Re: Hosta Question Please!
- Subject: Re: [SG] Hosta Question Please!
- From: M* T* <m*@HORT.NET>
- Date: Tue, 14 Sep 2004 01:02:56 -0400
Sounds like voles to me. They eat the roots from underground - small
round holes are a sure sign of this pest. If the hosta is large, it
will fall over and look like it's been dug up since a bad attack
creates a hole around the crown.
If your friend will quickly pot up those plants - remove most of the
leaves - they should root and survive...takes a few years for them to
reach the same glory tho'.
Voles are NOT my favorite animal. I've started planting my hosta in
large nursery containers with the bottoms cut out. I dig the hole,
insert nursery container, fill the bottom with about 2" of 3/4
bluestone gravel from the driveway and plant the hosta. So far
(knock on wood) this seems to be working. Pot needs to stay a couple
inches above grade level so they don't just hit it from above ground.
Best vole deterrent is a hunting cat. Failing that, there are poison
baits available but they need to be carefully dealt with. Some
people use bottomless heavy plastic gallon or larger water jugs and
put the bait over a run with the jug over it. One does not want
other wildlife finding and eating these baits.
I use the rock and pot method and swear a lot....just found a lovely
cut-leaf violet laying on the ground yesterday; no roots....turned
the air blue...
Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@hort.net
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> From: BPeter Brandt-Sorheim <TALLSCAPES@AOL.COM>
> A hosta friend wrote of an unusual problem. Perhaps the group has
suggestions.
> Peter Brandt-Sorheim.
Mt. Morris,
> NY
> In a message dated 13/9/2004 17:19:51 Eastern Standard Time, a
hosta friend
> wrote:
> My hosta plants are being eaten. Not all--but I've found two or
three dug up
> and lying on their sides near their holes. It doesn't appear that
the leaves
> have been eaten--only the roots!
>
> It appears to me that some rodent may be doing this--but I'm not
sure. I live
> in southern New Hampshire. We do have a proliferation of chipmunks
this
> year--and a few red squirrels I've not seen before in the area.
Moreover, I've
> found quite a few two-three inch diameter holes in our
lawn--indicating some
> animal might very well have burrowed a home in these places.
>
> Might you have any suggestions for me? I love hostas. They're such
hearty
> plants--and gorgeous.
