Northern central WI here... Some frost heave got a few hosta but they survived. This is not typical... Meaning I think something else must have happened.

Are the roots still there? Anything else in there survive or not? Was it possible they were hit with weed killer? Was anything added to these beds? I have heard a few people get toxic mulch that wiped out entire beds. Anything you can think of you did differently with these beds?

And my condolences :(

Nanny berry, I would like to add my condolences as well. That number of losses is staggering to say the least! What a blow.

I'm curious as to your answers to the good questions posed by Smorz.

Hungry voles?

Check for voles. You'll see knaw marks & the absence of roots

No tops? no bottoms? Dig around and tell us (show us) what you find...

-Babka

Thank you for all your comments. It's been raining non-stop here so I can't get out to dig up the roots. If there was weed killer involved I think there would be evidence of dead plants. There is nothing in the beds. Completely wiped out. I have to wait till the weather clears up so I can start digging. I'm thinking of calling the state's horticultural division. Perhaps they have some guidance. I am hesitant to plant anything in those beds until I find out what was the cause of the loss. Yes, I am devastated!

Nannyberry, so sorry to hear of this kind of loss. 15-20 year old hosta are to be treasured in anyone's garden and to lose over 100 is unthinkable! I hope you get to the bottom of this. Did no new eyes come up at all this spring? Is there any point in sharing pictures? You have my sympathies.

Barb

I am sorry to read about your huge loss!

We also had a lot of snow for longer time than usual.

1. I could think about rot due to standing water and repeated freezing and thawing as the snow cover melted. I lost several hostas that way. Is that area flat with the crowns at soil level? Water could pool there.

2. Perhaps you had a lot of hungry voles. I had voles eating dwarf conifer bark under a higher than usual snow cover here. Branches are still dying. That area is not where I have my hostas. Such eating of bark I have never seen in the 28 years I garden here. Voles love hostas.

What can I possibly say. My condolences, and I hope you aren't too devastated.

I read someplace that vole populations have been known to fluctuate from year to year with occaisional huge spikes to as high as 25000 voles per acre. Please keep us posted as you figure out the cause of your terrible loss.

Kathy

Nannyberry, it hurts to hear of such loss. I can't even imagine going through that kind of devastation.....I'm so sorry.

It's been a few days now. Have you been able to dig around and see what the situation is with the roots? I'd like to know if this unthinkable amount of damage was due to voles, too, as my garden is currently under attack as well.

I wanted to know that, too.

bk

Me, three.

start your own post.. and please include pix ...

not aware of any borer being involved with hosta ... ken

Thanks Ken. Just don't know if I should use some insecticide, or not. I hate to put poison in the ground if it won't help anyway.