How old do they have to be to be considered "safe"

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

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Hey_J
Posts: 144
Joined: May 04, 2006 11:38 am
Location: Ohio zone 5

How old do they have to be to be considered "safe"

Post by Hey_J »

If I purchase a "so-called" gal sized hosta and there are,
say 12 eyes of something medium to large sized--how old
could you guess it would be and is there a better chance
if it looks good that it could be virus-free?

Can you determine the age of a hosta, by the size of the
eyes?
Janice
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thy
Posts: 9047
Joined: Sep 23, 2002 8:00 pm
USDA Zone: 7
Location: Denmark - 7B/8A Lat. 55,23

Post by thy »

Yes and no :wink:
It depend on the sort of hosta, some are fast growers, some are slower, some are very slow
Example:
H Guacamole grow fast, and can be 12 eyes in maybe 4 years, h. Elegans and the tokudama types are way slower. The little h. Lemon Lime can grow to 12 eyes when you turn your back :D

There are found HVX in a 7 years old Sum and Substance, but you are more sure with an older plant than with a new one. Is is the reason Chris keeps his hostas for a rather long period before they are sold, and then he do a lot of testing.

If you are afraid of HVX, do like a lot of other people do, bye from Chris :wink:

Last year we got a lab here in Europe too, 2 nurseries are co working and i only bye from them..want to enjoy my hostas, not to have my nose in them all the time loking for HVX :D

Pia
Against stupidity the gods themselves struggle in vain.
E-mail for pics hostapics@gmail.com
User avatar
Hey_J
Posts: 144
Joined: May 04, 2006 11:38 am
Location: Ohio zone 5

Post by Hey_J »

Thank you, Thy! I think I will take your advice and buy from Chris!
It may have to be "next year" though, since I think I have just about
met my limit and some this year!!

I keep saying that I think I have "enough"--and then, well--you know
how it goes! LOL I just succumbed to "Queen of the Seas"! Sigh!
I hope "she" doesn't turn up "virused"!!!!

Seven years to wait and find out!!! That's alarming!!!!
Janice
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newtohosta-no more
Posts: 15270
Joined: Oct 25, 2001 8:00 pm
Location: Ohio, Zone 5

Post by newtohosta-no more »

Well..rest assured, Janice, that if you buy from Chris then you know you will have a great hosta that is backed up by him. I know I have many that were bought at the boxed stores and local nurseries years ago before the HVX became well publicized, and I worry about them. It's not much fun having to wait years and years to see if symptoms start to show up. It's still troublesome how many of those places are still totally unaware (or ignoring) the epidemic :(
~JOAN~
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Tomorrow is promised to no one, so love and laugh today.
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