i dont buy the theory ..

pull back the clippings.. and dig one out.. and report back ...

we can not guess about what is underground.. and i dont believe in guessing.. so dig one out.. and find out ...

pix would be helpful ...

ken

Hostas are a hearty bunch. But wishin' and hopin' doesn't always work. I think you need to dig up a few and see what is going on underground and see if the crowns actually rotted, or perhaps all is well under there and that the new hotter temps have just fried the leaves. Did the leaves rot (flop) to mush or fry and get crispy? When hostas come up in Spring, they are telling you how happy they were LAST season when they grew roots and crowns. Since you relocated them to very different surroundings, they might just need some time to acclimate. How thick and how close to the plant were those grass clippings?

There are a few Texans here who grow hostas and have managed to outwit the incredible heat you folks get..

I am sure they will help.

-Babka

Icenovm......
You need some help, and it isn't simply about the grass clippings. You are in a whole new world with your hosta in Texas, than you were in ILLINOIS. Fortunately for you, we have someone on the forum who lives in Texas in zone 8.with years of experience growing hosta IN TEXAS.

Take the clippings off. Your problem is something called southern blight, which can occur because of heat and humidity and poor air circulation around your roots. What I've done when it happens, and I was able to save my first hosta when I caught it on time, was to spray it down with 10% ammonia mixed with water. I also changed out the potting mix. Gave it a new pot. Might not be required, but I sometimes over react.

I've lost several hosta to that blight--but it is not simply HOSTA affected by it. It can happen to lots of other plants. You know your plant has it when the stems/petioles simply decide to fall over dead, and the plant was fine the day before. Tell tale little orange balls like Osmocote can be seen around the base of the hosta. It scared me so bad after I saw my first favorite plant dead of southern blight, that I stopped using Osmocote...every time I saw one of those little balls in a plant, I immediately had heart failure--oh gee, another one with southern blight!

After you salvage your hosta, and they stabilize, be sure to read the forum for growing hosta in zone 8 and higher. I'm in zone 9a. Your hosta need a lot more water, no afternoon sun unless it is fairly LATE afternoon. If they are in the ground, good drainage. If they are in containers, good drainage. (Which is true for hosta elsewhere too, I know.) But also keep the roots cool, don't let the sun shine on the pot unless it is WHITE.

Hope you come back to tell the end of this story. Welcome to the forum.

icenovm, where are you? I'm in Dallas, which is 8a. The area makes a lot of difference. The temperatures, the humidity, the rainfall, the acidity of the soil, etc. I grow in pots, but the Dallas Arboretum has an extensive hosta garden in raised beds.

We'll all help as best we can.

bk

If you see the symptoms that Moccasin mentioned, dig them up and wash them off immediately. Then, dip them in a 10 percent bleach/90 percent water bath and repot. Do this immediately. I didn't know about the bleach the time I encountered Southern Blight. I just washed it off really well in city water and repotted with some air space around the petioles.

bk

Bkay2000,
We moved to McKinney. I'll definitely dig the hosta up first thing in the morning and give any roots left behind in the bleach mixture. Thanks so much for the advice. I haven't yet had a chance to visit the arboretrum, but will definitely check it out now that I know they have an extensive hosta collection!!!

You're basically where I am, then. Your hosta need to be in pots or raised beds. They'll need just about full shade as well.

If you choose the ground, our soil will need to be amended to raise the beds for better drainage. Add peat to your mix, as it will help acidify the soil. Use lots of what Lowe's calls, "landscapers mix" to give you good drainage as well as pine bark mulch.

If you choose the pot as your way to go, mix 1/2 small pine bark mulch and 1/2 good potting soil (not moisture control potting mix). Keep them in the shade and water daily.

bk

This is my favorite photo of one of my potted hosta, taken two years ago. It will have to be divided next year, as it's gotten too big.

Thanks so much for the great advice!

Here's a picture of the raised boxes that my husband built me.

Here is a link that might be useful: Hosta Box

Top view of the beauties. Since we live so close, bkay2000, I'd love to have you come by sometime for a "hosta visit". I haven't yet met another fellow hosta junkie since we moved to TX.