Voles?

Dig one up and take a look. Something is going on underground.

-Babka

So sorry old_dirt. I agree with Babka. You've got to dig one up.

Agree...dig one up to see the condition of the roots. Do the petioles pull off easily or are they still attached firmly? I'd set up some mouse traps beneath inverted pots (with rock on top and small entry hole cut out). to see what you catch. I'm so sorry that this is happening in your beautiful garden.

So frustrating!!!! Especially at the time of year when you’re most hopeful and excited!

you had a cold event. ... you remember you had a cold event ... and now you wonder if you had a cold event???? ..... ummmm..... i suspect a cold event ...

not bad enough to turn them to mush ... very minimal .... since it took time to really show ....

note that in a couple of the pix... its all the biggest.. oldest leaves ... but the newer center growth look fine ... ergo... whatever happened.. happened a while back ...

the effected leaves... are still green.. and still doing their job ... leave them ..

if you want to dig one up.. wouldnt hurt.. but if you dont find anything .... i wouldnt dig up the rest .... though i would probably give them anither week or so.. before i did.... but i am lazy ....

just be patient ... if it was a minor cold event... you shouldnt lose any of these ...

ken

I'm curious..how cold was it?..I've had cold temps after my hosta were up..I didn't cover (too many) but never had damage this obvious..just a thought..is it possible they were too wet?..

nichols must live a blessed life... probably due to zone .... i have seen a lot worse ... all plants reduced to a pile of gelatinous goo .... what was weird.. was it was in various spots over the acres .... though usually low spots i didnt even really realize i had .... and they were ugly for a month .. before they started popping up in the center of the mound .... the parts that were protected by the leaves that turned to mush ... micro climates ....

i have no recollection how cold it got ... but it was below 32.. freezing ....

ken

ken I think you're right..so far I'm blessed here!..are my hostas protected because I have so many trees and shrubs?..they have good native soil from years of leaf litter and I use my homemade compost..I've had success with almost everything..I lost several Little Treasures - very shady location? and 1 Kabitan - from a yard sale..I wondered about the lack of roots?..and I removed a Gold Standard with HVX (tested positive)..I agree..I'm in a bit warmer climate than you too..

up in my cold MI ... the problem is.. that the trees .. especially oak.. havent budded out yet.. so if a frost or freeze comes thru.. there is no canopy to protect them ...

and also.. the cold pools down into low spots ... as mentioned ....

in SE MI ... except for dense suburbia ... we can get frost or freeze.... thru about 5/25 ... which was my parents anniversary ... and the weekend we usually planted our tender annuals.. and seeded the veg garden ...

i bet you are 2 weeks ahead in your zone ... if not further ...

ken

ken..you're right..I have pips earlier than quite a few on the hosta forum..there's a few ahead of me..and my 5 pots pip early..I have oaks but also lots of other trees..it's amazing how fast this place goes from naked to forest..I have natural stones near a lot of my hosta..they retain heat right?..so I think I've got a great habitat for hostas..

Thanks everyone for your replies and advice. I will dig one up soon but I am a little "lazy" too.

Ken, we did have a couple cold nights and was also quite wet at the same time. I think the lowest was 33 and don't think any frost. Out of 5 different beds, 2 of them have the most damage and are the least protected from overhead trees. I hope that is the problem and they pull through eventually.

I was really concerned it might be crown rot and didn't want to dig one up and see it. Some days I just feel like throwing in the towel. Every year it seems to be another problem.

Hang in there Old Dirt... I think you’re an artist.

Awe shucks thank you windymess, right now I feel like the starving astist. :)

I haven’t seen vole damage like that, but I think you should dig up the worst one just to make sure the crown is not being eaten by the nasty little rodents. I had a stand of lilies in full bloom that just fell over and when I examined them their entire root/bulb structure had been completely devoured..

Crown rot usually doesn't look like that. You can see it when you push back the leaves, at least I could see it on mine. Your petioles look fine to me.

They look healthy to me other than the falling over leaves. My guess is that it's voles or other root eating critters or cold damage. If you don't want to dig them up to check for voles, then I'd wait and see how the new growth does. (We don't have voles here, so I could eliminate that option immediately.)

bk

just wondered..it's been a few days..how do they look now?..

nicholsworth, Just came in from a walk around. Not really much change, actually most seem to be growing quite well except for the droopy leaves. I did notice on several of the droopy leaves there are several light brown spots, maybe indicating it is cold damage? I think I might lose 3 or 4 of the smaller less vigorous ones but still hopeful.

not much change is better than looking worse..I have some ugly spots on a few of my bigger ones (Blue Angel, Elegans)..I was tempted to cut off some leaves but I resisted the urge and left them for now..I bet yours survive..

I think not much change vs getting worse is a good sign too. So I’m hopeful for you...keep us posted!