Random act of hostility

playinmud · Post by **playinmud** » Jun 02, 2008 1:52 pm

As a hosta addict I must confess my guilt of ruthless behavior against one of my hostas.

I've been so irritated by the ugliness of 'Color Glory' for the past three years, that when I walked past it this weekend I finally "snapped", yanked it out of the ground and tossed it into the trash (not even good enough to mulch).

The leaves would get a desiccated look and the ugly plant would detract everyone's attention from everything around it. Sigh, please don't think ill of me. I must say the whole bed looks a lot better without it and I now have room for something that's worthy of the garden space.

Has anyone else ever committed hostacide?

Sniff, sniff,

thehostagourmet · Post by **thehostagourmet** » Jun 02, 2008 4:06 pm

I do it all the time with my seedlings. I threw away 3 in quart pots just yesterday, stripping away any usable soil, and recycling their pots.

whis4ey · Post by **whis4ey** » Jun 02, 2008 4:26 pm

With so many beautiful alternatives, why put up with an eyesore

This is one I like.
Does anybody know what it is called?

jgh · Post by **jgh** » Jun 02, 2008 4:36 pm

with a named variety, I just can't seem to bring myself to what is clearly a sensible action. I move them to my deer-infested, uncouth "back forty."

But good for you - I think that's one that clearly earned its place in Losers Lane.

By the way, my MIL coined a new word a few years ago by accident, that we have defined as "a really really really big total loser" - a LOLAPALOSER!

digs57 · Post by **digs57** » Jun 02, 2008 4:50 pm

You bet! That's how my hostaphilia started, in fact: by attempting to turn a young Honeybells into compost! I failed, and the rest is hostary

I've also relegated the unchoice few to the back 40, and just yesterday said sayonara to my much-unloved Gold Edger - a dull plant with tendency to dessicate & melt, which has been occupying space rightfully needed by a number of other, much nicer little specimens.

I'm with you on gardening with aesthetic sensibility: it's "the slowest of the performing arts", after all!

playinmud · Post by **playinmud** » Jun 02, 2008 5:30 pm

Thank you folks for weighing in on this, I felt bad about it after I did the dastardly deed (and I hate wasting hard earned cash). I'm going to plant something else there, its a prime spot.

I wish I had a back 40, we've got almost an acre, but on that there's the house, an old barn, paved driveway, a pool and brick patios. Time for more ruthless action, like ditching the undulatas and "plain green ones".

addieotto · Post by **addieotto** » Jun 02, 2008 5:52 pm

I also don't have your strength and tend to stash my uglies in neglected and unwatered spots in my yard. I should toss them! I admire you!!

Strangely, they never die while the ones the ones I like I sometimes have to fight to keep alive.

Every year I look at Invincible and wince. People have told me it's the most amazing hosta - in their yard. In my yard - gawd awful, ugly plant.

When will I learn to yank and toss!!??!!

jgh · Post by **jgh** » Jun 02, 2008 7:05 pm

What... you have trouble with Invincible... never gave me a moments worry

On the other hand, Excitation??? one tiny eye for four years, this year just a dried up hint... and Fire and Ice... after 6 or 7 years in the same spot - two tiny eyes. Thems that lives, grows... and thems that don't, don't. Life is too short! When in doubt, toss it out!

(If I keep talking tough like this, I might even practice what I preach once in a while

)

renaldo75 · Post by **renaldo75** » Jun 02, 2008 7:16 pm

Donna - I'm glad it was you that did the trashing. I had visions of you having a run-in with a neighbor or something before I opened your post.

I can't say that I've ever done what you did with any of my hostas. I've had some wander off seemingly of their own accord.

Usually I'll try to find a spot where it will do it better. Although it's not easy finding that spot for some of them. I moved my Color Glory to the back of one garden after it was scorched on one hot spring day in its 1st location. It has looked pretty good & gotten big a couple of years. It gets almost no sun at all except in early spring before the trees leaf out.

Kent · Post by **Kent** » Jun 02, 2008 8:44 pm

Yes I have done this with a few hostas that just won't grow for me. Twice now I have tossed Paul's Glory in the trash and the third one just up and died (I think it knew I was goiing to kill it so it took things into it's own hands

)

Kent

newB · Post by **newB** » Jun 02, 2008 10:38 pm

WOW!

As a newB I can't even imagine Hostacide

I really like my "Color Glory" It looks great and is growing beautifully, I hope it will continue to do well and grow nicely for me!

I am sorry that yours was a dud, I can understand... I just don't know if I could do it!

I am sure you will forget all about it when you get a new healthy Hosta in that spot, then you will be glad it is gone, however it left!

myskyblue2 · Post by **myskyblue2** » Jun 02, 2008 10:49 pm

Kent

I have a Zounds that is headed that way! And Super Nova better straiten up or its

S N is the biggest pain! SLOW growing, don't like wind, sunburn's, premaddona!

fenceberry · Post by **fenceberry** » Jun 02, 2008 11:39 pm

I ripped up Robert's Rapier Sunday. It had gone to almost all green and I thought about seperating it out but not for long. It didn't hold that white streak down the middle very long at all, so bye bye. Now I can stick another more deserving hosta in that spot.

got the hosta bug · Post by **got the hosta bug** » Jun 02, 2008 11:41 pm

I can't say I've ever tossed one of my hostas out but I can give you one piece of advice.....ditch the barn and make room for more hostas !!!!

baja220 · Post by **baja220** » Jun 03, 2008 5:03 am

Oh no Donna, send it to me!!! Mine died this year along with about 20 others. The deaths keep rising at my house.

My Color Glory was new last spring and looked good all year.

I do admire you for being able to, I wouldn't, I'd find a place somewhere for it.

Kent · Post by **Kent** » Jun 03, 2008 6:14 am

Fenceberry....I'm with you on Robert's Rapier. This year I'm down to one leaf with a partial white streak...It's time for another hostacide.

Kent

largosmom · Post by **largosmom** » Jun 03, 2008 8:11 am

I've killed a few seedlings. I'm about to do it to one hosta though. "Scooter" was slug bait last year and this year, it has some sort of rust. Not so pretty and not worth the risk, I'll probably toss it this week.

Laura

playinmud · Post by **playinmud** » Jun 03, 2008 12:30 pm

I hesitated before I posted this thread, but then thought who knows, maybe someone else has gone through the same thing. LOL, I had no idea I was not alone.

Well, now that I've got a "spot" available for a hosta I need to pop something there. I've got a few in need of a home that I forgot to plant last fall. I'll take a pic when I've revamped that spot.

Thanks for listing your "lolapalosers" (great word Jim!) in this thread, I'll add them to my do not purchase list: Scooter, Robert's Rapier, Super Nove, Paul's Glory, Invincible, Excitation, Fire & Ice (it was a no show this Spring, I won't try it again) and Gold Edger. With so many hostas available, I don't want to waste my time, garden space and money on any more weaklings.

greenguy · Post by **greenguy** » Jun 03, 2008 2:53 pm

I try and give my losers away

I tell the people what a loser plant it is but people still want them

my sister took a car load of hostas a few weeks ago most were losers imo with some divisions of nicer plants
the only thing that bugs me is she will grow them and then look nice and i have to look at them when i visit her

myskyblue2 · Post by **myskyblue2** » Jun 04, 2008 6:25 am

I have a sister like that too GreenGuy

I hate it when she says "There's nothing wrong with that plant!"

Donna, I'm glad you asked, know we all know

Hallson Gardens

Random act of hostility

Random act of hostility

Hostacide

reply to playinmud !