Here is Stuart Asch's gorgeous hosta from the Hosta Library.

Well if we all give up, we can always throw them on the driveway, Jo!

My dud is Independence. I relocated it last year and it still hasn't flourished in year 3. I'm giving it one more season to improve.

That's funny, DONNA...yeah, I need to drag it along the driveway...out of its pot, roots roughed up real good...then maybe that will scare it into moving along, lol!

Hmmm, your Independence looks good to me compared to mine! Looks lustrous...don't have one.

By flourish, you mean in size, shape, specks on margins, or all the above or none?

Jo, I have a feeling your Made You Look wasn't labelled properly. It looks nothing like any of the ones I've seen. Mine is always yellow and has never been green like yours.

Vanessa

All of the above.

Jo, there is something wrong with that hosta. I'm not sure what it is, but it's not normal. I don't think it's Made You Look, either. Send Chris an email. Ask his opinion. He's always good to answer.

bk

Yes, there are "dud" hostas, but often times you just got a bad tc. It happens. There are so many variables, could be them, could be your growing conditions. I don't count out a hosta that I like until I've tried it 3 times OR when I hear that several others also have a problem with it.

As an example, Fire and Ice is on difficult to grow lists, but it is just wonderful for me.

Don't be too quick to write off some of these. There really are some weak tc's that get shipped too early. If you buy the tiny little plugs, be sure to get more than one of each variety.

-Babka

Thanks, folks for the input and advice. Vanessa, you sure know your plants but I'm still hoping this is not a case of mistaken I.D. I believe this is a division from the grower and not mislabelled...even if it is alien looking, lol. I've purchased many terrific hostas from this vendor (very large home business) whom I compare to Jeff M. and Idiothe... no little itty bitty plants there unless they are a miniature). A lot of her inventory grows in the shade...the colour brightens with sun exposure however. She told me it would colour up. When I got Jimmy Crack Corn, he was green also, not gold. Now he is a gold beauty!

You're right though, I won't write this one off yet. It over-wintered in same pot it came in and got planted last August so it should survive. I'm hoping it's just ugly and unrecognizable when young, but will turn into a swan as it's supposed to.

I'll be doing a follow-up on it later as the season progresses.

here is a great reference from Ball Publishing I found online...changes in appearance reference as I was pondering whether my plant had been previously vernalized or not...interesting content to share.

When they come up in 2015 I will be able to tell what the duds were of 2014 !

I sincerely hope you'll have zero duds! :-)

Vanessa, here is pic one again...showing that leaf at 10 o'clock was turning lighter. I recall now that the vendor pointed this out to me...when I noted her mature plant looked so different.

Does the colour of yours go brighter after emerging by any chance or is it yellow from get-go? Thanks.

I have to say Charity did not fare well in my garden. Each year I'd say "It'll look better next year." But each year it was the same failure to thrive, by mid-season it would look tattered, melted and exhausted. Some Hostas just don't like a particular climate and Charity seemed to suffer from the heat here, despite being in the shadier end of the garden.

This is the earliest picture I can find...it was taken on June 7. It has one eye that needs to be removed (the solid one). The true Made You Look can be seen on the leaf towards the bottom of the picture.

Vanessa

Yes, I see what you've pointed out, Vanessa. Thank you for posting a picture. I really appreciate it. :-) your hosta is pretty and looks like it emerges a subtle yellow/green that yellows up.

I'm so curious and impatient to see mine emerging in the spring but it will be a long wait yet!

Thanks again!

I have a wait and see attitude for at least a few years before I think I have a dud. Some take a little time to start showing off. DD, your Independence looks good and might still turn out to be a beauty, especially if you moved it last year and it was just settling in again.

I showed my Silver Streak in the alphabet which seems like a dud so far. At least it comes back. The ultimate duds are the ones that get smaller each year until they fail to show up.

But I do have a dud that's been with me about 15 years. My Wide Brim was hit with the ugly stick. Poor thing doesn't compare to any of the beauties I see posted here. I remember reading that a percentage of WB had a problem with the tc ones. ....I'll see if I can find the picture.

Editing: (2nd try so hope 2 don't show up) I found a pic. I don't have many, and it's only half as old as I thought, but old enough to be showing its mature self.

