Your picture of June is gut wrenching! I don't have a particularly large hosta collection (yet), but June is my favorite among the bunch. I was very fortunate to have bought June in what was probably its very first year or two in the U.S. I knew nothing about hostas; I just liked the leaves on the (very small) plant. It was hideously expensive at the time, and it doesn't look quite like so many of the later TC'd Junes I've seen. There once was talk of different versions of June, but I believe many hosta people don't believe that any more. But if true, I have a "true" June. If it were to contract HVX, I'd be devastated. Anyway, I'm rambling once again....For information, discussion and details, including lists of hostas known to be HVX carriers, I suggest a visit to Hallson Gardens Forum. In fact, the forums have a Hosta virus X forum. In addition, if you have a plant you want tested and you don't want to buy a test kit, you can send a leaf to Chris Wilson, of Hallson Gardens. He is one of the experts on the disease and will test it for a small fee. Often, he'll be able to make an assessment by image alone. I haven't had time to visit the hosta forum here in some time, but he does pop up on it from time to time, particularly when HVX is the topic. If you are interested in growing hostas, I suggest you avoid the big box stores. "Average" nurseries as well. Having said that, I believe many sellers are now aware of HVX and, naturally, would want to ensure that they do not sell diseased plants. Still, I'd be careful. I buy hostas from a few mail order sources -- Hallsons and Naylor Creek are on most hosta collectors' short lists. Another thing to bear in mind is that the signs of HVX, particularly in the earlier stages, can be difficult for the average gardener to distinguish from things like frost damage, etc. Same with figuring out whether solid green- or blue-leaved hostas are diseased, particularly if the leaves are naturally bumpy. BTW unless the recommendation has changed, I'd always heard that a diseased hosta should be removed immediately - that you should not wait until autumn. What is the benefit of waiting? I've not had to do it, but annie golden, if I were you, I'd wear disposable gloves and lift the plants by hand if possible. If not possible, I'd use a shovel or spade either to be discarded after or marked in some way to indicate the tool is never to be used for hostas. Bag the plants and throw away. The reason not to wait until autumn is that there is a chance, low though it may be, that burrowing animals, such as voles, might transmit the virus to your other hostas. Also, continue to watch your other plants. I've not followed HVX news in a couple of years, but last I heard, some hostas take much longer than others to show symptoms. The one that immediately comes to mind is Sum And Substance, which, according to comments on Hallson's HVX forum, potentially could take as long as 10 years to show symptoms. Also, I'm not sure what benefit is to be derived by quarantining in pots. Is that the newest recommendation? Because HVX also can be transmitted via sap from broken leaves or stems, too. I hope I'm not conveying outdated information or misinformation here! So, like I said, best bet if you want to educate yourselves is to visit Hallson's HVX forum.

I have no problem with pepper and their sexual thing-being both male and female at the same time... When did I say anything about Pollination,or the process there of? Though I do get told every once in a while to go pollinate myself,which being a human,not a pepper , is impossible without surgical procedures-if even them...I don't really know... It wasn't the sex part of peppers I was talking about. It was breeding plants to have giant,gold speckled or purple and white buds. Seems some one else got a woody when pollen or pollination wasn't mentioned...except in their own mind... :) Check out some of the pics of wild and C.Baccatum or C.Pubescens buds on the net. Simply magnificent in colour and form. Plus most put out great tasting pods. A lot of the different Pepper buds put a nicer looking bud/flower than lot of the common weed/flower varieties (roses,2lips etc.) of plants grown for flower looks. I wasn't in any way referring to The size of the ship and or the motion of the ocean. LOL

Last October I went to the Beaufort (SC) Shrimp Festival. Great time, great food. While there I ate lots of shrimp and seafood, including some really tasty raw oysters. When I got back to the office Monday on my fax machine was a report from the SC health department, which said "Don't eat raw oysters from SC at this time; they've found Vibrio in the oyster beds." Sure enough, within a day I got some really explosive GI symptoms, and a high fever to boot. Fortunately no nausea or vomiting, just explosive diarrhea. Here's my rationalization: Hey, I've eaten hundreds of dozens of raw oysters over the years without any problems, so I probably have hundreds more to go before I get another setback. Just kidding. Vibrio is some nasty stuff, and if you have a compromised immune system and/or a lousy liver, you want to make sure that those shellfish are cooked. You don't have to cremate them, but make sure they are cooked. On the other hand, if you're looking for a fun weekend in early October, you could do a lot worse than Beaufort. The 2014 Shrimp Festival dates are October 3 and 4. Here is a link that might be useful: Beaufort Shrimp Festival

That's hilarious.....where the heck did you find that picture? Oh....I get it. It's a self portrait. :) Tim