Fwd: New Garden Plot for Hostas

Thanks Ken, for taking the time to answer my questions about my new garden..
I appreciate the info.  By the way, I called the U. of Minnesota Arboretum and
spoke with their expert on hostas and he too reasurred me that the wood chips
were not the problem..

Ronnie

-- BEGIN included message

  • To: hosta-open@mallorn.com
  • Subject: Re: New Garden Plot for Hostas
  • From: M*@aol.com
  • Date: Fri, 7 Aug 1998 10:04:55 EDT
In a message dated 8/6/98 11:14:06 PM Eastern Daylight Time, RonnieEA@aol.com
writes:

<< Just wanted to ask you a few questions about my new garden for
 hostas..  It is a newly cleaned up area (rake leaves and pull out under
 growth) and it is in an area with old oak trees all around - lots of oak
 leaves in the fall.  SOUNDS PERFECT TO ME.....
 
 Anyway, it seems as though nothing is growing very well - some of the leaves
 on my Zounds are falling apart from the edges inward and other plants are
 doing the same.  On the new leaves of other hostas (Abiqua Drinking Gourd for
 one) the new growth seems to be very thin - not heavy like the others.   And
 most of the plants have little growth.  IF, AS YOU SUGGEST THESE ARE FIRST
YEAR PLANTS.....DONT WORRY ABOUT IT.....IN THIS YEARS EXCESSIVE HEAT &
DROUGHT, HUNDREDS OF MY PLANTS [NEW & OLD] ARE DOING THE SAME.....
 
 I'm wondering if the soil, which is rich  black and humousy (sp?) is the
 problem,  perhaps too acidic, or could it be a lack of sunlight or ABSOLUTELY
NOT......HOSTA LIKE AN ACIDIC SOIL [BUT DONT GET CARRIED AWAY]  ....AND YOU
CANT HAVE TOO MUCH HUMOUS...AS TOO THE LACK OF SUNLIGHT, IT WILL ONLY MAKE THE
PLANT TAKE A LITTLE LONGER TO DO EVERYTHING.....BE PATIENT.....

......could the problem perhaps be that I have mulched the whole area with
shavings from cedar wood - it smells quite nice - but I have heard that some
woods leach the
 nitrogen from the soil....  I DONT BUY THE LEACHING THEORY.....IF IT IS A
CONCERN, BROADCAST SOME GENERAL FERTILIZER OVER THE WHOLE BED IN SPRING AND
SUMMER.......NO NITROGEN AT THIS TIME OF YEAR......I USED TO USE 6-24-24 AT
THIS TIME OF YEAR.....KEEP THEM ROOTS GROWING.....I USE CEDAR EXCLUSIVELY IN
MY YARD.....I TOO LIKE THE LOOK & THE SMELL.....DO KEEP IN MIND THAT IN ALL
REALITY, BREATHING IS CARCINAGENIC......SMOKING IS; BABY TALC IS; HERBICIDES
ARE; INSECTICIDES; YOUR NEIGHBORS ARE; STRESS IS;  ETC....FRANKLY ANYTHING YOU
INHALE IS BAD FOR YOUR LUNGS, INCLUDING MOST OF THE AIR WHICH WE
BREATH......SO DONT SWEET THE WARNINGS ALL THAT MUCH......OBVIOUSLY IF YOU ARE
APPLYING THE MULCH & ITS DUSTY, YOU MIGHT WEAR A CHEAP MASK.....BUT AFTER THE
FIRST WATERING OR RAIN, TOXIC INHALANT CONCERNS SHOULD BE REDUCED TO
NIL............

Then again, perhaps I am asking for too much from
 newly planted hostas.  ABSOLUTELY......RELAX....GO BUY A FEW MORE HOSTA, AND
QUIT WORRYING.....IN FACT I JUST ABOUT IGNORE NEWLY PLANTED BEDS THE FIRST
YEAR, BECAUSE THEY ARE SO UGLY....I INSURE THAT THE PLANTS ARE LIVING, BUT I
WORK UNDER THE PRESUMPTION THAT I WILL HAVE A BED OF UGLY DUCKLINGS FOR THE
FIRST YEAR....AND SOME REAL WEIRD LOOKING PLANTS THE SECOND, IN THAT THEY
BARELY MATCH GIVEN DESCRIPTIONS .....BUT WATCH OUT THAT 3 YEAR, AND
BEYOND,.....BE WELL KEN
 
 Anyone experienced similar problems?  Got any suggestions?
 
 Thanks - Ronnie >>
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