Is this Great Expectations?
Trying to confirm if this is GE? It came from a big box a couple years ago and I have not a clue what it is for sure. I have a terrible habit of just throwing stuff in the ground and then never remembering what it is. I have three of them and want to move them to intersperse with some other hostas I have but if they're definitely GE it seems like they're picky and I should probably leave them where they're happy.
Comments (16)
don_in_colorado
8 years ago
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
8 years agoRelated Discussions
Hosta Great Expectations?
Comments (5)the fact that it didnt die outright.. when you rescued it.. [and i use the term loosely.. lol] .....bodes against it being GE ....lol ... the coloration is about right ... but i cant figure why its not unfurling.. making me wonder if its not planted too deep .. you might want to scratch around and find out if it sunk significantly ... im not up to date on the thousand look alikes that allegedly grow better than the original .. so i will defer to others on the ID ... ken...See MoreGreat Expectations typical height?
Comments (6)Ken--sorry, I'm pretty much a Luddite, no camera, no home computer, no cell phone, no way to take pictures or post them. Believe what you want. Or not. I'm in east central Iowa, which according to Mark Zillis, is where hostas get larger than anywhere else in the country. I looked for my place for almost 5 years, it's got huge burr oaks with great filtered shade, and the soil is many inches deep with pure oak humus. I also have my own well, so can water as needed without incurring any expense. In very hot and dry years, any given area of the hosta beds will get 4 hours of sprinkler time every few days or as needed. The 8 foot fence keeps deer out, the large outdoor cat (now sadly deceased at the age of 18) kept voles, squirrels, rabbits, and chipmunks under control. Many of my hostas grow to be larger or much larger than they do elsewhere. Some are spaced out somewhat further than in other gardens, which also seems to help increase the mature size. But the main factors appear to be very good soil, enough water, and good light levels. I was first smitten with hostas in the late 1950s, and yes, I was a very young child at the time. I have remained fascinated by the genus, and might have learned a thing or three about hostas since then. But the best hosta advice I ever got was from Jerry Hadrava of Rosedale Hostas. He told me that if a plant wasn't doing well, rip it out and put it somewhere else with different conditions. That's exactly what I did with my first tiny tc GEs. They grew but did not thrive in a shady nursery bed, so after a year I ripped them out and moved them to a much sunnier area in the regular beds, and they took off and grew well just like any other hosta....See MoreGreat Expectations look-a-like
Comments (2)There is Beach Boy, and it is supposed to look like GE....See MoreGreat Expectations
Comments (7)I suggest that you dig up the entire plant with a garden fork, divide it out into single or double divisions, and remove the oddball divisions. You are more likely to find more single divisions than doubles. You will also find nice root structure on every division, and few or no roots connected to other divisions, so this one is quite easy to split. Then replant the new GE divisions in the same spot, spaced out slightly from each other, and within a week or so you won't be able to tell that it was divided. GE generally divides quite easily, and does tolerate this sort of treatment just fine. Be sure you replant it at the same shallow level you currently have, water thoroughly, and it will be fine. If you want to grow out any of the oddball divisions, be aware that the solid blue from GE can get huge, much larger than what used to be called elegans. I have a GE with a solid blue division, and the division is much taller than the GE, which runs 30-34 inches. The blue part is more like 38-40 inches tall, and only in it's third year. The blue also has much larger leaves and is slightly domed rather than flat or slightly inverted....See Morebkay2000
8 years agoglosgarden
8 years ago
sandyslopes z5 n. UT
8 years ago
paula_b_gardener 5b_ON
8 years ago
bragu_DSM 5
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoThis is GE
Taken from above, at the behest of the one who shall not be named …
yes, DO NOT move it.Mississippi Magpie
8 years agoY'all I will be SO surprised if it is and I managed to grown it cause I am not much of a gardener....houseplant quake in fear of me lol ;) I'm in Union glosgardner, which is a tiny town in the middle of nowhere about midways between Jackson & Meridian. Upper corner of Newton County. These are taken with my older Iphone and the colors are not the best. I bought these as the little $5 hostas at Lowe's I think (which I now realize is a giant no no) and this is the 3rd year I've had them. Here's a few more pictures that may be more helpful with sizing. I'll have to size them with a dollar tonight.
They are the three along the side of the house. Of course I have no clue what the others around my Japanese Maple are either. The colors are off in this as overly yellow/bright though.
Size in comparison to my hose holder. I have size 11 feet and all of them are "longer" than my foot when I put it beside if that makes sense.
Mississippi Magpie
8 years ago
Jon 6a SE MA
8 years agolast modified: 8 years ago
One of my 4 year old Great Expectations, recently unfurled, that was planted and never fertilized, never moved and watered only when it is very dry.
Jon 6a SE MA
8 years ago
Two of two that is very close to the first except a little less sun. I stepped on this when it was new and crushed 1/3 of it explaining why it is larger. By the looks of yours you stepped on yours as well.My advice is don't move it, don't fertilize it, don't water it unless it is very dry and it will be fine.
Jon
glosgarden
8 years agoglosgarden
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoMississippi Magpie
8 years agobkay2000
8 years agoThis was my Paradigm last year. I never had a Great Expectations. Magpie's hosta seems to have more of a third color than my Paradigm.
bk
Mississippi MagpieOriginal Author