I would say it could. All HVX needs to transmit is living tissue or sap from an infected plant to come in contact with the cut, scraped, chewed tissue, sap of another hosta.

Since other hosta virus can be transmitted by insects or nematodes it should be even easier for transmission of these, as it always is.

Jon

So then, does it not make sense to remove an infected plant immediately? Unless of course you have no deer or blasted bunnies in your garden.

**sigh** Should say "have been".

I would say leaving an HVX hosta in place and euthanizing it with Roundup is the way to go normally. You have added the question of animals chewing up plants which would introduce spreading the virus if the hosta are being chomped on.

What I would do in this case is take some snips/ scissors and cut off the leaves of an HVX infected pant and paint the stubs with Roundup (glyphosate) eliminating spreading by hungry rabbits or deer. Disinfecting the cutting tool with bleach or Dawn antibacterial soap.

If you have another virus which can be transmitted by insects or nematodes I would say that the same leave snipping, glyphosate procedure would be a good idea. With noting left to eat transmission is halted and the infected hosta is eliminated. I assume digging out a non-HVX virus infected hosta carries the same danger as digging up an HVX infected hosta. In addition I would spray the area to kill any insects / nematodes that could spread other virus. Since they can carry the infection they could be contaminated. With HVX this isn't the case.

I don't know for sure that animals can transmit virus, but it seems intuitive that it is possible. Without doing controlled studies no one could be sure.

Jon

Thanks Jon! If I should ever encounter this situation, that's the plan.

Compare animal teeth to garden tools. I do not think that animal saliva is a strong disinfectant. Therefore, when I got an HVX or rotting plant, I taped the petioles together and removed plant and soil, lined the hole and filled up with fresh soil, ready to plant new hosta. Problem was then gone permanently and not lingering around.

As long as you are sure that you have extracted every bit of root which could live over 2 years. Lined with what Bernd?

Jon, one time 3 or 4 years ago I did not line it, the now mature Krossa Regal has no sign of disease. 3 years ago I lined one with several layers of newspapers, that new hosta there is happy too, no HVX. There are others on this forum which have done what I do years before me successfully. Nowadays I line it with landscape fabric, though this year mostly for rot. So what do you think will happen when you remove the plant, but leave the soil there, then plant an astilbe there? I think the virus will enter the astilbe, and you have the danger of transmitting it again.

I've looked at this post several times today, It makes me crazy.

Come on Guys, get a grip. It's very unlikely that a rabbit or deer will transmit hvx. Of all the things to worry about, this seems to me, the least likely.

First, the deer is going to take a bite of a hvx infected plant. He's going to swallow. Then, he's going to take another bite and swallow. He moves on to the next plant that is not infected. He has residue hvx in his mouth. He takes a bite and swallows. Every bite he takes has less hvx in it, because he swallows. Suppose it's after the plant blooms, then it's unlikely to infect anyway. Even if it was possible in the first place.

Worry about something that is likely. HVX is not an easily transmitted virus. The idea that a deer is going to transmit it is unlikely.

bk

bkay, do you know that deer and rabbits do not brush their teeth and rinse with bleach every time after they take a bite? I just ate a raisin muffin, and there are raisin muffin particles everywhere in my mouth, including between my teeth. Now I take a sip of coffee and transfer a few of those onto the rim of my coffee cup, etc. We talk about viruses, very very small particles, which are there even when you think they are no longer there.

Let's use a different analogy. I'm eating an hvx infected corny dog (State Fair time soon). I take two bites and move on to an ice cream cone. (I've swallowed it, meanwhile my mouth is covered with decomposing chemicals that are bathing my mouth) I have a little residue of corny dog still in my mouth. I take a bite of the ice cream. (bathing chemicals again) Some of the residual hvx infected corny dog is on the ice cream. I take another bite of the ice cream cone. I just bit off the part with the corny dog on it and the hvx is pretty well swallowed by then.

The chemicals in our mouth (and animals mouths) are chemicals that start to break down the food immediately. That's why you aren't supposed to drink out of the milk jug or lick the spoon while you're dipping ice cream. Those chemicals will "spoil the broth".

