In this episode of Down the Garden Path, landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses Hosta Virus X with returning guest Dawn Golloher from Gardens Plus.

Dawn Golloher is the owner-operator of Gardens Plus, an independent garden centre in Peterborough, Ontario, specializing in easy-care perennials. 

Here are some of the questions and topics covered in this episode:

• Can you tell us more about Hosta Virus X?
  • The virus was first discovered in 1996.
  • It spreads from the sap in the hosta leaves and roots.
  • The best way to protect your plants is to buy from reputable sources and to practice good hygiene when dividing or cleaning up hostas.
  • Use disinfectant wipes or have a bottle of diluted bleach handy to spray down your tools and then wipe off.
  • This would help many things from spreading throughout our gardens, including powdery mildew.
• Hosta Virus X doesn’t kill the hosta.
  • It will just have mottled or blotchy colouring and the hostas may not thrive in the long run.
  • It will also not spread to other perennials in your garden.
• The best way to remove an infected plant
• Three ways to recognize Hosta Virus X:
  • ink bleeding
  • mottled tissue
  • collapsed tissue
• Gardens Plus is opening May 9th this year and will be open Thursday to Sunday until June 30th, 2024.

Find Gardens Plus online:

• www.GardensPlus.ca
• Facebook: @gardensplus
• Instagram: @gardensplus
• YouTube: @gardensplus
• