i dont know what your problem is with ADG ... its a run it over with the truck type plant ... all i can suggest.. is to dig it up.. and throw it on the driveway for a few days .. to teach it whos boss ... and then find something else if it fails again ...beat it back with a stick ...

one if its problems is that it need a lot of light.. sun ... but in too much sun to melts/burns.. and actually finding the perfect spot is hard ...

btw ... usually when i go off on some impossible plant.. hosta... we are then provided by glorious pix from the two peeps who can grow it.. and consider it a weed ... lol ...

i dont know what your problem is with ADG ... its a run it over with the truck type plant ... all i can suggest.. is to dig it up.. and throw it on the driveway for a few days .. to teach it whos boss ... and then find soemthing else if it fails again ...

without pix.. we cant really provide ideas on what might be eating it ....

btw ... where are you .... hosta in sun.. is not as much of an option in the south.. as it is in the north ...

ken

Some hostas are intolerably slow to grow. My fire and ice is like that. It has grown a few new buds in the last 8 years. I keep it, but don't expect much. Same for my Regal Splendors, and August Moons, and Dream Queens.. The Regal Splendors in 14 years have shrunk, despite me moving them to every conceivable spot in the garden. I keep them, but now have them hidden where their lack of growth doesn't deter from the look of their neighbors. The August Moons have stayed the same size for oh maybe 13 years. Thank goodness I bought five of them and they were large when I got them. They provide a yellow clump where I want a yellow clump, so they are serving the garden well. The two Dream Queens have grown at a glacial pace. Glacial. Not worth a buy.

I don't know how these observations have to do with the cultivars and how much has to do with me and my garden.

What grows well for you?

perhaps a new post for over achievers.. rather than hijacking a post on underachievers?????

I just thought knowing which hosta was successful for Betsy might be a help. :) perhaps there is a nasty vole lurking in the garden. A wood rat destroyed a beautiful Bressingham blue of mine in a very short time at my last house. rrrrgh!

I can't grow any of Olga Petryszyn's hosta. I tried Key West, Brother Stephan and one other I can't remember. They either stayed the same or went downhill. I emailed her once about Viva Las Vegas and she doubted that her hosta would do well in Texas. (She gave Viva Las Vegas away.) She sure breeds pretty hosta, though.

bkay

I have one of those very tall hostas (don't remember the name). I have never had issues with all the regular sized varieties, but the big one looks like something is making holes in the leaves and I don't see any bugs. I keep waiting for it to have a 'good' year. Maybe this year....

It could be cut worms.

bk

Holes in the leaves is usually slugs. You won't see them. Sprinkle slug pellets onto the crown and the slugs will stop doing damage. I do this early season as my hostas come up. I sprinkle slug pellets onto each plant. Mid-season some plants will show holes in the leaves, so I sprinkle pellets again and that takes care of it. If you get a plant from a neighbor who does not do this, immediately sprinkle slug pellets once the plant is in the ground. I used to get hostas from an across-the-street neighbor whose garden was heavily infested with slugs. It would take seeral sprinklings to kill them all.

Here's a link to figure out whether you have cutworms or slugs. https://www.hometalk.com/3853632/holes-in-hosta-leaves-it-might-not-be-who-you-think?expand_all_questions=1

when I saw the title of this post I was expecting to read about Great Expectations and Dream Queen..I've seen bad comments about them so I never bought either one..now I'm afraid of Fire and Ice too Lol..I have ADG and now that you mention it mine IS small for as old as it is..

Ok, I will be the one who spoils the post by saying I don’t have a problem With either. As Ken said, ADG is a tough hosta. Mine is planted on the edge of my back fence. The fence is sitting on the curb of my driveway and ADG is in the ground next to an old lilac bush. The ground is not enhanced in anyway. It was one of my first hostas as it’s planted where I would not plant anything now. In fact, if I tried to dig it out I’m certain it wouldn’t survive. FI is in better spots in my yard (I have 2) but the second one is about 5-6 leaves so it’s getting moved when the weather decides to thaw here in WI.

In Vermont I grew Fire and Ice in full sun. It grew well but I didn’t care much for it.