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Hostas already going dormant

gardenfanatic2003

16 years ago

Maybe my memory is bad, but I don't remember my hostas ever going dormant this early in the season before. I'm wondering if it's the cool snap we had about a week and a half ago. Daytime temps in the 60's, nighttime temps in the low 50's/upper 40's. Temps were like that for about a week. Can cool temps like those kickstart the hostas into going dormant? Now our temps are in the upper 80's. I don't think it's a lack of water, because I've watered my hostas more this year than I have in the past.

Deanna

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Comments (6)

gardenfanatic2003
Original Author
16 years ago
Oops, I thought I was on the hosta forum when I posted this. Oh well, hosta is a perennial!
katefisher
16 years ago
Hi Deanna:

Same here and we are in Zone 7 in Northern CA. We have had cool nights all summer long however and in the past month as low as 35, 36 degrees at night. When I woke up Thursday morning it was a balmy 38 degrees. The hostas in the wettest most shaded places area holding up better but those in the dryer beds are starting to fade despite daily watering. A strange year of weather indeed.

Kate
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I'm a zone up from you (or is it down?) I'm in zone 4. The full shade plants that look good for me all summer are celadine poppies, lamiastrum Herman's Pride, christmas and Japanese painted ferns. Lamium can get ratty, but if I cut it down, it fills right in. Same with sweet woodruff. Blue lobelia, turtlehead, and toad lily bloom late summer and can hide some of the shaggy foliage of others. I'd guess that the shade isn't the problem with the hosta size, but lack of moisture (or they may just be hostas that don't get very big).
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tjsangel
16 years ago
The other day I walked out into the garden and found many plants that have started yellowing. We are in a drought right now, could be why. The day before I swear everything was bright green! Guess it's that time of year, earlier than expected.

Jen
mxk3 z5b_MI
16 years ago
I noticed a few yellow hosta leaves just this afternoon. It's been dry, though (and as you all know I HATE watering so tend to "forget" to do it), so not sure if its because of the dryness or going dormant. Haven't noticed anything else shutting down yet for the season, but some leaves are starting to turn on the maples.
maureen_ottawa
16 years ago
Cool weather and drought is triggering dormany in the early to bed ones. Striptease and Queen of the Seas will be gone by next week. A few others are starting to brown.

My trees also dropped some leaves last month due to the drought.
arcy_gw
16 years ago
Some are going dormant while others are just finishing their bloom. It is an odd year!

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