You're also assuming that a minute exposure will infect the plant. We don't know how much hvx it takes to infect a plant. We also don't know if hvx can survive in rabbit or deer saliva. Those are big questions.

The whole scenario seems pretty remote to me.

bk

Even if deer or rabbits may not transmit HVX by nibbling on hostas, it is perfectly possible that the damage deer do with their hooves would transmit HVX. Even rabbits will hook a claw or two into a hosta plant to pull it down to eat (seen it happen), and if they then went on to the next plant and did the same thing, HVX could certainly be spread.

I'm also concerned about replanting in a spot from which a virused hosta was removed. The current thinking is to never plant another hosta in that spot. Please keep in mind that HVX does not necessarily show up in an infected plant within any specific time frame. If the plant becomes stressed, it is more likely to show symptoms, but the only sure way to know if any given hosta is infected is to test for HVX in the spring. A diseased plant can go for a very long time without showing any signs of HVX, or it can become symptomatic fairly quickly.

Another concern with replanting in a spot that previously had a virused hosta would be how much dirt do you remove? Some hostas have a fairly limited root system, others (such as Frosted Jade) will send roots out 3 feet in every direction, and 2-3 feet straight down. That it potentially a 6 feet by 6 feet by 3 feet deep area, which is 4 cubic yards of dirt. Hostas that spread by rhyzomes become even more problematic. As for lining a hole, newspaper composts within a year, and most landscape fabric is water permeable.

I don't believe astilbes are on the list of plants that are susceptible to HVX, but bernd is right, there are certain other species that will carry HVX, although most do not show symptoms. If you want to plant other species in HVX suspect areas, check the list of plants that aren't known to harbor the virus.

The bottom line here is that it should never be assumed that a hosta is HVX free unless spring testing has been done.

bk, now if I am munching on an HVX infected corn dog and take a bite of another corn dog would that corn dog be infected?

Did you brush your teeth?

bk

With Dawn.

Jon

OMG, I think some of us have HVX in the brain. I bet it was a corn dog that I was eating in the garden!

Sherry

They even have batter dipped fried butter, ice cream, Twinkies, snickers......I have even seen batter dipped hamburger ....hmmm, that sounds good.

Thanks Don, that looks truly disgusting!

Jon, how does the butter one even work, does not compute lol. I hear tales of the batter burger from the big smoke of Dublin but not seen them out here in the sticks, I have heard about the battered chocolate bars from Scotland and even pizza slices yuk yuk yuk

Corn dogs have been around forever (which means they are about as old as I am). I've heard they originated at the Texas State Fair, but I'm not sure. It's State Fair time here, which is a big deal. An article in this week's paper is talking about what kinds of disgusting battered, fried foods they are adding to the vendors this year. Kids even get out of school a day to go to the fair. It looks like the item of the year may be a corn, cream cheese, jalapeno and a couple of other ingredients, rolled and deep fried. There's also a Margarita spiked with bacon. (ken!!! where are you?)

I love the state fair.

bk

1/2 stick ( 2 oz ) cold butter shopping list wooden sticks to insert into the cold stick of butter shopping list thick sweet fry batter made with cinnamon and honey shopping list oil to deep fry in a fryolator shopping list Confectionery sugar glaze to drizzle over shopping list

How to make it

• Okay folks, you'll have to use your favorite batter recipe for fried foods and thicken and sweeten it up so the butter will melt into it when deep fried
• Dip the cold stick of butter into the thick batter
• Hold the stick of butter by the end of the wooden stick and slowly place it into deep hot oil and keep it there for 3 minutes ( or till deep golden )
• Carefully remove it from oil, place in a paper dish ( like for hot dogs ).
• It almost looks like a corn dog.
• Drizzle on a sweet glaze

Call 911.

If you have trouble sticking the batter to the butter, just dust it with flour, before you dip it in the batter.

bk

HVX to corndogs...I love it!

How many more steps before we get to Kevin BACON?

HA HA, Deb! The Iowa State Fair holds the record for the most corn dogs devoured in an hour (8400).