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I'm doing a Hosta Talk

steve duggins(Z6a) - Central Ohio
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago

Just thought I'd float it out there that I'm doing a Hosta talk at the local garden club tomorrow. I'm trying not to bore them to death, so doing what excites me the most - looking at Hosta! Here's my outline:

Green Hosta

Blue Hosta

Yellow Hosta - Viridescent - Lutescent (Albescent)

Center variegated

Edge Variegated

Sports

Streakers

Planting (briefly)

Issues (deer, slugs, rot, HVX)

Favorites

I'm assuming I will run out of time before I run out of words (and pics) so I may have to cut my favorites (only 3). If they want to see them, they'll just have to invite me back. So many topics I'm leaving out - species, fragrant, dividing, beds, companion plants, more issues . . .

Comments (18)

  • peren.all Zone 5a Ontario Canada
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    I am sure they will thoroughly enjoy your talk and pics. Yes you will run out of time, so much to cover - so little time (1 hour?) Have a great meeting!

    steve duggins(Z6a) - Central Ohio thanked peren.all Zone 5a Ontario Canada
  • nicholsworth Z6 Indianapolis
    2 years ago

    I'd love to be there!..you'll have no problem keeping the discussion lively..have fun!..

    steve duggins(Z6a) - Central Ohio thanked nicholsworth Z6 Indianapolis
  • hostas_for_barb
    2 years ago

    I've heard some Hosta talks and wondered why they didn't show more eye candy - that is what I want to see - lots of gorgeous hostas!

    steve duggins(Z6a) - Central Ohio thanked hostas_for_barb
  • old_dirt 6a
    2 years ago

    Wish I was closer, sounds interesting.


    steve duggins(Z6a) - Central Ohio thanked old_dirt 6a
  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    2 years ago

    bet a buck.. they ill refuse to leave .. and you will end up running out of words .. lol ...


    i had the local ladies club over.. and had a giant rogue green seedling .. two actually.. on the patio ... and when it was over.. and we ended up standing there.. i told them they could take it apart and share it.. they went at it like hungry vultures .. lol.. and i didnt even have to show them how to do it ... keep this in mind if you have any duplicates and need space ....


    the friendship plant ...


    oh ... and dont forget the driveway part.. lol ...


    ken

    steve duggins(Z6a) - Central Ohio thanked ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
  • steve duggins(Z6a) - Central Ohio
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Good points. I'm actually going there, so I can leave when I want, but I only have 30 minutes to talk. It includes lunch so I'm not sure how flexible they are when I run over. I'm going to have a give away. Answer a question right and you get to give away one of my plants. Friendship plant indeed.

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    2 years ago

    walk.. its to hot to run over there ... lol ...


    i still find it hard to believe they will lose interest in the time allotted ... let me know on that part ...


    and if it were me.. i would eat before .. and talk right thru their lunch ...


    all thats left that might concern me.. is if they are serving wine with lunch.. and you are trapped with a bunch of garden booze hounds.. could get ugly pretty fast .. lol ... i can see the headlines now.. man with free hosta attacked at garden club lunch event .... melee ensues ...


    ken

    steve duggins(Z6a) - Central Ohio thanked ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
  • gardenchick2010
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    I hope you don't run out of time before you reach the issues part of your talk, as I think HVX definitely needs to be highlighted, because when I was new to Hostas, and didn't know HVX existed, I ended up buying a diseased Sun Power from a local garden centre.

    Good luck. Let us know how it goes.

    steve duggins(Z6a) - Central Ohio thanked gardenchick2010
  • djacob Z6a SE WI
    2 years ago

    I wish i could be a tiny fly on the wall!! I really want to be there, so, that’s the best I can hope for. Unless of course you will YouTube it. I am pretty sure they have talked you into an actual garden tour in a month! Maybe some of us could come then.

    debra

    steve duggins(Z6a) - Central Ohio thanked djacob Z6a SE WI
  • steve duggins(Z6a) - Central Ohio
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Talk went well. I managed to talk them into letting me start earlier so I had an hour. They were done after an hour. Who knew all those grey haired old ladies had other stuff to do. I guess I showed too many pictures of my favorite type - Tall, upright with ruffled edges and/or wavy leaves. Multiple colors streaking through the leaves is a bonus. At one point someone mentioned, "You must really love Blue Hosta". Obviously, that was before the variegated Hosta dominated the show. Some really good questions and my wife's comments kept it lively. I held them until I finished the Issues section and ended with HVX. The planting demo got cut. A few people were very interested and stayed late to talk and ask questions. The plant giveaway question stumped them for a couple minutes until someone guessed the answer. "What is the botanical name for Hostas"?

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    2 years ago

    sounds great ...


    another question might be.. whats the plural of hosta ...


    ken

  • gardenchick2010
    2 years ago

    Sounds like it went great.


    What hosta was the giveaway prize?

  • steve duggins(Z6a) - Central Ohio
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Ken, that was going to be the tie breaker question. Too funny, because my wife and I were actually discussing it and I was getting way too anal about the answer. Good thing we didn't need it. I should've taken pics of the giveaway. I actually gave the winner two plants and she only had to give away one of them. Tequila Sunrise with about 5 or 6 eyes was the prize. The other one I won't mention as it may or may not be ethical to give them away.

  • undertheoaksgardener7b
    2 years ago

    Tony Avent gave a great lecture at Plant Delights Nursery May 2018. It was fun to attend. I found a video of it!
    https://youtu.be/pv5q9Cwj-IE

  • djacob Z6a SE WI
    2 years ago

    Hmmmmm, ”what is the plural of Hosta?” Well, gee….. I thought it was hostas……… or is it Hosti……..I don know now……ken you have confused me. lol

    debra

  • nicholsworth Z6 Indianapolis
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    I want to know what the experts say!..I've heard "hosta" is singular and plural..for plural I like "hosta" without the s but I write hostas since most people do..

  • steve duggins(Z6a) - Central Ohio
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    My (anal) answer is both Hosta and Hostas are acceptable. Not one or the other, but both. Actually, it might have been fun to ask the question to hear the response/discussion.

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