They just get smaller!

[spencer1400]

Some of my hostas came back smaller than last year. Niagra Falls is one of these. It gets smaller and smaller each year. Is there anything I can do short of moving it. Could it be a nutrition problem? Any and all suggestion appreciated.

spencer1400

[Chris_W]

The biggest reason for this to happen is the lose of moisture due to root competition. When fine, fibrous tree roots invade the hosta plantings they will just get smaller and smaller until there is nothing left. When I used to battle tree roots I had to lift, rework the soil, and replant every other year in order to get them any bigger. Eventually just moved all the hostas to a better garden.

Dig around the garden and see if that's the problem. You would know right away.

Really compact soil, lose of crowns due to rodent nibbling, and drought the previous year will also shrink a hosta.

Hopefully you an save them.

Chris

[wingnut]

I have the same problem and in fact have lost several this year. I totally redid my front yard 2 years ago with beautiful peat moss soil mixed with my soil and the garden looked great. This year I have TONS of weeds,the kind you have to shovel up, and hosta loss and shrinkage. I have to dig up the whole front yard and redo all of it again . The roots from either the oak or the elm have gone wild thru the new soil.

[weed30]

Your problem could also possibly be voles. I lost over a dozen hosta this year from the little buggers. Huge hosta, just totally GONE. The ones I saved are substantially smaller due to most of their roots being eaten. I dusted them with rooting hormone and planted them in pots with good potting soil. I've been digging the undamaged ones out to be safe, and potting them up until I figure out how to stop the carnage.

Here is a link to some photos of vole damage:

http://www.pbase.com/weed30/hosta_vole_damage

[wingnut]

I read somewhere that mothballs in their tunnels help?