Does Growing H.'Great Expectations lead to Psychosis

15 years ago

"I am very curious now to see if I can care for GE.....it will return next year bigger and better"

njmomma

You are setting yourself a task or hope that has driven more hosta growers crazy than I can count, I try to visit as many as I can in the "home". Many are not even allowed to see a photo of H.'Great Expectation' for fear they will do themselves or others harm. I'm going to show you a photo of my plant. If this excites you and generates hope that you will one day have one that looks like this then you are in grave danger of sinking into a deep psychosis.

Let me set you to a far easier task first, figure out how to keep H.'Frances Williams' from exhibiting scald in June.

Please help me counsel this poor person?

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Comments (16)

yardmom
15 years ago
Wow! Your GE's are beautiful, EO!
janetpetiole
15 years ago
I wonder how the GE at my local botanical garden is doing. I should get a photo of it.

Jen - have you been to GBBG this year? Three or four years ago they had a nice big plant that nearly took my breath away.
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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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Janice
15 years ago
Hmmmm--psychosis? Hopefully not--longing--very definitely! I would love to have a success story on that one
and 'Bluepoppy' has included me in on her experiment to see if it is more about the 'location' of or 'quality' of the
planting or plant!!

Psychosis in me--begins and ends with 'nematodes'! I think I'm in the process of recovery these days!
What will be--will be--but I can take measures if they work to not have to see my hosta ravaged by them,
maybe!!!

And, BTW--where ARE YOU, 'Blue Poppy'???
esther_opal
Original Author
15 years ago
"What will be--will be--but I can take measures if they work to not have to see my hosta ravaged by them,
maybe!!!"

Janice you learned from some of the previous discussions the number of vectors in your garden for nematodes so avoiding a problem is the problem or how you see the problem is the problem. What in the world did I just say?

The degree to which you enjoy hosta will equal your fear and anxiety.
njmomma
15 years ago
Ha, I take it as a challenge! If I fail, so help me I will need serious medication!

I will certainly post pics next year to show the results either way.

I already have a plan to prevent scald in June for Fran. Wil. As I did this year with a tender annual, I made a shade for it that I could place when I needed it and remove when I didn't. I will put this screen up for Fran. Wil. in June, now that you gave me the heads up.

~Tanya
lindac
15 years ago
Fran doesn't sun scald....she freezes her leaf tips....that's what makes them brown.
I think I will put a bushel of leaves and some branches over mine and not remove them until it's about mid June!!
Linda C
Pieter zone 7/8 B.C.
15 years ago
Janice you learned from some of the previous discussions the number of vectors in your garden for nematodes so avoiding a problem is the problem or how you see the problem is the problem. What in the world did I just say?

While this as more than somewhat OT, Janice and I 'share' experience with foliar nematodes and bleach bathing in an attempt to deal with them. For me, knowing that one of the primary vectors of transmission of these nasties is via splashing/spraying water on the leaves, I made sure I avoided that problem by potting them up, keep them under cover in a covered breezeway and watering them from the bottom up by placing them in trays or saucers which I refill with water every 2-3 days. So, I have avoided the potential problem of further spread throughout the yard by looking upon it as a challenge rather than a problem. Viewing it as a problem is indeed the problem, look upon it as a challenge.... and it's no longer a problem. Not trying to put words into your mouth, but I guess, Butch, that's what you were trying to say....
esther_opal
Original Author
15 years ago
I know what I meant, and I know what I said I meant.

To meant or not to meant, that is the question.
Whether to suffer the slings and arrows of nematodes,
Or take arms against a sea of nematodes,
And by opposing end them,
That is what I meant.
gardenfanatic2003
15 years ago
EO, can you tell us which hostas those are, from left to right? Beautiful!

Deanna
ljrmiller
15 years ago
I didn't succeed with Great Expectations (and it's still a bit small, but I have patience) until my third try. The first two just vanished, but the third I found for a dollar one fall on clearance at a local nursery. I figured for a dollar, I didn't have much to lose, so I shoved it in the ground and wouldn't ya know it--it came back! I learned that Hostas prefer Fall planting in my garden (and now I only put Hostas in the ground in Fall) here, even though that doesn't make much sense to me. I would think that Hostas would want a nice, long, warm (and we don't have either long or terribly warm at night) growing season to get established, but then, this is Northern Nevada, where the best gardening advice is to forget everything you ever learned and hope for the best.
esther_opal
Original Author
15 years ago
Left to right

H.'Lyman' my sport of GE because it grows as opposed to the 100's I had that did not.
H.'On Stage'
H.'Loyalist'
H.'Wolverine'
H.'Lyman'

That was 5-17-08 the on stage and wolverine are over growing this spot so I'm going to replace them this fall. Think I'm going to use Heart and Soul and Sultana to echo the color of Lyman but smaller.

Lyman was a man in my Sunday School class that died of cancer and knew his days were numbered for about 2 years. He died as well as anyone I've ever known and named the plant in his honor. Never whined about his condition and maintained a positive good humored attitude at all times.

As it works out for me personally it has given my faith a solid foundation, nothing that happens shakes my faith now believing God was with him before he got cancer, was with him during his illness and he is with God now. He never comes to mind that I don't wish he was beside me to talk about life and the world.
starina
15 years ago
I have a GE that is about 4 years old. I bought it because I liked a mature specimen I saw in a photo. Not knowing GE's rep, I planted it in full shade, right under a large Chamaecyperus. It does get plenty of moisture since a soaker hose passed directly above it, but that is it. While I don't think it is a fast grower, it does seem to be doing well. Was I just lucky to get a good clone? Now that I know it is supposed to be fussy, will it kick the bucket on me?
I do think I'll limb the Cham. up a little.
Not a great shot, the angle is terrible, but here it is
esther_opal
Original Author
15 years ago
If limbing up the cham brings a good deal more light now then see attached before you decide when to limb up. If you knock it back as far as I did these it may not recover before fall.

Here is a link that might be useful: low to high light
starina
15 years ago
It will still be very well shaded EO. I just want to get the somewhat scraggly lower limbs off of the poor plant, no drastic changes in light levels. It is in a corner of the garden that was pretty neglected until recently, and deserves a better look.
esther_opal
Original Author
15 years ago
It looks like you have a nice one? A little more light will help it develop into the beauty of GE.
botanybabe
15 years ago
Someone asked "Does Growing H.'Great Expectations lead to Psychosis?"

The answer is:

Not if you don't expect it to thrive.

This is the answer to avoid the otherwise inevitable psychosis and the aftermath of running naked among the tattered leaves and ferns.

Lainey

Does Growing H.'Great Expectations lead to Psychosis

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