Great Expectations this year...

talynnp

13 years ago

It finally looks like something to be happy about. At least for now until it gets too hot.....

Great Expectations

Tanya

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Comments (17)

lindac
13 years ago
Well for a lot of years I expected a lot out of GE and never got anything but Great Disappointment. I think there was some bad stuff out there from tissue culture.
But I how have something that appears to have "expectations"...
Love that hosta!
Linda C
Babka NorCal 9b
13 years ago
I'm still expecting great things from my GE. Yours is living up to its name. Nice!

-Babka
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Great Expectations being great!
Q
Comments (5)
Funny, in my SoCal garden it's the very last. And by a long shot! Everything else has been up and unfurled for a number of weeks. I was ready to give up on GE and think about replacing it -- I had to replace several other hostas that were outside over the winter in containers -- when a couple eyes appeared. For several weeks they've gotten taller and only began unfurling over the weekend. Yours is lovely! I hope mine will be as vibrant and healthy looking. It's only in it's second year.
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So what's the latest on Great Expectations?
Q
Comments (63)
Here is this GREAT advice on growing GE, from forum member dhaven, which I have saved for future reference. "dhaven Some varieties are very picky about growing conditions, and unless they are planted in optimum conditions, they will either remain small, or fade away and die. The best example of this I know of is Great Expectations, which also happens to be my favorite hosta. A great many people have lost this one, sometimes more than once. I have three very large mature plants, and they are the prettiest thing in the garden. It took some experimentation, but there are three things that GE absolutely must have to thrive. First, and most importantly, plant it shallowly. It's going to be a very large plant, so the natural inclination is to plant it deeply, but this will kill it faster than anything else. Plant it so shallowly you are convinced that it will tip over, and you've got it right. Secondly, it likes a lot of light. Dappled shade is ideal, but it will take several hours of direct sun, either morning or afternoon. Third, it likes a lot of water. If you give a GE all three of these things, you will increase your chances of growing it into an absolutely stunning plant. If you want to try any of the hostas that have the reputation of being difficult, be prepared to try different locations and growing methods, and possibly go through several plants before you discover what works for that variety in your location. When you do find out what works, please share the information with the rest of us!"
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Planting, moving, dividing, slow growers
Q
Comments (11)
I wish I had had all this advice about 7 years ago when I planned my first hosta garden under spruce trees. I alloted the correct space for each hosta's mature size but didn't realize that they wouldn't attain this size because of the root competition from the spruce trees. I've been filling in with smaller hostas, Brunnera, Heuchera and other shade tolerant perennials which I can remove easily should the need arise. 'Blue Angel' hasn't reached its potential but 'Bressingham Blue' has exceeded it. MY 'Sagae' wasn't doing well either . After 6 years I dug it up and discovered wonderful root development but scant top growth, so now I'm adding compost around my hostas in the fall and fertilize regularly. I've noticed a difference. Regarding my hole preparation , in the past I dug a hole for each hosta twice the size of the pot, added a handful of bone meal and amended the soil with 1/3 mushroom compost, 1/3 potting soil with the idea being that the hosta would develop quickly in light soil. Only problem was the tree roots also liked this light medium. Secondly, the hostas settled too deep in the hole and so now I make sure to compact the bottom of the hole with water, make a mound and drape the hosta roots over the mound. I no longer add potting soil. In addition to the bonemeal, I add a handful of alfalfa pellets and my hostas seem to be growing better. If I have trouble with compacted clay I add gravel to the bottom of my planting hole and add gypsum to the soil. This forum is great. I've learned a lot from the regulars here. I'm going to investigate agroliners for future use. Like others, I no longer try to move larger hostas. Each new one gets a permanent home and if it gets too large I chop small pieces from the sides. One of the nursery owners nearby who has a large hosta collection at his home told me he often just tears off the outer leaves if the hosta gets too big. Hope you've learned from my mistakes. AND I've decided to take wrestling lessons from hubby so I don't get "PINNED" by those large hostas.
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Cherry Berry
Q
Comments (8)
I'm so confused! Can no one provide specifics on what these plants need so that I don't kill them when I finally get them in my garden? lol I just got F&E this year in a trade & put it in a location of about 50-70-percent shade (sun is virtually all dappled & not direct) in the front garden, so it will get lots of care & notice. Where do you guys have the most success with it? Also, I have a GE look alike NOID, and am supposed to be getting another GE (real, this time) in a trade. My NOID look-alike is in a similar setting to the F&E. It's growing, but slowly. I don't have Cherry Berry yet, but it is a beautiful Hosta.
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talynnp
Original Author
13 years ago
Well, I'm still in love with Great Expectations this year. It is turning into a must have for me.....

