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OH NO!!! Bacterial Soft Rot???

10 years ago

Good morning everyone!
I just went and checked on my hostas and my Blueberry Muffin had a few stems/leaves that didn't seem right. So I lifted them up and the stem pulled right out. IT SMELLED HORRIBLE!
I believe it has Bacterial Soft Rot...
Is there any hope or is this one a goner?
I've read about the one treatment word I can't remember right now and the using CEASE, but is it really worth it? I can buy a new plant for $8-12...

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Comments (5)

newhostalady Z6 ON, Canada
10 years ago
Sounds like you have the correct diagnosis. I just happen to be reading back issues of The Hosta Journal. Here is what appeared in the The Hosta Journal, Volume 35, No. 3, 2004.

"Bacterial soft rot occurs in gardens and nurseries, particularly following very cold winters where plants may have been damaged by ice or freezing temperatures. Bacterial soft rot is a disease that degrades fleshy underground plant tissues. The fleshy tissue becomes watery and soft with an unpleasant aroma resembling that of dead fish. Above-ground symptoms are characterized by yellow, wilted leaves and a soft rot at the base of petioles, resulting in plant collapse and eventually plant death."

Once plants are infected, most pathogens are difficult to eliminate; diseased plants should be removed from the landscape or nursery and destroyed. Many pathogens enter the plant through wounds, so use good sanitation practices whenever plants are divided and avoid unnecessary wounding to the roots and crowns when plants are transplanted. Use disinfectants to sanitize tools and work surfaces during propagation; rubbing alcohol or a 10% bleach solution can be effective. Other management strategies, such as selecting resistant cultivars or avoiding susceptible ones, fungicides . . . choice of mulch and potting mix and heat treatment, may help manage specific hosta diseases."

Sounds like this hosta doesn't have much hope. Hopefully others with more experience will post their thoughts.
don_in_colorado
10 years ago
Sorry to hear that about your 'Blueberry Muffins'. Unfortunately, it's probably time to replace it and move on. Hope the damage is restricted to only that one plant.

Don B.

This post was edited by Don_in_Colorado on Sat, Apr 5, 14 at 16:34
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rock_n_ruf
Original Author
10 years ago
Yeah, I hope so too! It is in a planter, so my fingers are crossed...
I must say, though, that rot spread quickly! Last night I checked the plant and the whole thing was gone... roughly 15-20 eyes.
It was a nice hosta, but I think it's one to a new blue.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
10 years ago
i dont understand how rock has leaves in zone 5???

are we missing some history???

for once.. someone who will spend little to replace a plant.. as compared to spending a hundred on remedies that probably wont work ...

i suspect a media failure and a winter storage failure ...

ken
rock_n_ruf
Original Author
10 years ago
Yep! I'm thinking storage.
I'm about an hour south of Chicago...
I was so sick of this winter we had that I brought in some of my potted hosta's for a little bit of cheerfulness/hope that spring was coming (and to get a little head start...)
I've always overwintered my hosta's in the garage with no problem, but this winter was a little crazier than normal. I'm not really sure what could have happened other than the cold...
It was about 4 years old, but I did enjoy it.
I think my replacement is going to be 'Guardian Angel'.

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