As far as HVX spreading to other plants,that idea is pure bunk! I have an HVX plant growing right among some other plants and it has never spread to anything else near it. I am planning removing it soon,but as for now,it is still OK. And don't keep from buying a plant from some place other than online growers just because you're afraid. If I did that,I would have exactly two hostas now,because I don't buy on line. I bought 4 plants online back in 2005. Two of them didn't even make the first year,and the other two are still poor plants,and yes I can mention that it was Wade and Gatton. I'll go away now. Phil

CHIGGERS! The invisible eat and runners that don't really run. A nice big bottle of peroxide, a good scrubbing with soap to make sure they're really gone (microscopic skin lice..the 'welts' are an allergic reaction to their 'saliva')Hubbs has been bringing them home from work like crazy from all the grass growth and rainfall. We've been washing clothes like it's going out of fashion. Leaf cutters. Oh yeah, it's fun for your roses to look like swiss cheese - not. Leaf spot. I have battled all season, screw the organic I'm playing for keeps. I do avoid the insecticides though. Just fungicide, since it's a little more user friendly. I've topped off my season with loosing a tree to Io Moth Caterpillars, which not only strip a tree in a week when you get a large colony, but they STING. Moving eating stinging machines. I tried bacterial worm spray but it was too late. They were headed for my roses. I got out my pruning shears and cut over 100 worms about the size of my index finger in half. I've got the fire ant leprosy look alike feet, which with a barefoot gardeners tan really looks strange. I've discovered stings on your fingers are ooooohhh so much worse than other places, my whole hand swelled up like the michelin man after a sting under my wedding ring. I'm starting to notice the really 'good' ones inspire a somewhat 'arthritic' joint pain under the sting. I've got more grubs than I know what to do with, and have come to take pleasure from putting them on the hot sidewalk in the sun when I find them. When that doesn't work they get finished off with the shovel. Building mounds for plants is making me insane. 6-10" down, ROCK!

Bernd, I was doing better when it stayed hot too :) Stayed away from the nurseries and concentrated on water the garden. vurseana, message me if you ever want to swap garden visits! And are you busy this weekend? Hallson Gardens is having an open house on Saturday. They're located in Cement City, which is only 90 minutes from me. cearbhaill, LOL, I do very little housework during the garden season. TJ, I've been working on less pressure in the garden too. I also try to "shop" in my garden more. I move plants to better locations, either better for growth or better for me to appreciate. Ken, normally I'm not CRAZY, just a collector. I have 234 entries in my hosta journal. 6 are sports, 1 is a seedling, 15 are duplicates, and 4 are NOIDs. That leaves me with 208 named hostas. And I haven't been to the Hidden Lake auction yet, maybe next year. ConnieMay, it finally rained here! Lots on Saturday, a little Sunday, then lots again Monday. With the ground so wet, i took the opportunity to move 5 hostas yesterday and plant 1 new one. I'll get there eventually :)

It is 26 inches tall which would match Vatican City. It does look a great deal like it too. I will go through all my old sales slips and see if any have Vatican City on them...thank you for looking at this and commenting. I had just thought it was Strutter's Ball until I compared photos today