we are going to test again and again to make sure they are okay.
Ask Bridgewood Gardens if they are still ordering from Holland. I believe that New Hampshire Hostas only grows tissue culture plants from US sources, but ask them too if any of their plants, even those that are tissue culture, come from Holland. Then if the answer is yes ask them how much testing they do to make sure the plants are virus free? If they tell you the growers tested them, but they don't test them, I would avoid that seller. The growers in Holland are only doing visual testing, and then only removing the obviously infected plants from their crop. They believe that if you can't see it, it isn't a problem...
Hope that helps. Basically, don't be afraid to ask questions.
Chris
I would simply ask any mail order nursery what steps they take to make sure their plants don't have Hosta Virus X. Do they import plants from Holland? How much testing do they do to make sure their stock doesn't carry HVX? If they are importing plants from Holland but don't personally do any testing of those plants I would avoid them. And even if they do test, do they quarantine the plants before selling any?
I learned the hard way about HVX, but became very proactive about it immediately afterwards. From 2005 to 2007 when we bought any plants from ANY source we quarantined them for at least a year, randomly tested 10% to 20% of the plants in each batch the first summer and second spring, and watched for symptoms of all viruses and also nematodes during that time. We also wore disposable gloves and washed our hands and work space between handling each batch. In 2005 we found HVX infected plants from both domestic and imported plants, including some very large domestic growers. In 2006 we only had a couple batches with HVX out of about 30 different plants from Holland, and no plants from domestic sources had it. In 2007, though, 15 of 18 batches of plants from Holland had HVX, so we refuse to order from Holland ever again. Those last 3 batches are still in quarantine even now, and we are going to test again and again to make sure they are okay.
Ask Bridgewood Gardens if they are still ordering from Holland. I believe that New Hampshire Hostas only grows tissue culture plants from US sources, but ask them too if any of their plants, even those that are tissue culture, come from Holland. Then if the answer is yes ask them how much testing they do to make sure the plants are virus free? If they tell you the growers tested them, but they don't test them, I would avoid that seller. The growers in Holland are only doing visual testing, and then only removing the obviously infected plants from their crop. They believe that if you can't see it, it isn't a problem...
Hope that helps. Basically, don't be afraid to ask questions.
Chris
