Mosswitch-

Thank you for pursuing that. One more thing to look out for, but thanks to you we all will know that there is a remedy. Can you send that pic and info to Bob at the HL?

-Babka

Sandy,

That's a new one on me. Thanks for the follow up.

Steve

Chris (Hallson's) still thinks it looks like freeze damage, but the grower says it's bacterial stem rot. I assume they have tested it to be sure but I haven't seen the cover letter they sent out yet. There doesn't appear to be any secondary signs (no fungus fillaments, so soft tissue damage) so I'm waiting to see if the treatment stops it. Whatever, it looks nasty and I think I am going to dig up the ones I have planted and either isolate them until I know for sure or bag and trash them. In the meantime I would not buy any Opel hostas this spring.

Sandy

Thank you Sandy for taking the time to post this.

tj

Thanks very much for the information, Sandy.

Don B.

I read the letter Opel sent out, the plants were state lab tested and it did prove to be bacterial soft rot. They recommended AG streptomycin followed by a drench of Cease, which is an anitibacterial. It is very contageous and needs to be handled with gloves, affected leaves need to be bagged and destroyed. Not composted. Fungicides will not work as it is not a fungus.

My recommendation would be to bag and destroy the whole plant!

Sandy

Thanks, Sandy. I'll keep an eye open for the label.

When my Fried Green Tomatos came down with a virus this year, I felt totally devastated, to the point I really wanted to isolate the pictures of it too. It felt that revolting.

Let's see, I had Venus last year which was shipped back to the seller for testing....haven't heard about it yet. Then this spring, there was Fried Green Tomatos, and apparently Fried Bananas which was next to it. Not HVX though. Something like the tobacco virus. Fried Bananas is in isolation and looking extremely gross. This picture from yesterday.

My strategy is to watch who I buy things from first. Then I basically isolate hosta by seller. After that, am aware of what I touch and how I water and clean my tools-- and look at pictures of normal plants like mine. I consider that climate may be a stress factor and may accelerate disease if it is present.

Like now, I'm beginning to investigate anthraxnose which BKay talks about, because I figure if she has it I probably do too. Hopefully it will be an uneventful growing year.