Christmas Candy

Eeeny · Post by **Eeeny** » Jul 17, 2007 1:21 pm

I recently clicked on the virus section on hosta library to see if I could figure out what was wrong with my Sum and Substance

I went to my favorite garden centre on the weekend and it looked like a hosta virus clearing centre. To say I was horrified would be an understatement, but I guess you've all been there. Anyway, my question: Is Night Before Christmas problematic because there are lots of virused ones out there or does it not show the symptoms for a long time, and am I going to have to be really, really careful with my Christmas Candy because of that? Sorry if this has already been asked and answered.

eastwood2007 · Post by **eastwood2007** » Jul 19, 2007 5:02 pm

Somehow I missed this post...

Welcome to the forums! Lots of great info and fun here!

I'm not exactly sure what question you are asking. If you have recently purchased any hostas from a retailer that has HVX showing, it would be a good idea to watch them or keep them quarantined for awhile before introducing to your gardens. It is spread very easily in that environment, and can take several years or more (like in Sum and Substance 5-7) to show symptoms.

Hopefully Chris will answer your question....but you can read alot of info in the first few posts in this section. Good luck!

Eeeny · Post by **Eeeny** » Jul 19, 2007 9:00 pm

Thank you Charla. I wasn't very clear, was I?

Most of my hostas were purchased at that garden centre. This summer was the first time I saw virus symptoms,but that's probably only because I never knew what I was looking at until a couple weeks ago. I've decided all I can do is to throw away anything showing symptoms and practice good hygiene. What I was wondering was whether Night Before Christmas is one of those hostas that doesn't show symptoms easily, like Sum and Substance or Halcyon.

eastwood2007 · Post by **eastwood2007** » Jul 19, 2007 11:46 pm

Well, NBC is quicker than Sum & Substance, and I hear Halcyon can carry it and not show symptoms. Not sure how long on NBC. Hopefully someone else will chime in.

One thing on NBC...sometimes it gets green streaky/speckles down the white part that is not HVX. If you do think you find some symptoms, be sure to post a close up picture of it here, if you can, before you trash it. There are a number of varieties that get some unusual coloring and it takes someone like Chris at Hallson's to really have the experience to discern.

In the meantime...happy gardening!

Post by **Chris_W** » Jul 23, 2007 8:40 pm

Hi Eeny,

Sorry for the late reply.

Personally I've never seen what the virus looks like on NBC, but I would suspect that it would show up in the darker green portions, either as leaf distortion or light colored mottling right along the veins. Are there a lot of them out there? I'm not sure, but I don't hear reports or see pictures of infected ones, so I don't think so.

It is possible for any hosta to get HVX these days, so I would simply be careful with all hosta plants. Clean your tools and hands after handling hostas, especially if you are cutting into or breaking them. Also be careful when digging around them that you don't cut into a lot of roots - then clean your shovel good.

I hope that helps to answer your questions.

Take care,

Chris

Eeeny · Post by **Eeeny** » Jul 24, 2007 1:54 pm

Thanks Chris. I thought that I had read somewhere that NBC was bad, but I must have been mistaken. I am so freaked out by all of this, I wish that I had known about it sooner. Buying hostas was one of my favorite things. How can I buy them anymore when the "best" garden centre in town is supplied by van Bloem and Simple Pleasures and they knew nothing about the virus? I guess that I will enjoy the hostas that I have and keep watching them closely.

Eeeny · Post by **Eeeny** » Jul 24, 2007 2:11 pm

Charla, you're assuming I have the vaguest idea how to post pictures

eastwood2007 · Post by **eastwood2007** » Jul 24, 2007 11:46 pm

at Eeeny! It's easy...and as a warning...habit-forming!

here's a post that Renaldo did that helped alot of us use photobucket. Really, it's easy!

http://www.hallsongardens.com/forums/vi ... oto+bucket

Arlene · Post by **Arlene** » Jul 26, 2007 1:07 am

Eeeny: (whispering) You can indulge your hosta habit at Hallsons without worrying. We try to keep that a big secret here but everybody seems to know!

Eeeny · Post by **Eeeny** » Jul 27, 2007 12:01 pm

I would love to shop at Hallson's, Arlene, but I live in Alberta, Canada. Can you ship to Canada Chris? Thanks for the info Charla, I will check it out.

Pieter · Post by **Pieter** » Jul 27, 2007 4:41 pm

Hey Eeeny, welcome to Hallson's, from one Canuck to another.

You're right, shipping cross-border is a real hassle with phyto certificates and all, but, there are a number Canadian nurseries that specialize in mail order. You will find some of them as links on my website (link to it below).

When I see virused Hosta product here in Richmond from supposedly very respected names like Heritage Perennials and get no acknowledgement from them or from letters to the editors of Canadian gardening magazines that HVX is an issue not to be taken lightly, you know they're not aware of it at best, which makes you wonder what planet they've been on for the last 5 years, or they simply choose to ignore it, which is a real shame.

I don't know what the extent of your Hosta 'obsession' is at the moment, but I have found there are fellow Canucks that frequent this forum who are more than willing to TRADE Hostas and usually a couple times a year there is a so-called Secret Trade that happens among forum members which typically includes folks north of the 49th parallel as well.

For that process to work well it is best to put up your own list of haves and needs/wants in the Members Journals forum, which is where you will find mine. For example I just did a trade of 5 plants with a willing new Hosta buddy back East which worked out great for both parties: we each got 5 varieties we didn't have and would like to have, mailed them to each other via Express Post and within a week of the first contact the plants were exchanged and are now settling into their new homes! We had seen each others names on the forum and when I checked her list of Hostas she would like to have, I realized I might just be able to work out a trade with her. The rest is history and the pleasant memory of it will continue to be visible in years to come in each others garden.

On top of that I am a first time participant in the Secret Trade by fellow Canadian Hostaphiliac Nathalie (it just closed) and this weekend I'll be picking and packing for the person Nathalie's daughter picked out of the hat to be the lucky Canadian recipient. Next time a Secret Trade comes around you should seriously consider participating, it'll be like Christmas in July!

Eeeny · Post by **Eeeny** » Aug 03, 2007 1:19 pm

Hi Pieter. Trading hostas sounds like a wonderful idea. I do have a couple of the hostas on your wish list I noticed. Unfortunately, I am so worried about the virus right now I would not feel confident that I wouldn't be sending virused plants. Quite a few of my hostas have been purchased in the last four years or so and I am not at all happy with the garden centre I bought them from. You contacted Canadian Gardening magazine? I can't believe everyone sticking their heads in the sand about this.

Pieter · Post by **Pieter** » Aug 05, 2007 10:12 am

You contacted Canadian Gardening magazine

Hey Eeeney, that's not quite what I said. I know I'm somewhat pedantic in this, but I said

Canadian gardening magazines

note the subtle, yet important difference in capitalization.

I have sent you a PM with respect to the trades issue....