How do I kill Hosta and remove it?
maureen_2008
16 years ago
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don_in_colorado
9 years agohostatakeover swMO
9 years agoRelated Discussions
Invasive Ferns -- How do I kill them?
Comments (26)Bleach is one of the safest things you can use to eradicate unwanted plants/weeds because it does not persist for any length of time in the environment. It is amazing the amount of misinformation that gets spewed about online. Unfortunately, a lot of it remains there unchallenged and picked up, repeated and recycled and worse......often acted upon, to the detriment of our environment and sometimes ourselves. Chlorine bleach poses a significant risk to the environment, and chlorine was even used as a chemical weapon during World War I. Many countries have banned chlorine bleach or restricted its use in an effort to protect the environment and human health. As an example of bleach's persistence in the environment, manufacturers who use chlorine bleach as part of the processing, cleaning or sterilization processes often release it into local water bodies along with other liquid industrial waste. Once it reaches the water, chlorine reacts with other minerals and elements to form a host of dangerous toxins. These toxins, including dioxins, furams and PCDDs are often referred to as "persistent organic pollutants" because they linger in the water or soil and take many years to disappear. Greenpeace calls dioxin one of the most dangerous chemicals known to science, and warns that it can contribute to cancer, endocrine disorders and other serious health effects. The West Virginia University Extension also links chlorine-based compounds, like dioxins, with low sperm count, testicular cancer and breast cancer due to their ability to mimic human hormones. So you guys who are so ready to start spraying chlorine bleach all over the place may want to reconsider your choices :-) DON'T use bleach as a herbicide. It is not registered for that purpose so technically it is illegal to use it in that manner. Second it is a caustic, corrosive agent that is damaging to all manner of beneficial soil insect life, amphibians and aquatic life and any mammals it might come into contact with. It is also extremely alkaline and can negatively impact soil pH, making it difficult to grow any plant in any area so treated. If you must, use a registered herbicide - like RoundUp or similar - according to label directions. Here is a link that might be useful: bleach is not a herbicide...See MoreHow much dirt should I remove around a diseased hosta?
Comments (4)From the AHS research summary report. "Experiments were done to determine if HVX can be transmitted mechanically via tools, hands, fingers, plant debris in soil, or by root contact. In completed experiments, the virus was transmitted via tools and in soil infected with HVX plant debris, but not via fingers or uninjured root contact." It doesn't spread through contact with roots that are "uninjured." Flemish Sky should be fine, just don't go digging around its root zone. You may do more harm than good. If you want to reassure yourself, order a test kit and check one of the leaves on Flemish Sky. But leave the roots alone. Steve...See MoreHow do I kill ants without killing dogs?
Comments (6)Diatomaceous Earth will kill all kinds of bugs and is perfectly safe for humans and pets. It is also called fossil flour. We used to use it for the chickens to kill mites - put piles of it around for dusting beds. We use it for ants (can even sprinkle it on counter tops). Works for roaches and bedbugs but fortunately haven't had to test it for those. Also good for pets - ear mites and fleas/ticks. Can be given in pet food for internal pests such as worms. Buy only 'food grade DE', not the stuff they sell for pools....See MoreHow do I overwinter hostas in pots?
Comments (0)Allow the plants to go dormant naturally. Maintain the moisture in the pots as you would if they were growing, or somewhere in that range of moisture but well drained. As the foilage drys up and can be easily removed (without tearing it from the crown) remove it, or snip it off with disinfected scissors. Allow the pots to freeze. If the temperature fluctuates greatly before total freeze up, move them to a location in which the temperature varies the least. After freeze up, I move mine to a varment proof room in an outbuilding (barn for me) and cover with 4-6 inches of wood shavings (the kind used for livestock bedding at fairs, etc.), and ignor till spring. If you do not have a varment proof area, it probably wouldn't hurt to add some mouse bait, although damage would be minimal since the pots are frozen. In the spring, I bring them into my heated shop about 2 weeks prior to our last expected frost date and let them thaw. If frozen properly, and with the condensation that occurs as they thaw, there is sufficient moisture to sustain the plant, but keep a watch depending on the water carrying capacity of your potting mix. I believe it is better to lean towards the dry side before watering as keeping the pots too wet invites other problems. As the new eyes appear and start to unfurl, move them outside to fend for themselves. If weather conditions (a frost or freeze) becomes imminent, move them back inside. It will not kill the plant but may make those new leaves unsightly. If you have sufficient lighting, you may leave them in longer, but I move mine out for a couple of different reasons. My lighting is not proper, and if raised in an enviornment of constant ambient temperatures, leaves & stems have no reason to develop the strenghth needed for outside conditions and besides being frail, are more subject to desiccation from wind--it eliminates the need for a "hardening off" maintenance period. If I were readying pots for the following year's use, I would make my divisions early and place the pots where they can utilize the sun to help develop good root systems and pay a lesser amount of attention to the foilage. They will reward you greatly the following year with better foilage and a root system to support it. contributed by seedseller1...See Moredon_in_colorado
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