The first ones are just late season decline. A lot of mine are starting to look that way. Not HVX,in my opinion. The unknown one looks like Whirlwind. Phil

They look typical for this time of the year!! Whew!! I know how scary it can be to not know, huh!

janice

I know I am probably just a worry-wart! I have planted hostas for about 3 years now. This year, I REALLY got into getting some nice plants all season, some expensive. I never really knew of the hosta viruses. But since I have been reading more about hostas and such, it makes you think that something is wrong. And especially since I just got some many new ones and spent a good amount of $, now I am worried about all the cheapy hostas I bought at regular nurseries.
AS soon as I saw that little bit of dimpling on the Stardust leaf, of course I got all worried!

I am just so happy that their is such a place to meet such nice people who share their knowledge! How great is that?

I almost wish I never read about the virus, but I guess it is better than not knowing at all!

So I have 2 out of 2 saying I am ok! Hopefully it will that way! LOL! Thanks so far!

The hosta is Whirlwind.
Don't worry about your hostas they look fine for this time of the year.

lack of water

heat damage

sun damage..

and no ... get a grip chicken little.. NO HVX

no.. your hosta are NOT ok.. but it isnt hvx

ken

I'd agree on most... but all you guys are OK with that Sum and Substance? This time of year, showing that much color variation, including blue spots and mottling???

I'm not Chicken Little and I ascribe to the Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy motto "Don't Panic" - but I'd sure keep an eye on that one...

I don't see the classic ink bleed from the veins on the S&S. But, it doesn't look like S&S to me.

Well, Actually looking back at notes on the the S&S, I planted it 3 years ago, not just 1 year. SORRY! I always wondered why it stayed on the small size. Maybe it is not S&S after all?
if there is any doubt, please let me know if I should pull it or not. It is just a small plant, and I rather pull it then take a chance getting my mature hostas sick. Especially if there is doubt that the plant isnt even what it is suppose to be in the first place! LOL!

Thanks guys for all the info I am getting!!!!

The plant labeled as S&S certainly looks virused to me. I've seen quite a few S&S in various gardens that came from box stores, and most were showing virus symptoms. After a couple of years in the ground, this is what they look like. The somewhat stunted growth rate may attributable to the virus, being potted by the seller in a very small pot, and less than ideal growing conditions, which could include anything from vole damage to lack of water or light. If a diseased S&S is planted in an absolutely ideal spot, it may not show viral symptoms for many years, and then only more mild signs of the disease such as the ink bleed look. This plant appears to be showing a very high viral load.

UGG! So if it is diseased, how do I know if the other hostas in the bed are too?

So should I not plant any new hostas in the same bed?

I just got a bunch of new ones, and I do not want to take a chance. I did have the new hostas in pots in a cardboard holder, not too far away from this hosta for a week or so. Can they catch it just being near it?

I thought I was ok and in the clear. Now I have to worry again :(

BTW, the S&S hosta I bought from a hosta farm that was closing down and selling out hostas cheap through the mail. I cannot remember the name of the farm off hand. It was about 3 years ago. So it was not from a store.

I have several other hostas from them too, DO I have to worry about them?

I know this hosta did get too much sun this year and was on the dry side. It used to have more shade until a tree fell down last year, and now it has more sun. So is there a chance it still could just be shortage of water and too much sun?

Please buy a pack of HVX testing strips. Every year I test one or two that look suspicious, and I've only discovered one that was virused so far, and it was so obvious that I really didn't need a test. Why worry and wonder? Test it, and find out for sure.

Ok, so how do I test them?> WHere do I get these strips?

I only remember reading about them in a post here a while ago. Are they expensive to do? Can you just buy what you need?

SO does everyone now think it is a virus instead of stress? I am so confused! LOL!

THanks! Christy

What you have here is a spectrum of opinions... and evidence that visual examination of a single snapshot can't rule out virus or, except in very severe cases, confirm it. In the case of your sum and substance, there's not even agreement if it is s&S.

