Hi Paul: I just did as you said and pulled the dirt away from the crown of the plants. There is no way I could have moved the plant without making it worse with all the rain we have had. Overnight I totally lost one of my mini's and when I was moving the dirt away from my Blue Mouse Ears, the plant loosened up so much it came out. I've taken a photo of it. Looks like something was eating the roots too?? Also, I saw a couple of rabbits out today and I'm wondering if they are helping munch on the leaves. Do you think I can save it by planting it and keeping it inside for the winter? THANKS!

I wonder if the grubs have been eating the roots. It wouldn't hurt as this point to pot it up in some wood base loose soil, water lightly only and keep in a cool bright place.

I'm wondering the same thing about the dang grubs! Wood base loose soil??? Mix some wood mulch with planting soil? sorry...

If you go to a nursery or big box store you will find a bag of potting soil which has a wood product as the first ingredient. It should say so on the label, Good luck.

Thanks, Paul!

U R

Lynn I feel for you. I planted my hostas around the end of May, after the last frost. `10 plants.
I have only 2 left. My dead plants look exactly like yours above. Nothing I was advised to try did any good at all.

I can successfully grow Hosta "Guacamole" without issues. They come back each year. But others I have tried have either rotted out or totally disappeared. I read that Hosta Guacamole was grown specifically for our area, intense tropical heat, high humidity, shade/part sun. After many years of trying to get Hostas to grow, I am happy to have found Guac. Maybe the type of Hosta you planted is not meant for your area? Just a thought.

Rotting is a drainage issue. An overabundance of any of the various critters that thrive in such areas is a symptom. Until the soil/drainage/tilth in this area is improved, most plants put there are likely to suffer the same fate, although putting the crown under the soil is not something one should do with Hosta. Few plants would appreciate that, which would cause the plants to rot and be a perfect meal for any critters that ingest dead plant material, and could have contributed to the demise of these plants. I'm not sure correct placement would save future Hostas or other plants, so am here babbling about soil again.

Although they are usually quite sensitive to drying out, shade plants are also especially sensitive to poor drainage, most of which come from the understory of forests, if not epiphytic. The natural layer of fertile, moist-yet-airy, loose duff created by decomposing OM on the surface is the perfect environment for them to thrive. The only way to begin to replicate/repair that is to add OM to the soil. Adding it to the surface is how it is done naturally. Disturbing the soil is devastating to both the drainage and moisture-retention properties of soil, and to most of the beneficial life forms, although can be repaired over time, and is necessary to add plants to a garden, sometimes desired to incorporate OM into the soil. I wouldn't attempt that under a tree, any kind of tilling.
http://permaculturenews.org/20...

Potting soil is not meant for use in ground beds, whether primarily peat (addressed above) or not. Potted plants notoriously have issues with rotting roots from excess moisture retention/lack of air pockets. Such added to the ground would exacerbate a drainage problem in times of too much rain, and become hydrophobic in times of too little.

Ammonia has a very high PH, I would not put it on plants, or the ground, where the effects are likely to linger. It is used for the purpose of altering soil PH.
https://www.google.com/#q=ammo...

Lynn0805 said:Claudia: I will definitely raise them up a bit. Hum ammonia/water that definitely sounds like a plan. I've not heard that one but I'll give anything a try; its better than putting dishes with beer around (i caught more than the grubs!). Like you I think the location is fine because they only get a couple hours or early morning sun. But something definitely was eating away at the leaves. Even if the leaves are almost all gone on a couple of the mini-hostas, with it being this late in the season, do you think I might have a chance they will come back if the roots haven't been damaged by something munching on them? Thanks for the helpful tips!

I do think there is a very good chance they will come back for you Lynn!

This may not be relevant, since the plants are already in the ground, but whenever i hear 'drainage issue", I think "raised beds".

If you could go back in time and make the bed deeper - perhaps even as deep as the surrounding stones allow - and mix the manure compost with faster-draining, coarse material, the drainage would be improved.

I've often wished for a gardening time machine after learning something! Good luck with these plants coming back. I have a few hostas in a patch of grass, left there by a previous owner. They come back even if I step on them or nick them with the mower.

(My favorite soil-lightening material is bark. I start with pine bark nuggets or cheap confer mulch and screen it to get gritty and chunky stuff for more air and faster drainage. I use fine and fibrous bark to hold more water, or to mix with heavy clay soil and give it a little structure for a few years.

Of course, grit, crushed stone and very coarse sand or Perlite will help drainage. And inorganic things won't decompose and subside next year, or require nitrogen as they decompose.

But I agree with the person who didn't want to dig down into soil that has tree roots in it! Better to build "up" if you can, and have a raised bed. Just don't let the soil bury the bark - it won't like that. You might put a small "inner wall" around the tree so its bark keeps the existing depth.

EVERYONE: Thanks AGAIN for all the wonderful advice! If I can't get these plants to make it with all this helpful information...maybe Hostas and I don't belong together I sure hope not though because I really like Hostas. Here's hoping :)

Rick: I would love raised beds...especially in my veggie garden! Something to work on. Also, I know it would help to add material to the soil to lighten it up. Sure do have lots to do now Thanks again!

Thank you!

One nice thing about soil amendments and raised beds: as you add amendments, the soil level rises. Hope you find lots of leaves to compost!

hummmmm raising the level is nice on an old back too. I've been scoping out the leave situation and I think I'll be awful busy these next couple of weekends! Mulch, mulch mulch!

I've also been wondering during this whole discussion about the "all horse manure compost". Obviously, straw or hay was mixed in stables with the manure, but just how pure is the manure? No idea here. But I've never known anyone to not mix manures with something else. Even fully rotted, could it be too manure-rich? Fine roots on a root structure that normally has large roots (like hosta) can be indicative of heavy soil and/or soil that is too rich. Looking closely at your root pic, Lynn, I'm not sure what has caused those fine rootlets, but it is a possibility.

Perhaps someone can educate me....
On a pile of such "just horse manure" how long does it take for things to grow on it, other than just weeds, I mean?

Hi Lynn.
Those look like Crane fly grubs, and they can be very destructive. They do eat the roots and crowns of plants.
http://buckeyeturf.osu.edu/ind...

Leftwood said:

Perhaps someone can educate me....
On a pile of such "just horse manure" how long does it take for things to grow on it, other than just weeds, I mean?

I put some pictures of my recent experiences with straight horse manure here The thread "Is it possible to grow in straight horse manure?" in All Things Gardening forum .

Wow, thanks for posting that, Chelle!

We can scratch my thoughts on that one, then.
And thanks for posting it on a separate thread, rather than here. That is information will benefit everyone!

and welcome.

Double thanks Chelle. That really surprised me. Great information.