The nursery you ordered it did not do what was asked. I would call them and explain the situation. I would ask for a new one to be shipped when asked to do so. Oh at NO cost to you. It is like leaving a small child in the car!!!

I would contact the person you ordered it from to alert them of condition received in case it doesn't survive. Soak over night, pot it up tomorrow, put in shade and see how it does. If it struggles, then recontact and ask them to rectify.

Paul

I agree with Paul. You need to make sure you send them a message/call them within 24 hours of receipt. Leave it taped/banded at the top of the petioles while it soaks overnight in tepid water. Pot it up tomorrow, keep it in deep shade and make sure it gets plenty (not too much) until it stabilizes. After a few days, remove the banding on the petioles. It's likely it'll still go limp.

I let them know. Thanks. I hope it does well. It's a Venus, a variety I really want.

bkay

I hope your Venus is OK. I have Venus on my short list and know where I'll pick one up in the spring.

I had some hostas delivered by mail in July during our long heat spell. I potted them up and put them in the shade. The Regal Chameleon and Regalia recovered somewhat, but Tenyru stayed wilted all summer. I had to hold the leaves up with a trellis. I'm hoping they'll make it through the winter.

Gesila

I don;t know whether it is right or wrong but it seems to work for me. I try not to move a hosta in the heat of summer but sometimes have no choice. I tape up the petioles and then when the plant is in the ground I place a wire tomatoe cage upside down over it, using fabric pins to help secure the cage. Then I remove the tape so the petiole can fan out a little for air circulation while still being supported. If the cage is still in place in the fall I stuff it with mulch until spring, then remove it all except the emerging plant.

Les

Ken explained this to me years ago.

Once a hosta's petioles lose their rigidity, it will not come back that year. It has to do with the fibers in the plant material. Think of it like folding a piece of paper. Once you fold it, you can still lay it flat, but because the crease actually causes trauma to the fibers of the paper, the crease will always be there, even if you ironed it. The plant can remain green and still send energy to the roots, but not be rigid enough to stand. Any new growth that year should be fine too.

Next year, it should come back fine.

i would have ripped the bottom of the plastic bag... and set it in one inch of water.. in a pail.. and put it in the basement for a day or two ... coolest darkest place i have ...

if you can treat with nems.. to 120+ degrees.. i am not too concerned about the temps .... that and what was your hottest day this summer????

i would also have contacted the seller ... and told them i will give it my best effort.. but if it fails next spring.. i will call back ....

and then i would plant it ....

since they are going dormant in my z5 within weeks.. i would not really care about the leaves.. or how they looked ...

basically.. you ordered a crown and roots ... and should not have had much other expectation at this time of year ...

odds are.. it will be fine .... but ask the seller to allow you to call in spring .. should it fail .... [might want to followup with an email after the call.. for documentation ...]

did you order it from the great white north???? .. wait.. where you are... arent all sellers up north .. lol ..

what idiot posted pix of this one.. that made you mail order in late sept??? .. oh wait.. that was me... lol ..

i am suggesting that your biggest problem.. MIGHT BE your expectation in september .. after all.. most likely you could throw it on the driveway.. and it will live... [everywhere but tx probably.. lol]

do be sweet on the call .. honey goes further than anger.. eh???

ken

Earlier this summer, I'd placed an order for about 5 hosta. I knew I'd be leaving first week of August, so arrival had to be before that time.

The seller was very good about sending me emails about the delay in shipping due to heat in the area where they were, where we were, and along the route as well. It was delayed about 3 times, so I finally had to cancel the order. But next late-winter, I'm replacing the order for delivery ASAP.
I want to see green lush HOSTA in my garden. :)

It saved me a lot of money, and I appreciated that way of doing business. I agree that your seller should have a better weather eye than they did. Heaven knows, Texas was all over the news this year about its heat/wildfires/drought. What part of DRY/HOT was not understood!!!

The venus looks like it will be fine. It was, of course, really ugly. It came from the upper midwest.

Fall is the best planting time we have. It gives the plants time to get their roots established before we have a freeze. We don't have frozen ground, so we don't have heave or any of the problems you guys up north have with fall planting. So, when spring arrives, the plants are already established and ready to go.

On the positive side, Denny of AAHostas emailed me before shipping as he agreed. My plants arrived in great shape (for plants from Ill.), just one week later than the shipment of the Venus from the other grower.

At this point, we have at least 6 more weeks before our first killing frost. Fall is almost like a second growing season for us. These poor plants from Ill. are so confused, they don't know which end is up. They're back in 80 degree weather with longer days.

bkay

BKay says, "At this point, we have at least 6 more weeks before our first killing frost. Fall is almost like a second growing season for us. These poor plants from Ill. are so confused, they don't know which end is up. They're back in 80 degree weather with longer days. "

In our area (meaning zone 8B), I usually find winter to be the most favorable time for planting MOST plants, but not sure that includes hosta, since they essentially disappear from view. And things like tulips don't do well at all in our area. So fostering hosta to this garden will be a learning experience for sure.

I am observing my little herd of hosta sitting unawares in pots on the covered open patio, in zone 5B, still green and growing, undeterred by approaching frost (normally Oct 10 here) and I wonder if they will survive the move south. I hold my breath. Sleep, sleep, little green babies.

"It was, of course, really ugly. It came from the upper midwest."

Hey, I resemble that remark. ;-)

tj

I meant it was already going dormant. ;-)

bkay