Great Expectations from June '09

And on June 17, '10

Tanya
jel48
13 years ago
Beautiful!
schoolb1
13 years ago
This year in zone 3,GE is very slow.Mine are up only about 4 inches.
timhensley
13 years ago
I've personally seen GE's that were huge. Mine however is 8 years old and about 14" wide, 10" tall and has 3 eyes. The same 3 eyes it had 4 years ago. I tried drowning it last year. It's seems I failed to help it grow or kill it.
uk-hostaman
13 years ago
ive had mine for years and only when i put it in the ground with morning sun did it take off..and now one of my fav's
joebar
13 years ago
mine is the great disappointment as well; what a slug...
rosie742001
13 years ago
Wow, gorgeous.I have lost two!!!! But i am going to try again.
hosta_freak
13 years ago
I moved my GE to this place in more sun,last year. Not very big yet,but I figure it will grow back its roots this year,and next year come back stronger, It seems to like more sun,though. Phil

{{gwi:939596}}
sandykk
13 years ago
I think this is my second favorite. It does like the morning sun. Just keep it watered well throughout the summer. Mine keeps on looking great.
schoolb1
13 years ago
These are monsters compared to how mine look.None of the hostas are hugh for the second year in the ground but my GE's are pitiful!Judy
mosswitch
13 years ago
I've had my Great Expectations for 5 years. Finally, this year, it is beginning to look like something! Still not really big but getting there. For the last 4 yrs, it was pretty pitiful.

Here is a link that might be useful: Welcome to Chaos
Eleanor B
13 years ago
Seeing pictures of both Frances Williams and GE "hooked" me on hostas. I've had my GE @15 years and have moved it four times hoping it would "take off" and one day look as beautiful as the one in the picture I saw almost 20 yrs ago. My wish came true! For the last @ 8 years it has been growing along side a couple of August Moons, in a location that gets quite a bit of sun.

Here is a link that might be useful:
talynnp
Original Author
13 years ago
I am still amazed by this plant this year. It continues to look good despite the oppressive heat we had for about a week, and without any watering except for the little rain we have had.

Tanya
franknjim
13 years ago
I had mine sitting in the same afternoon sun spot for about 9 years with barely any growth. I needed to plant a tree so I dug it up last fall and divided the 4 eyes. It had started with one. I put one back in a similar spot and am trying one in a new spot. When it gets 4 hours of afternoon sun the center turns almost white which I really like.

Original spot.

{{gwi:987412}}
Similar new spot.

{{gwi:987413}}
New different spot. It has a baby underneath.

{{gwi:987414}}
Similar new spot leaf.

{{gwi:987415}}
in ny zone5
13 years ago
I planted two Great Expectations last year. They were several eyes each in $20 pots. This year they are somewhat larger and I like them. The one with white centers has the most sun, late afternoon.
Bernd

Great Expectations this year...

Comments (17)

lindac

Babka NorCal 9b

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talynnp
Original Author

jel48

schoolb1

timhensley

uk-hostaman

joebar

rosie742001

hosta_freak

sandykk

schoolb1

mosswitch

Eleanor B

talynnp
Original Author

franknjim

in ny zone5

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Great Expectations this year...

Comments (17)

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