Did you try digging the hosta and soaking it in bleach water over night/ 10 to 1 mix. Have you bleach the ground?? You can plant another in the same area after you remove the soil. I would move a good area of soil at least 6" deep. Bleach all tools clean that you used to remove the soil. Then replace with new soil. The spores live on top the ground so be careful to get all the soil in that plant area. Spores can not live under the soil.

tommyati-
No, I did not dig up the hosta or soak it over night. I would much rather do that! Can you be more specific on the 10 to 1 mix, 10 cups of water to 1 cup bleach?? Do I soak the entire plant in this solution? and......is this method usually a 'cure' most of the time?....and last question, when returning to the hole that I dug it up from, should I pour any solution in the hole???
Thank you for your patience. :-D

I was going back through some old posts and remembered Janice (hey j) did a detailed account of her trials and tribulations with Southern Blight last year. You can find it here . the last posting she did there was an interesting link she gave, which I will duplicate below.

I'm assuming the crown rot you are experiencing is indeed due to Southern Blight. You will find no mention in the article below about the use of bleach for control of either the fungus or the sclerotia, which by the sounds of it may survive in the soil for 3-4 years. The recommendation seems to be removal of the plant(s) affected and removal of the soil as the best solution for dealing with Southern Blight in an ornamental garden situation.

Here is a link that might be useful: Southern Blight Management

I've had the same problem. I dug up several hosta and soaked them in the 10x1 solution. They are doing fine in a new location. Two others I drenched and left in the same location. The dreaded disease keeps coming back. I am going to dig them up and remove the soil. Thank God it is not one of my larger beds.

Yep--I sure had a problem last year and I took some very good advice from a fellow-forum friend
and got some really scary sounding stuff and treated the areas this Spring and SO FAR, those areas
seem free of it! The season is not over, yet, and I was suppose to do a second treatment in 6 wks.
which I haven't done yet so we'll see how it comes out!!!

What I used was made by Bayer and I got it at a specialty store managed by John Deere.
It's called 'Prostar 70WP! The main active ingredient is FLUTOLANIL 70% and Phenyl--something!
I was really afraid to use this stuff, but with encouragement, I spent the $80 it took and waited till this
Spring to do it!! I wanted to buy a haz-mat suit to wear while mixing it up and pouring it but settled
for vinly gloves and a wide stance, and a mask!

I think I'm okay, so far--no third eye has appeared in the middle of my forehead and the green hair that sprung up
on the back of my hands and on my chest has finally all dropped out!! (grin)

For someone who is so opposed to using strong chemicals, it was a last resort attempt to deal with
this stuff because I knew it could over-take my whole garden if I didn't do SOMETHING--from what I read!

I did use boiling water in the area last year and on the large pots that some of the hosta were housed.
I experimented with one 3-gallon pot, pouring boiling water on it and on the potting medium, and
so far, this year it has not returned eventhough I have planted one eye of a hosta into the same pot which
housed the Southern Blight--severely!!

Scary! I mean when I resort to such chemicals--it must be bad!!!

Oh--I never contacted the 'friend' to thank him for his advice--hopefully he sees this and realizes
my gratitude--which is gaining momentum as the season progresses and I see no evidence of the S. Blight in those areas I treated!!!!

THANK YOU--SO MUCH--FOR THE GREAT ADVICE!!!!

You're welcome, hey j. I'm not so sure that the Prostar fungicide is any more hazardous than many of the other fungicides that are commonly used by gardeners. Otherwise, it wouldn't be packaged and marketed for homeowner use and would require a hazmat permit to purchase. The safety data sheet can be found on-line if anyone wants to read it. Anyways, it's great to hear that you've had good success. I suspect that you will eventually find a plant or two still affected by the blight, but it will probably be because your treatment this spring missed those areas. Keep a vigilant eye! I think you'll agree that all of the hostas you've saved is well worth the $80 you spent on the Prostar, and you've got enough left for several more treatments if necessary.

Yaaaay--Don! I didn't want to 'name you' if you preferred anonymity on the subject, but I'm glad you spoke up!!
I've found some sort of 'rot' on my HUGE Sagae, in a barrel way across the yard from the other spots 'The Blight'
appeared last year. I'm thinking to try the 'Bayer All-n-One' on it, as an experiment.

So far, it doesn't have ALL of the same characteristics as the 'Blight'--yet! So far, only the drooping petioles and
detaching and sadly, some webbing, white mycelium, going up them. So far, I'm trying to convince myself it's not the
dreaded BLIGHT, but I suspect it may be!!! Sigh!! The only thing missing, is the orange balls--scleroti!!!

I'm in denial aren't I!!

I have the 'orange balls' scleroti......I sprayed some fungicide pretty heavy.....I really dont want to dig it up until fall.....couldn't I do something temporary until then like bleach water drench or fungicide treatments????

I'm sorry 'gardenlady' but the sooner you act on it, the less spreading may occur.
It is bouncing all over my garden--and the only explanation I can come up with is
that the chippies and squirrels are running through my beds or even the shrews and taking
it on their feet all over!!

A hosta can be replaced--your whole garden affected will be a serious challenge to reign in!!! :o(

hey i-

I took your advice....I dug out the hosta this morning, removed some of the soil, put 'new' soil in the hole.....I have to say I have had this problem for several years....just treating the problem hoping it would go away. It never did spread......but it's gone now. Off to buy a new hosta....

If your going to dig out the hosta anyway, try pouring boiling water over the affected stems and surrounding soil.. I know... I know... doesn't sound nice. But I have done this with three hostas, over four years ago, and they are thriving now in my garden, with no further signs of crown rot.

I had a June that had the telltale signs, with the little orange balls, but only on one part of the the plant. I just used my tea kettle to direct the boiling water where I wanted it. The others were so severely affected I just poured a pan of boiling water over them.
The leaves disappeared for the year, but came back the next.

Good idea lynnem!! And good to see you posting again!! Hope you're doing well!!!
Loved your pics. on the 'Classic Oldies' thread!!

I have been watching the areas I put boiling water and they do look clean this year, so far!
Definitely worth a try--given your experience, lynnem!!