My ugly stick Wide Brim

Sandy, your last paragraph hits home re WB.

• I
• Love
• The
• Bullets!
• Thanks, Houzz Team!

Frances Williams, every year. I've moved it several times and given it LOTS of water. Nothing seems to make any difference. This shot was in my "wild" area and is medium shade and no direct sun all day. You'd think I would give up on it some day. Soon it's going waaaay out back where the deer dine.

When I look at your pic, I see beauty in..

• The shape of leaf
• The size of leaf
• The generous amount of contrasting margin
• The gorgeous corrugation!

I really, really like your Dud, Jerry.

HostaTakeover, thank you for mentioning Charity. I am sorry it hasn't met your expectations yet but you have me interested in it! :-) I can always squeeze another mini in somewhere. ;-)

Paul and Vanessa also mentioned that they picked up some liners back in 2013 (I googled an older thread) so anyone that has one is in good company, IMO. I have put it on my "to-get" list after seeing some photos of it.

Thanks again...did you ever think your dud would ENABLE anyone to get one? :-)

Well, bummer! Here I am, all excited about a hosta...then find out after googling HostaFever, Stoneridge Gardens, Hosta Choice or Humber Nurseries that none of them carry it! Not available in Canada. :-(

It will stay on my list until comes to Ontario....well, I can hope...

Jo, I don't want to give 'Mayflower Moon' a bad reputation but it didn't do well for me into spring 2014 and I'm afraid it is probably a gonner come this spring. I think it's mbug who has a nice one growing in a pot, if I'm not mistaken.

Jo, given your location I'll bet Charity does great for you. It IS a pretty Hosta. I'll also point out that small Hostas have never fared well in my garden, whereas given their popularity they must fare very well in most everyone else's.

My 'On Stage' has done nothing since 2012. And I mean nothing.

Are you giving it some sun Don

Thank you, Vanessa...my search didn't produce those at all! Noted! I really like the smooth leaves. I'm scheduled to go road-tripping this year in search of hostas.

Don, you mentioned something before if memory serves me. Do you have a spot with more sun, as Sunnywood suggests? Fingers crossed.

In spring 2013, I moved On Stage/Choko Nishiki to a site with good sun, thinking that may be the issue. Good question though, and thanks for the suggestion. Fingers crossed, indeed. If it still underperforms this season, I'll replace it with another one. I'm not so sure I'll be replacing Orange Marmalade if THAT one is still lagging, though : )

Don B.

'Charity' kinda reminds me of 'Battle Star'. To be honest, THIS one hasn't done too much, either. Maybe this is the year.

Don B.

My dud was me.

Smiley Face is a very nice mini but it under performed for me. It was looking very good when I planted it and went downhill from there. Hopefully it will give me the chance to raise it up a bit and/or give it a little more grit.

Jo, no wonder you want Charity. It has 2 attributes I really like, nearly round leaves and shine! I would want that one too.

It is interesting the factors that come into play when a hosta is a success for one person and not another. Every poster grows great hostas then we find one that is a dud for us.

Great Expectations is a classic example of this. Dud for me but I will try again!

Peren.all- I'm on my 4th GE. Some of us never learn.

-Babka

GE is most beautiful....I, too, would keep on replacing it just to have its presence in the garden. I bought two more last year to ensure I'm never without one! :-)

I had to have Titanic the first year it was offered. $25 dud. So sad. It's a Sum&Sub sport, and I wanted something not too different from my Sum&Sub to finish a plot. I talked with a guy who raises and sells hostas who said my original might well have been a leaf culture which are known to growers as iffy. I bought another Titanic from Chick (who said he sells only splits), and at the 3d year in my garden, it has already passed the original in both size and coloring. So, the dud wasn't the plant but the original producer. I can hardly wait for the snow to go! I'm splitting an old hosta border this year and can't hardly wait to start.

It's hard to believe anything coming from Sum & Substance could turn out a dud, isn't it? So glad you persisted and got another, Patti! Me too!!! I keep looking outside to see if snow load is lighter-----not yet :-(

Have fun with the splitting of the hosta border. Getting dirty is the most fun of all!