There are a few mass produced hostas that are particularly known for being virused as we know large numbers of virused stock came in from Europe a few years back. S&S is one of the prime virus varieties... which made me even more suspicious.

People are even of two minds on testing. The strips are not terribly expensive. You can google to find the source and instructions on their use. On the other hand, many folks would say that S&S is also pretty inexpensive and can be replaced for not much more than testing will cost. A lot of folks would say - carefully remove it, package it up (don't put it into your compost pile) and get rid of it.) I like Lois advice - I'd test because I'd want to know for sure... because I like to know stuff...

You mentioned concern about your other hostas. You really should do some research on HVX - there's lots of good info just a google away. It is spread mechanically, plant to plant... you can pretty much think of it as moving from the infected plant to the next by transferring sap. You can leave an infected plant in a spot for quite a while without doing any damage as long as you make sure it doesn't spread - which means any tools you use in the area that could contact the leaves or root ball should be thoroughly disinfected to prevent spreading the virus to the next plant you work with.

Research is being done right now on how hard it is to spread the little devil. The preliminary results reported at the AHS convention suggest that it may be more difficult to spread than feared. Still - we know it can be spread by tools, by power washing, probably by plants touching foliage or roots...

Well, regardless, I do agree to pull it. However, if I were to test it first, just to be safe, I guess I would have to leave it in a little longer.

I tried to search the testing strips as much as I could. The only place I could find them for sale is Agdia. I am just a little confused at what exactly I am buying.

I see the strips, that start with 5 for like $27. But after trying to read some more, that is not the whole test? I assume that is just strips? I need a special bag it seems, anything else?

I think they have a kit, but I am just confused at what I actually have to purchase, being someone who needs everything to start off.

I feel so bad that I seem so uneducated here recently. Sorry! I really do appreciate the help! I really do try to read a lot before bothering the forum with questions.

Now, As you can see, the so-called, "Sum and Substance", I have never trimmed anything from it. At this part of the bed, it is also near a few other 2 year old hostas, that are young, and I have never used any tools on them or S&S to trim or cut. So I guess that is good.

I guess once I figure out how to test it, I can decide if I want to remove any others from the bed. After spending a bunch of money on nice hostas this year, I do not want to save these common ones if there is any chance that they are diseased.

Thanks so much for all the help so far!

I have bought the Agdia strips. The whole test comes in one pack, strips and bags together. Everything you need for the test is included. So for $27 you will be able to test 5 hosta. They are said to be good for one year, but there is a line on each test strip which shows if the test results are valid or not. Mine are going on 15 months, and they are fine. The test is simple to perform. The folks at Agdia were great to work with. Good luck.

Thank you loisf! It is so much easier to understand when someone explains it to you, rather than just looking at the website directions. Sometimes they are confusing.
I was just confused about the 5 pack/$27, and did not know if it contained everything I needed or not. Now I know that I can just get that, and it is all there for me.

Let's hope it is not the virus, and that I come back here with good news! LOL!

BTW loisf, when you tested your hosta, was it ok?

I've tested four hosta... Summer Music (obviously virused and tested positive) and Niagara Falls, montana and Moon Glow (last three were negative). It was really reassuring to know that they were okay.

I just wanted to send everyone an update about my hostas as promised.

I wanted to let everyone know that I did purchase the strips from Agdia as suggested by you all. I did test the Sum and Substance that showed some signs for concern. However, it did test NEGATIVE for HVX.
So I wanted to thank you all for your help again. And also know that my hostas are HVX disease free!
I know it was good to do the research I did about HVX, but sometimes reading so much about it scares you into thinking you may have it when you see the slightest blemish. I am happy I took the extra time to test because now I can relax!
I am still thinking of pulling the S&S anyway and putting something in there that looks more appealing.
Thanks to all for the help again! Christy

The hosta library (www.hostalibrary.org)has a section on HVX that is very informative. It would be helpful for you to read about it.
Peggy