Autumn Frost is a great hosta to have. Any hosta can have HXV, but certain hostas seem more prone than others. Gold Standard the one that developed the virus after years of having it. Go figure. Anyway AF is as near perfect a hosta as possible. Always looks good. I have one in part sun amd one in shade and they both look good all year. Congratulations on a good acquisition!

debra

Congrats on your new acquisition. My Autumn Frost is one of the hostas on my balcony doing the best. It's a big bold beautiful baby! It gets lots of afternoon sun, not much in the morning.

djacobz568sewi & Esther-B: good to know your Autumn Frost hostas are all doing well. I haven't planted it yet - need to find a good spot for it.

Does it keep its yellow in the sun? And is it a slug magnet?

About HVX, I still can't believe my Sun Power had a serious case of it, when I bought it. And it was even from an actual garden centre, not a big box store. So I'm nervous now.

Oh ... when you have a chance djacobz568sewi & Esther-B, I'd love to see pics of your Autumn Frosts.

I agree that Autumn Frost is a good hosta and a pretty one. Not a slug magnet. I believe it is a bit of a slow grower though. It's the one in the center.

I've seen the hosta virus in "real" garden centers too. I think the best place to get virus free plants is from an actual hosta nursery.

No, as Ester said, not a slug magnet .It has heavier leaves then some hostas, like the Tiaras. The slugs love several of them.

Here’s my AF in the shade:

This is the same hosta as above, but earlier in the season.

I can’t find a pic of the other replanted one, but can take one tomorrow.

debra

Good to know it's not a slug magnet. My poor new Rubies and Ruffles clearly is, as is Fire Island.

Love the pic, newhostalady. AF looks gorgeous surrounded by those other plants. Did that perfect arrangement "just happen" or was it strategically planned.

Your AF looks lovely too, djacobz568sewi. I love the early spring pic with all the yellow.

I planted my AF this morning. Not sure if it's where it will stay forever, but it will work for now.

While I was planting it, I notice it has a flower scape. So should have pretty blooms soon.

Gardenchick, it’s good you planted AF. here’s my AF that’s in morning sun, also with a flower bud:

I agree with you about Fire Island. It is a slug magnet……I treat mine twice a year and it starts to look a bit holey in spite of that about this time of the year. Maybe I will drench it again…….

Fire Island

@newhostalady Z6 ON, Canada beautiful pairing! whats the grass above the autumn frost?

i didnt know there were hostas that slugs dont love?! slugs love every kind i have sadly

Here's my poor, sad, slug-eaten Fire Island:

Mamaham: Maybe I've just been lucky and most of my hostas aren't bothered by slugs. Ones like Blue Angel, Minute Man, Wide Brim, Gold Standard, Christmas Tree, Undulata, First Frost,

Fire Island, as you can see is a different story.

Actually, gchick there is a list on the front page of the Hosta Library, second column, Rawsons List. It has many lists, but one of them is slug resistant hostas. There are many. Hostas with thicker more puckered leaves are not as susceptible. Some examples are Halcycon and it’s sports—-June, Paradise Joyce, First Frost and other thick leaved hostas, Blueberry Muffins and so on. Check the list for ideas to add to your garden.

debra

gardenchick, my plant arrangement pretty much just happened. My husband enlarged our front yard garden to allow me to grow more plants there. (The picture is taken there.) My backyard has two enormous trees and the roots suck the life out of my plants there.

djacobz, your Autumn Frost is really nice. It's growing with a pretty shape to it.

Mamaham, the grass in the picture is Hakonechloa macra. I love this plant as a accompaniment to hosta. I especially love it when it grows larger. There are other grasses that grow in the shade that look good also.

Gardenchick, your Fire Island is terribly holey, but it is a very good sized plant. I have struggled with Fire Island for years. I think I am going to have to get rid of mine. Have you tried slug bait or ammonia drench?

Some people say they don't have a problem with slugs, others (and most) do have an abundance of slugs when growing hosta. Those with water nearby (man made pond or lake) say the toads eat the slugs and they suffer minimal slug damage. For the most part, those growing hosta in the shade means there is little direct sun and often the plants are growing close together. I have noticed that there is quite a difference in my front garden versus my back garden when it comes to slugs. My backyard garden has plenty of slugs. It gets minimal direct sunlight. In my front yard, I get more sun---maybe a couple of hours. I have little slug damage.

djacobz568sewi: that list of slug resistant hostas is excellent. Thanks for mentioning it. I'll definitely reference it next time I'm hosta wish-listing. 😀

newhostalady: for "just happened" all your plants certainly fell into perfect locations. The colours are beautiful. 🙂

About the slugs, I haven't tried slug bait or ammonia drench yet, but think I need to This year has been wetter than usual, and I think that's why the slugs are worse. Fire Island gets eaten every year, but this is the first time I've actually *seen* the slugs. They're really quite ugly!

Sorry your Fire Island is struggling. Wonder if moving it would help? I've just recently moved mine to the east facing side of the house, so hoping less sun might help it next year. That, plus some slug repellant.

My Autumn Frost keeps its gorgeous bright yellow the whole season. I haven't noticed any slugs bothering it. But of course, I doused all my hostas and heuchies thoroughly with a vinegar solution before I potted them all up to bring them down to Baltimore. On my balcony, there are no slugs. Only the ones that live next store, who are inconsiderate neighbors. Too bad a vinegar rinse won't work with them. As long as my door is closed, they're not too much of a problem.

gardenchick, when the hosta "bug" hit me, I went out to eliminate the slugs from my precious hosta! I couldn't believe all the slugs in my garden! I was shocked. I remember thinking---I don't thihk I can get rid of these slugs! But with the slug bait and the ammonia drench, it is so much better.

Esther-B: really pretty. Hope mine will keep its yellow all season too. Yours looks gorgeous next to Blue Jay. Sorry about your inconsiderate neighbours. It's so much better when everyone gets along.

newhostalady: good to know the slugs can be somewhat controlled.

GardenHo: your pic is absolutely beautiful. I love the the solid blues mixed in with AF. When I buy hostas, I tend to gravitate to the ones with 2 colours, but from your pics, and others, I realize I need to get more solid colours, particularly blue, to make the show stoppers pop.

GC thank you. I gravitate towards the bi-colors also but I do love the blues!

Just thought I'd post a pic of my Autumn Frost with her flowers. Is she normally a late bloomer?

Mine finished blooming about two weeks ago. But Iam in z5b, Milwaukee WI. I wouldn’t consider that late. I have a first year Astral Bliss. I usually don’t expect a first year hosta to bloom, but last week it shot up two buds that haven’t opened yet.

debra

I'm really surprised all my first year hostas flowered this year. Guess they're happy where I planted them.

GardenHo, can you ID the hostas in your photo for us? Like gardenchick says, I love the way you balance the solids with the variegated hostas. This is something I need to do more of as well.

Thanks!

:)

Dee