2016.06.1 Survival Information


May 17
Just spoke with the landscaping company about Garden Zone D.  Looking like were on the same page for getting that ready. I made a fast count of the bricks on the top edge and there seems to be 22 blocks.  That will permit 1 block per Mouse Ear variety.  This plan seems to have a good start.
Corkscrew (Garden A)
  • Has adjusted to the setting and has most of its leaves standing straight up.  It's z-axis twist seems to be holding.  The plant seems out of place as it is much larger than its surrounding neighbors.  I know that will change as other hosta are moved out later this summer.
Dragon Tails (Garden A)
  • Once again is trying to spike.  Hoping for the best once more for it.
Empress Wu  PP20774 CPBR4240   (Garden A)
  • The original round is still struggling.  I am still not sure if this will survive this year.  I would help if a spike would just come up and stay!
  • The second planting seems to be settling in.  Time will only tell of this division of the Empress will be equally successful as last years.
Liberty (Garden A)
  • Has a third (3) spike.  A point of optimism.
Snake Eyes (Garden A)
  • Has a fourth (4) spike.  Another point of optimism.
Teaspoon (Garden A)
  • Has grown tall this year.  Much taller than what I might have expected for a first year plant!  I am not sure if I've seen the full height for this season yet.
Vulcan (Garden A)
  • Seems to be filling in just fine the hint of its size is beginning to show.
May 18
Church Mouse (Garden A)
  • If my eye does not deceive me the very first leaf on this hosta is opening ... finally!  Mouse Ear hosta in this garden have had mixed results when they are still below 3 or 4 leaves.  This mile stone for this hosta is certainly welcomed, but also certainly watched.  Mighty Mouse failed at two leaves last year in this exact same location.
June (Garden B)
  • This planting of four divisions all have 3 leaves or more!  They are about to take off and grow profusely - at last I think they are.
Little Sunspot (Garden B)
  • Many of the rhizomes are exposed.  I've taken some time to mix some sludge (sheep shit, soil, and water) for a covering later.  At the very least it will provide fertilizer for the plant.
May 20
Church Mouse (Garden A)
  • Leaf seems to continue to grow.  A good sign.
Liberty (Garden A)
  • Has gone from three (3) spikes to five (5).  It's settled in I think and will look GREAT by the end of the summer.
 June (Garden B)
  • As the four spikes grow, they show signs of wanting to fill in like last years divisions.  It will take time but eventually they will.
Mystery Hosta (Garden B)
  • This hosta continues to send new leaves out.  it seems that where ever there is green there is also texture, and where ever there is white it remains smooth.
White Feather (Garden A)
  • The plant arrived as two separate spikes and is now growing a third!  What a nice bonus for this year!  As this third spike grows I will have to watch the leaf count before it turns green.  Its parent had to turn green on its fifth (5) leaf.
May 21
Church Mouse (Garden A)
  • A second leaf has been seen on the plant.  Another step forward for this plant.
 Empress Wu  PP20774 CPBR4240  (Garden A)
  • The spike that was there; which is not now; has been cut to the ground in the hopes that maybe it can regrow.  I have done this with the principal of 'mowing back' hosta in mind as they can be 'mowed back' up to three times in a season.  Maybe I can get this Empress to grow yet!
May 22

The forecast, as of today, suggests 5 days of rain to come. This I hope will help some of the smaller hosta. Might help Empress Wu  PP20774 CPBR4240  as well.
Chaos (Garden B)
  • After the rains I plan to separate this hosta from Golden Tiara to see if it is really stable.   That will be the next test for this plant.
Church Mouse (Garden A)
  • The second leaf is already opening.  I was half hoping that it would stay closed longer.
White Feather (Garden A)
  • The new spike continues to be there.  Hoping it will continue to grow.
May 25

A lot of small things today; but they add up to say success.  The building is also re-landscaping what used to be 'the Rose Garden'.  One of the changes they are doing is removing the bricks.  I am in the process of acquiring some of those bricks for tarp holding in the spring and autumn.

