Do any of the blues keep the color for you all season? I know us southern gardeners have to accept this as collateral damage for having hostas. I have read that foliar feeding fertilizers will melt the blue off, sunshine, and now I read that rainfall will do it. My blues barely made it into June. Some of them had faded tags and while trying to ID them I couldn't remember if they were originally blue or not!

My Fragrant Blue will still have blue through out the season because it keeps producing new leaves and is a well shaded area.

A lot of my blues took a hit this year, between having a tree taken down and high heat, however Blue Lettuce, Blueberry Muffin, Wishing Well, First Blush and a volunteer all did well considering, I usually do not have much noticeable melting until 2-3 week in July. Queen of the Seas is the one that first showed melting, Big Daddy just melted into a puddle like in Oz. I rarely foliar feed, normally just 10-10-10.
Evening Blush

Volunteer

Wishing Well

Mine that are in the deeper shade still look good. Some of mine are looking like it's the end of July/first of august this year. Strange year...

Knew First Blush do not look right, corrected to Evening Blush.

Rj I soon will know your pain of losing your shade tree. I have a tremendous cherry bark oak that started listing to starboard after Hurricane Ivan in '04. Then last fall another hurricane tilted it more, now I can see the outline of the roots uplifting the soil and fence.
I've already talked to my brother about building me a shade cloth tent over that area until I can get some trees growing.
All is not lost though as I have another area that I'm going to plant shade plants, as soon as I move the sunny ones.
Thanks to all for responding!

Same experience here as Rose. My blues that get more sun have faded but those in the deeper shade still look good. I never had much burn out at my old home where the hosta garden was pretty evenly shaded everywhere under a very nice sugar maple…

Kabby said:Rj I soon will know your pain of losing your shade tree. I have a tremendous cherry bark oak that started listing to starboard after Hurricane Ivan in '04. Then last fall another hurricane tilted it more, now I can see the outline of the roots uplifting the soil and fence.

Well Gertie came down with all the rain we've been having. Took out most of a box elder and half of my precious gingko. Missed the house thank goodness.



I'll miss her.

Glad you were safe!

Wow! Plants and shrubs and small trees are replaceable, but lives are not! Thank God you all are safe. Also glad your house was not damaged by the tree coming down!

I'm sorry for the loss of a beloved tree, but glad you are all safe and that your house wasn't damaged.

Thanks all, after the cleanup will be the decision of what to plant in her place.

Happy no one was hurt.