I purchased H. Great Expectations last year and it is overwintering in my shed. It is known to be a very picky Hosta. This is the info. I came up with on GE:

Height 29”, Spread 58”. Needs shade for sure. Doesn’t
like to be in a long morning's worth of light. Has three colors: White, Darker
green & Chartreuse. This great specimen hosta plant has large puckered
yellow leaves edged by wide margins of blue and pale green. Midsummer brings
white flowers. Be
patient with this hosta as it needs to be sited in the perfect location and
also takes Many years to achieve its glory, but is well worth the wait! Yellow
with blue and green Type: Giant Slug Resistant Hosta

If you overwinter your Hosta in an unprotected location, such as the outdoors, you are asking for trouble. The roots could suffer a prolonged freeze which would retard the plants growth. Plants that will be overwintered in pots or containers should be in a shed or a garage.

Voles and mice can also eat Hosta roots:

Beware of voles and mice. They like to eat the Hosta crowns. Use Caster Oil that has Not been unscented. It’s usually found in the Pharmacy. Mix it with dish detergent and water. See directions on http://www.nhhostas.com/organic-vole-control.htm

When you water Hosta, you should pour the water on the dirt, not over the leaves. If water is poured over the leaves, they can turn brown or a spotted brown.

Another cause of browning that you see at the end of summer-early fall could be caused from nematodes. The photo of H. 'Frances William' shown above could be from this problem.

Foliar Nematodes: These microscopic worms that leave brown streaks in your Hosta’s leaves start to appear as early as late June in the south and the third week of August to the third week of September in the north. Cleaning up foliage in the fall versus the spring, helps to control pests and diseases.

Hopefully, some of this will help. I know some Hosta can be particular to locations. Morning sun or speckled sun works for most, and should help to bring out a golden color.

Good luck,

Kristen

My GE is quite pretty and I feel frightened whenever I think about moving it in the spring to my new house!

Paula, there's a valid reason for your fear....GE does not like being moved. I found that out when I dug it out....it was in a location it liked, here anyway in half-day sun...I potted it, then replanted it again after a move went south. It is one hosta that shows its displeasure! The leaves were smaller and I actually lost some growth. It has over wintered in an urn outdoors, tipped on its side, ... Beside the driveway! I'm showing it who's boss!

Treat it like the diva (it's so gorgeous) it is. I wonder if it can be fooled into thinking it grew at your new house all along? Could digging it up once it has finished pipping but before any unfurling even starts help, do you think?

I'm hoping that it gives you more pips this year!

My 4 h. 'Great Expectations' are doing fine in different soils and light locations. But my 2 'Earth Angels' in different locations are very very slooow growing up, they are my DUDs. Soon I will find out which of my hostas did not make it through winter due to any rot or get a virus, then I will have a chance to buy new ones. That's gardening.

One of my 3 'Sagae' is also doing very poorly, will replace soil and replace it with part of a well growing 'Cadillac' which likes more shade. I agree with others that tissue culture and soil problems are part of poor hosta performance.

No hostas like being moved. I'm going to move and split a border this year because I have to, but then I'm back to the 1-2-3 year wait for a good looking border again. two years ago, I moved a Patriot to a more shaded spot. The color diff was more pronounced the first year but the plants were SO skinny, I was sorry I moved it. Last year was a little better. This year, I am execting a much better display. Still, even if they don't fill out, the color improvement is worth waiting another year. I am just really, really glad that hosta gardeners live loooong lives!!

These stories are not heartening; although I am painfully aware of what to expect. We lived in our previous home only 5 years and most the hosta were only 2-3 years old so this move will be a major set back. Oh well, on a positive note, at least they are young.

I don't even know for sure what my soil is like here but I expect relatively good things, I have been told that this area is sandy. Sandy soil is what I had previously so I am experienced in 1. dealing with it and knowing what to do and 2. sourcing the material in bulk close by.

Bernd, my Earth Angel was doing quite well but then last year, it looked sad. Perhaps it is time for split to invigorate it.

Jade Cascade come from Wade and Gatton unceremoniously shoved in a box, then sulked all summer. I hope it's happier this year.

Kathy

Great Expectations - I have three and they're all duds.

GE year 4

GE year 3

GE year 2

That's it. I'm done; no more GE for me!

Frances Williams is famous for that burn. It's unlikely that it's nematodes.

bk

Looks like Great Expectations was properly named.