Church Mouse (Garden A)
  • Continues to look strong and healthy.  Feeling good about this slow grower.  Now we wait for the NEXT, and third, leaf!
Dancing Queen (Garden A)
  • The leaves have opened alarmingly WIDE ... that can only mean one thing!  The scaping process may have begun on this hosta!
Dragon Tails (Garden A)
  • This hosta has finally produced an easily visible spike, now I wait to see if it opens to leaves!  This may well be the very last spike to show itself and to open for this season.
Empress Wu  PP20774 CPBR4240  (Garden A)
  • The original round of this plant has FINALLY opened a leaf,  This says to me that this planting has officially survived last winter.  It has a lot of growing to do as the leaf is as small as one of the Church Mouse leaves, but if it grows any where as well as it did last year it will put on another GREAT show!  Last year it grew 18 leaves and then tried to scape flowers; I might also mention it was 11 inches tall.
Last years Empress Wu surviving. The spike is smaller than your pinky finger's nail, and in this photo unopened.
  • I normally do not coddle or pamper may hosta but this single leaf I am giving extra attention until I see a few more leaves on it.  Gave this plant a little more water this evening.
Teaspoon (Garden A)
  • The scaping process may have begun on this hosta as well!
'venusta' (Garden A)
  • The scaping process may have begun on this hosta as well; though it is not surprising that it is happening since we've seen this before ... the cute season might be beginning!
May 27
Church Mouse (Garden A)
  • A.D. the roommate says, "You've got a new leaf and a new spike coming!"  What more could I ask for!  It's great growth from this slow hosta!
Empress Wu  PP20774 CPBR4240 (Garden A)
  • The first leaf is standing 1 1/2 of the width of an index finger; and a second unopened leaf is a third taller, and growing upwards for its unfurling!
2015/2016 Empress Wu with second leaf almost ready to unfurl.  IF you look to the left about 3 inches ... you might see spike #2 trying to emerge.  I've had spikes come and go on this hosta all spring; we'll see if this second one is also successful!

May 28
Church Mouse (Garden A)
  • A.D. (the roommate) was right.  Was able to see both the new spike, and the leaf this morning.
June  (Garden B)
  • I've got kids climbing over the raised bed rather than walking around it.  One of the division of June was torn off the crown line.  Must have been a day or two ago as one leaf has dried.  Replanted it in the hopes it might survive.  Will have to watch this carefully.
May31
Church Mouse (Garden A)
  • Has reached its 3rd leaf, and seems to be surviving well!  Give it time to grow and become a strong hosta!
Empress Wu  PP20774 CPBR4240  (Garden A)
  • The second leaf is nearly open, but still seems to be fighting its desire to open.  Visually appearances only the leaf seems to be 3 times longer than the first leaf.  As this is a late leafing hosta this year I suspect that it will not grow more than 8 in. / 22.32 cm. in diameter and about the same for height; although some online accounts suggest that healthy specimens of Empress Wu have been known to grow leaves 18 in. W x 12 in. L / 45.72 cm. W  x 30.48 cm. L during its first year.  I may be an optimist but I am not that optimistic.
  • There may be an second spike coming on last years round of the plant.  We'll heave to wait as I've seen spikes come an go far to often in this garden this year.
 Golden Tiara  (Garden B)
  • Has one of the first plant scapes of the season.
Snake Eyes (Garden A)
  •  The fifth spike has opened its first leaf, and had moved on to work on its second.
Teaspoon (Garden A)
  • Has an flower scape to join the others.  Hoping that's not the only one on the plant.
'venusta' (Garden A)
  • The 'cute' season has arrived with the first scape found on this annual extravaganza.
White Feather (Garden A)
  • The third spike is still there but has turned green, along with no real growth.
  • The original white leaves have faded, newer green ones are growing to take their place.  Not sure if that is normal for this variety.  For all practical purposes the plant looks acceptable.  I can see why some gardeners might say that this hosta is not an terribly attractive plant,  however I and others must remember that this is a first season plant and that what is being seen now may be an immature growing habit.

[Return to Front of Journal Entry]

No comments:

Post a Comment