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Pip count

11 years ago

Since we are reminding people about spring chores (Amonia thread) I got to thinking about mine.

I'm typing up my pip count spreadsheet. Last year one of you forum regulars said you kept track of your pip count each year. If the pip count is down, then you know there could be a problem, like root invasion, voles or rot. I can't remember if said person dug it up right away or if he/she waited and dug after two reduced years.

Anyway, I think its a good idea to help diagnose problems below ground.

Happy Planting,
Beverly

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Comments (5)

Babka NorCal 9b
11 years ago
Beverly MN, That is a great reminder! When you catch these problems early, they are fixable.

I count all the noses...eyes...pips poking up each Spring until they are more than 10. Then I just write "M" for many. When plant goes from 1 small eye to one BIG eye, that is noted too, because it shows progress. If something is getting smaller sometimes I investigate, and sometimes not. Going from 5 to 3 eyes is OK IF those new eyes are big and fat.

This is an easy thing for me to do with under 100 hostas. I wonder what HH or Ken does, with acres of hostas. I imagine they are not as anal about pips as I am with my few.

-Babka
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
11 years ago
nope.. never counted.. dont care ...

papou was the master of that.. GRHS .... and i was truly baffled by the record keeping he did.. but that was his ball of wax.. and all the power to him..

and you.. if it makes it fun for you ...

ken
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Wow, Josephines167! That is gratifying. I am looking forward to the years my hostas will leap and have an increase in pips. After your pip count it must feel so gratifying to see such increases... at least I would feel that way- as if the hostas are thanking me with pips for last years "TLC" given to them. :) I am located in the cusp of zone 4 and 3. According to the houzz zone finder it says I am in zone 3, however I have always checked with other Maps and my area usually is Zone 4 at the borderline. As for extra work with hostas... it's ok, I like to fuss over them, too. I will have to repot my containers with better structured soil (more coarse to prevent rotted roots). Currently, I am reluctant to set them outside... I do not trust the weather yet. lol I have a sneaky suspicion that once a good set of leaves are unfurled there will be a cold snap and I would be racing to bring all the pots inside... or that I would have neglected to check the weather that one day and I would sadly find out the next morning when I am looking at mushy leaves. Murphy's law, etc. Back to your pips... Excellent increase and looking forward to the eye candy photos this year! *I will confess that I have lurked for so long - over a year- drooling over everyone's hostas. Love them. :)
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thisismelissa
11 years ago
I count.... didn't do it last year because of my work scheduled. And I think it might have been me that talked about taking action when there's a reduction in size.

I suspect that since I missed counting last year, that this year I'll be able to really see if there are some major issues going on.... I suspect one part of my garden may have some pretty heavy root competition.... coupled with less sun. Might have to do some major renovation in that area.
Steve Massachusetts
11 years ago
Here's an example of Papou's work.

That's an engineer for you.

Steve
User
11 years ago
OMG, that is an engineer!!!!

I"d have a complex if I tried to live up to that standard of detail. I'm doing good counting POTS.

Last year, my pot count did not match my hosta index, and I went searching until I found the small pot not on the list. Little orphan is how it felt. That's when I began rotating pots so I would feature each one with at least an hour of recognition and take its "school picture" on a regular basis.

This year I'll be even more careful to document each pot of hosta, because I have as many as 8 plantaginea, 2 of beaucoup different ones, and am learning the wisdom of planting both like hosta in the SAME pot, given enough room.

Unless, like with Sugar Daddy, I am performing an experiment. Where one is given a lot of sun and the other as much shade as I have available. Hopefully, one environment will show the preferred conditions of this hosta, which some say does not wear well......but I really like its NAME! Every girl needs a nice Sugar Daddy at some point in her life. :)

My 2013 pictures on the camera now are all that I have of my hosta.....except for what Flickr albums show. What a bummer.

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