I think I have the root rot again

bkay2000

6 years ago

I just looked at the photos I posted on Hallson's forum many years ago and it appears to be the same. The last time, I accidentally sent a bad specimen (one I had previously bleached) to A&M. They came back with a diagnosis of root nematodes. Later in the summer I sent another specimen, and they came back with the rhizoctonia root rot diagnosis.

None of the causes I imaged are present this time. There was no deep trenching in the yard, nor construction, nor two weeks in the dark garage in wet pots. Unless it was in the homemade potting soil, I'm at a loss.

I don't know whether to just toss everything I purchased since last spring, toss the ones that look bad, try to repot those that look good, wait and see or just give up on hosta.

bkay

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Comments (7)

hostas_for_barb
6 years ago
Oh bkay, I'm so sorry to hear you are facing this again!
Esther-B, Zone 7a
6 years ago
Oy! So sorry. I can't imagine how you are feeling.
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MadPlanter1 zone 5
6 years ago
Oh, man. Sorry to hear the root rot is back. Maybe toss the bad and put the good in new potting soil after washing off all the old stuff, then wait and see. Would bleaching them help? Don't know much about rhizoctonia root rot. If your hostas are mostly in pots, at least the whole garden isn't infected.

You make me feel a little better about mine. Rain and 90 degree temps have some of them afflicted with rotting petioles. I gave them the same treatment I would a rotting daylily - a bucket of 10% bleach. Seems to have worked on most of them, but Journey's End just kept getting worse. Today it got dug up and soaked in 20% bleach, the soil in the area removed, and the hosta potted up.

Fingers crossed for both of us!
djacob Z6a SE WI
6 years ago
Major bummer bkay! I don’t know much about root rot except that the Great Expectations I planted last summer had it in spring, I think. It wasn’t pipping up like the other hostas so I dug it out. There were some roots, but they weren’t attached to anything. It’s as if there was no crown. Tossed it, even the driveway wouldn’t have helped it. Wish you luck with it. I think I agree with MadPlanter, toss what looks bad and re-pot with new potting soil after cleaning the pots. It’s worth a shot. 👍🏽

debra
bkay2000
Original Author
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
According to the County Agent, this is not ordinary root rot. There is no effective treatment for this one. I guess I'll toss the worst ones and move the better ones to a containment area. I think I'll try to save the Regal Supreme and Fluted Fountain with a light bleach treatment. I'll check the other newer ones that are in that homemade potting soil and see what I'm dealing with.

Thanks

bk
Babka NorCal 9b
6 years ago
Oh. Bkay. Words fail me.

-Babka
lindalana 5b Chicago
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
https://www.arbico-organics.com/product/4637/fusarium-wilt-control-in-hemp-cannabis?gclid=CjwKCAjwxev3BRBBEiwAiB_PWDKQRutTIPwRy5np6Y_11fqLutl2UhJwPJstN6qNBSQM2wy-UuZMkxoCFE0QAvD_BwE

https://www.aglabs.com/

I have consulted with Aglabs. Unconventional. But works. Soil biology need to be fought with soil biology.