uh huh, yeah ...

Don got a conscription letter and is actually thinking about fleeing to canada â¦

There are many responsible hosta businesses in Ontario. With that said, there is absolutely no way to guarantee they are 100% HVX-free. There is always a risk and plants do not always test positive right away. That is why I use the same precautions regardless of where I purchase a hosta from.

Many Ontario hosta nurseries purchase from Walters, Q&Z and Naylor Creek which are all reputable suppliers from the USA. Many also test regularly for HVX with the Agdia strips. It is financially impossible to test every single plant they sell.

Retailers that I know test for HVX and that I recommend would be Hosta Choice (Appin, ON), Giboshihill Hostas (Cobourg, ON), Crooked Creek Garden Centre (Newtonville, ON), Riverbend Gardens (Wroxeter ,ON) , Goldenbrook Hostas (Blackstock, ON) and Budd Gardens (Gloucester, ON).

Vanessa

This post was edited by hippieindenial on Fri, Jun 13, 14 at 6:33

I know Goldenbrook tests all their hostas, they also do a pretty good mail order business as well. A little expensive, but the extra cost is worth it if you want HVX free plants.

First off I have never bought by mail order as the local hosta providers in the Ottawa Valley have always enough selection to satisfy my needs.

I highly recommend Budd Gardens http://buddgardens.com/plants.html on Innes Rd in Ottawa (Blackburn Hamlet). As well, Rideau Woodland Ramble http://www.rideauwoodlandramble.com/ in Burrits Rapids is a wonderful place to shop. The Ramble also has display gardens and is well worth visiting for a walk through a forested setting, enjoying hosta.

As I said, I buy in person always and have received excellent service from both.

Don Budd has traditionally opened his personal garden each spring - I posted pics last year from my visit.

Doug

As my recent experience shows, there are other viruses besides HVX. And all of those can be spread and disfigure hostas. So actually nurseries should not be selling hostas with any virus on it, but such complete testing would be costing over $100 on each plant...
Bernd

Hi Jim,
Goldenbrook Hostas does not test every individual hosta they sell. They may test one in each batch like many other vendors do or if they are suspicious of a certain plant or are dividing from their own garden. Every hosta vendor has likely had HVX in their collection at some point.
Vanessa

Dave, shhh! At least let me escape first!

Don B.

P.S. Hey wait...45's a little old to get a conscription letter, isn't it?

Did you write that and send it to me, Dave??? &*%%^$!

I realize that, Vanessa, you're absolutely right. Nowhere is it impossible to acquire virus-free plants. Just trying to find some options that don't include, say, WAL-MART and other big-box type places, where I (and others) have personally had awfully bad experiences with filthy plants.

Thanks for listing all those sources. That's a lot of good information.

Don B.

The only one I am 100% sure about that tests for HVX is Hosta Fever in Barrie. I happened to arrive one day while she was waiting for results from a routine test. Hosta Fever uses some American suppliers as well so I know I've got hostas that were grown at Q & Z and possibly any one of the ones mentioned by Vanessa.

The other nurseries (Humber is in Toronto at Hwy. 7 & 50, Bradford Greenhouses in Bradford and Barrie and Ego's on Horseshoe Valley Road) that I frequent (since 1980) are huge in these parts, been around for decades and so far I've never had a problem with the hostas I've purchased. I would recommend all of the above based on my own healthy hostas purchased from these sources.

I can now add Giboshihill Hostas to my list.

I too have talked long and hard with Cindy at Hosta Fever (Barrie) about HVX and her virus testing practices and feel comfortable buying plants from her.

I also have talked with Paul from Handlebar Hostas (Uxbridge) about his practices and buy from there.

I'm hoping to cross the province and hit up a few others this summer (that's gonna be my vacation....LOL Giboshihill, Goldenbrook, Budd Gardens are all liked on my facebook, have great reputations and will probably be my choices.

I've talked to my local nursery and although they know of HVX and other virus' don't test regularly. I've put too much money into my hostas to risk it IMHO. I'm sure they're fine - for other people's gardens - OMG, I'm a hosta snob!

Don, thanks for making this thread. When I commented in Jason's other thread, I didn't realize he was in Canada. Thank you for picking up the ball when I dropped it, Don!

Nutmeg, no problem at all, we are here to help however that may be.

Thanks for listing these hosta sources, everyone!

Cheers : )

Don B.

OnGreenthumb, I love your self revelation of being a "HOSTA SNOB".....when it is based on being virus free, it is a commendable objective.

Everybody is going to shop according to comfort level, caveat emptor if they are informed and choose to go ahead.

Chris Potze Perennials
261 Duncombe Roadâ¨
Waterford, Ontario â¨N0E 1Y0
519-443-5767

M.H.P. Hostas
1340 Bell Mill Road, RR#6â¨
Tillsonburg, Ontarioâ¨N4G 4G9
519-688-4473

These 2 are the guys I use. Lovely charming men who give you a walk through their display gardens and visit with you before you buy. Chris is getting out of hostas though because of his health, so he is selling everything. He is eventually fading out his business and this means even his mature hostas are going. These guys are worth a visit (call Chris before you go)

OK, to the fellow Canadians who do order online or the Canadians who live in Ontario. I just got my first order today from Gardens plus from Peterborough Ontario. Bought three and they look good, is this an ok place??
Other than that I put in an order to Handlebar in Uxbridge Ontario, and a bigger order through Blooms Canada in North York Ontario.The last two orders I haven't received yet.

http://hostageek.ca/

Pat's great to deal with

There are at LEAST 2 nurseries on that list that do not test for HVX even if they say they do - we have bought there and their stuff is loaded. Another good one to order from and visit is Shades of Green near Aylmer, Ontario - the owner is anal about HVX, ships across Canada and into the States and gets nothing but good reviews.

Have shopped in person at Shades of Green and Lynn is great to deal with.