Adjoining Hostas - One with HVX and One Healthy

Discuss Hosta Virus X and share pictures and information on this ever increasing threat to hosta growing.

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Nancy
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Joined: Aug 12, 2009 5:03 pm
USDA Zone: 5B

Adjoining Hostas - One with HVX and One Healthy

Post by Nancy »

First, I want to say how helpful this forum is. I have learned so much from it! Thanks to all who participate. It's really good to connect with other gardeners and share information in this way.

Recently at this forum, Chris very kindly looked at photos of my Wide Brim Hostas and determined they had HVX. I took his advice and removed them right away and disinfected all my garden tools. As you can imagine, I have been worried that I already spread HVX to the remaining hostas in my garden (I have about 15 others) since I trimmed, cut back and divided them last Spring and Fall without even knowing about HVX at that time.

Last weekend, I was given enough Agdia strips to test most of my remaining hostas. Unfortunately, 2 more tested positive for HVX (a Minuteman and a Patriot)!! To my surprise, they were among the healthiest and most vigorous looking hostas I have.

I now have 3 questions:

1) My HVX positive Minuteman is adjacent to a lovely June hosta that tested HVX negative. They are about 2 feet apart from stem to stem and I assume their roots must overlap somewhat due to their
proximity. The June is really gorgeous...it is my favourite hosta! Is it possible to dig up the Minuteman without infecting the June with HVX?

2) Most of my hostas tested negative with the Agdia strips, which is good news. However, if they were just recently cross-infected with HVX (say last Spring or last Fall when I cut back and divided some
plants) is it possible that they could have actually have HVX but test negative?

3) I have a Guacamole and a Leading Lady that both look a little unusual this year. The Leading Lady has some misshapen and twisted leaves and isn't nearly as vigorous as it was last year. Until now I just
assumed it was because I split it into 3 plants last Spring. The Guacamole is quite vigorous but the leaves are more turned under at the edges and are a lot lighter than in previous years. Both plants tested
negative for HVX. Is it possible that they have HVX but it just hasn't shown up in the Agdia test yet?

I would appreciate any advice as I am desperate to save my remaining hostas...I really do love them!

Thanks! Nancy
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Chris_W
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Re: Adjoining Hostas - One with HVX and One Healthy

Post by Chris_W »

Hi Nancy,

I'm impressed that you took the time and expense to test all of your plants. I wish everyone would take HVX that seriously, though I understand it is not all that affordable sometimes.

Unfortunately I'm not surprised at all about your results with Minuteman and Patriot. Those two (along with Revolution and Independence and Francee) can grow for years without showing any symptoms, yet they are common carriers of HVX these days.

I do think you could get Minuteman out without damaging June. Here I use a spading fork to dig up hostas, and if I need to get one out without touching other roots I go really close to the crown of the bad plant on the opposite side of the good plant, then pry out the crown. When you do this many of the roots will come with it, but you really don't need to get all of the Minuteman roots, just get out the crown and then let the roots die off on their own. That does mean you should not dig in that area for quite a while - I would give it several months. If you don't have a spading fork you could use a shovel, but then you increase the chances of cutting roots instead of prying them out.

As for the negative ones, if they were infected last fall or early in the spring it could be showing up now. Still, I would consider the rest suspect and be extra careful from now on. Keep an eye on them, of course, and be sure to disinfect your tools and hands and I wouldn't dig them up or dig too close to them. If you ever do any dividing or moving disinfect your tools and hands after each time you touch them. There are some great disinfecting wipes called Sanicart wipes that contain a disinfecting lysol solution PLUS alcohol and they clean and disinfect in 5 to 10 minutes. Here we use Lysol IC Quaternary Ammonia which disinfects shovels after a 10 minute soaking, plus I use foaming lysol spray and paper towels to constantly clean my hands and small tools. Prevention really is the best thing you can do at this point.

Good luck with the rest of your plants!

Chris
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