Why can't you just roundup the virused hosta?

wishiwere · Post by **wishiwere** » Jun 14, 2006 11:00 pm

And then plant after it's died back in a week or so? Would'nt that kill the virus too? Just wondering, since there are so many questions about when and should someone plant in the same spot. Personally, I'd probably dig out the entire clump plus another foot around and compost and refil with good soil regardless...........but...just curious?

Post by **Chris_W** » Jun 15, 2006 12:49 am

Hi Jane,

My concern about trying to use roundup to do the job is that hostas are really hard to kill! I use a pretty potent roundup mixture for weed control (it includes a commercial roundup concentration plus brush and poison ivy killer along with a 3rd herbicide) and last summer I accidentally sprayed a small row of hostas. It top killed them, but a few weeks later they started to come back... And I was spraying weeds once again and I accidentally hit these hostas a second time! They were right along the road and I was spraying at dusk and thought they were clumps of weeds

They died back again and did not return all summer. Well, they came back this spring

Granted, the plants are not the biggest, but they did survive being sprayed twice with a very concentrated roundup and brush killer mixture.

So like I said, the roundup idea sounds good but might be more difficult in reality

wishiwere · Post by **wishiwere** » Jun 15, 2006 5:04 am

Hmmmmm..sounds like my wild blackberries! Thanks for answering Chris. I never would have thought!

mtngal · Post by **mtngal** » Jun 15, 2006 9:00 am

I'm glad you asked about roundup. If this hosta had the virus I was going to try that as it is so close to my Blue Angels that I know the roots are touching.

John · Post by **John** » Jun 15, 2006 10:11 am

Interesting on the Roundup... I've read about how it can convert the plants it does not kill into tetraploids. Trying to remember which perennials this was, perhaps Ajuga. Some people use Preen and others to deliberately attempt conversion.

wishiwere · Post by **wishiwere** » Jun 15, 2006 8:21 pm

That is interesting. Any sites for more info on that?

nimblewill · Post by **nimblewill** » Jun 15, 2006 9:29 pm

Here is a short article on inducing polyploidy: http://members.tripod.com/~h_syriacus/t ... Techniques Click on topic 8.

You might want to Google to find more.

GibbsCorner · Post by **GibbsCorner** » Jun 16, 2006 10:50 am

So Chris, do those previously dead hostas look the same as they used to? Have they converted to tetraploids?

I saw that Mary Chastain's first introduction was a hosta she had "killed" with too super nitrate, and it came back as a new variety - Lakeside Sympnhony.

So, do you have "Hallson's Roundup" growing over there?

Matt

wishiwere · Post by **wishiwere** » Jun 16, 2006 12:58 pm

THank for the site!

H. Hallson's Roundup! Cute name!

pauhaus · Post by **pauhaus** » Jun 16, 2006 1:53 pm

I have a Stingray seedling that I grew that year and planted in one bed last year. It grew really well with shiny apple green leaves with some undulations on the leaf edge. When it emerged this year the leaves look completely different, more glaucous blue than shiny green with a much thicker substance. It doesn't seem to be growing that fast and has only put out three leaves and now it is getting ready to flower. Could my seedling have converted to a tetraploid or is it just maturing? How can you tell? I did use some disulfaton in the bed last year if that makes any difference. I know it is a little off topic, sorry...inquiring minds want to know