Please tell me if these 4 hosta have HVX

[rufie98]

The first year I became a hostaholic, I wasn't aware of HVX or the other viruses. I purchased from the "big box stores." Now that I know better, I do better. So have I now introduced HVX in my garden? I am anxious to hear the "verdict."

I have labelled the pictures so that there is no confusion. There are two pictures of Sagae, Wide Brim and Sum & Substance (same hosta).

[ViolaAnn]

I'm not an expert, but I think they may be nutrient deficient. You might try adding some Epsom salts - a Tbsp or so to a gallon of water and see if they look gradually better. The one I had the most doubt about was the 'Wide Brim'. It looked as though there might be some textural changes to some of the leaves. Let's see what Chris says.

[Chris_W]

It mostly just looks like fast new growth that hasn't colored up yet, and shouldn't be anything to worry about. Epsom Salts might help to green them up quicker, like Ann mentions, but they could just color up on their own in time.

The exception is the Sum and Substance which is a bit odd in showing so much green along the veins. Do you have a whole plant picture so I can see more? It still might just be fast new growth, but if you have a whole clump shot it would be helpful.

[viktoria]

A high-N, soluble fertilizer should improve the color, too, and possibly faster.

Viktoria

[rufie98]

Thank you all. Some epsom salts and high nitrogen fertilizer sure couldn't hurt. I will give them a try. It being the end of July, I would have thought the hostas would have greened up by now and that is why I began to take a closer look at them.

I will take a picture of the whole S&S hosta and other closeups of it if I think they can be of help in determining HVX. I think it best for me to wait until the evening as it is a sunny day today.

[rufie98]

I have some more photos for you to look at. I found photos I took of S&S on June 7, 2013 and then I took photos on July 24, 2013. I didn't mention that I actually have 2 S&S and both were bought at the same time from the same garden center. I only posted one S&S because I figured whatever the "verdict" was, I was going to handle the other one the same way. But now that it is more difficult to tell from my photos whether the one S&S was virused, perhaps showing you both hostas may help to decide the outcome of these hostas. Both hostas are planted beside each other. I was planning to move these hosta this fall or next spring as they would grow too large for the space they are in, but perhaps I will need to toss them in the garbage instead.

[Chris_W]

Thanks for showing the whole picture. Like I suspected, the darker green along the veins was not normal, even if it was just fast new growth like you are seeing with the others. When the normal color is along the veins with a lighter color between it isn't anything to worry about usually. But when it is reversed, with a darker than normal color on the veins and normal in the middle it is often from virus. And in this case it appears that both S & S #1 and #2 are virus infected. And if you bought the other plants from them too then be wary of those as well as they just might not be showing yet.

Sorry

Chris

[rufie98]

Well I am disappointed in hearing that my S&S are virused. But I am grateful for your help in identifying the virus so that I can proceed to do what I need to do to rid them of my garden. I am so glad that I found out now as I came to realize that these very large hosta needed a lot more room than I had given them. I was deciding on where their new home would be. I would have probably contaminated more of my garden. So I thank you!

I purchased five plants from the same garden center---2 Sum & Substance, 2 Wide Brim and one blue NOID. Pictured above is one of the Wide Brim that I thought was finally coming along and looking good. So I planted it. Now I am thinking that it may be best for me to pot it up again as it is still small and I can remove a larger root ball and get all of the roots. And that would be a good thing.

My second Wide Brim (from the same garden center) is still in a pot. And I guess it will stay there. It looks a bit "lumpy and bumpy" and I wondered whether that could be "normal." Could this possibly be virused already? Here is a photo:



I understand that I need to watch these hosta carefully in case HVX rears its ugly head. I am going to seriously consider dumping all five hostas previously purchased.

So thank you Chris, and thank you all for your replies.

[CharlesB]

The first year I became a hostaholic, I wasn't aware of how amazing the Best Fat Burners are which is funny. I purchased from the "big box stores." Now that I know better, I do better. So have I now introduced HVX in my garden? I am anxious to hear the "verdict."

I have labelled the pictures so that there is no confusion. There are two pictures of Sagae, Wide Brim and Sum & Substance (same hosta).

Rufie mine also look lumpy like that. It's a shame because these are such beautiful plants and I feel like mine are sick. Any advice on how to heal them would be appreciated..

[Chris_W]

Charles, can you share a picture of your plants? Without seeing a picture I won't be able to tell, but unfortunately there is no cure and no way to heal a plant from a virus. Since the risk of spreading is too great the only thing to do is remove the infected plant and put it in the trash in trash bag.