what do you think?

[Green Thumb Guy]

I received these hostas this year, albomarginata. I don't recall seeing the splotches but now I did notice them. We have had an unusual spring with cool temps and so much rain- in case this makes a difference.

[Chris_W]

I assume you have a nursery or work in a nursery and these are Dutch imports or possibly west coast grown hostas that you are getting bare root? Although it is hard to see the pictures (any chance you can post larger pictures or email them to me at hallsons@perennialnursery.com ?) from what I can see it does look like virus.

If you are still buying Dutch plants then you should be expecting a good number of plants to be infected no matter what the sales people tell you. Invest in some of the HVX test kits from Agdia - it will be worth it in the long run.

[Green Thumb Guy]

I'm just an obsessed gardener. One day, I would like to have a nursery. I do have access to wholesale stock; and these were bareroot. I hold an annual plant sale and try to conduct it like a business. I hate the lack of ethic in the gardening business. I'm also in to cannas and brugmansia.

I have checked out your forums here on several occasions and like it a lot. That's why I'm here now.

I don't recall seeing these marks earlier in the season. The root stock was really nice looking and it appears that someone did some cutting of the roots to try and stretch the numbers. they probably made things worse.

|I wish there were local growers to buy from - instead.

I'll send you the pics

thx

Jeff

[Chris_W]

Thanks, I got your pictures. These plants are badly virus infected. I see signs of HVX for certain, but some of the spotted markings appear to be some other kind of virus. I would stay far away from these and any other hosta plants you got from this company and demand your money back. They might insist on a virus test, tell them to pay you for that too if that's what they need to get your money back. And find a new supplier for your sale - this one is terrible.

[Green Thumb Guy]

Chris, I just wanted to say thanks for your input. I received replies from my supplier and their grower; he noted some botrytis spots on some leaves ( these may have been on other pics I sent them). I looked it up and agreed that some spots were botrytis but that didn't answer my initial concern of the blotches. The grower suspected that dew and a wet spring were contributing to the conditions - I was told that albomarginata was particularly susceptible. I disagreed with them and sent a bunch of pictures to them of my large albos growing in the same conditions - which did not show any signs of what their plants did. I was also told that this is the first time in 3 years that they received any complaints of HVX in albos.

Apparently, the grower is well aware of hosta viruses - but this doesn't mean that they are virus free. I told them that I felt that the plants were virus compromised and it made them susceptible to simple fungal infections etc. I them asked them how i could be expected to sell plants to people when I have absolutely no confidence in the health of the plants. I also mentioned that I sent pictures to you and that you felt that they showed severely infected plants that should be thrown out.

I received a reply indicating that I would be fully compensated by my supplier

I threw the plants in to garbage bags and into our municipal garbage.

Bitter sweet.

the plants appeared to be growing really well - as I pulled them from their pots - and would have been amazing the next year

[viktoria]

At least you will get a refund, Jeff. Be thankful for small favors.

Annoying, though, as you have time and effort into them and will not be compensated for that. Unless you consider the lesson learned compensation enough.

Viktoria

[Chris_W]

Here are the improved pictures for the forum. In the future if you use a dpi of just 72 you will be able to post larger pics without taking up file space. 72 is just fine for web viewing - any higher is only needed for print.

I'm amazed at the response by this supplier. They dismiss this as botrytis, or dew? I've never heard or seen Undulata Albomarginata as being susceptible to problems but there are clear virus symptoms. One definitely looks like HVX but there are also some ringspots as well that is probably a 2nd virus in there. It is too bad you couldn't have had them tested to find out how bad they really were. I wouldn't sell a single hosta that you got from them and demand all of my money back. What a disgrace.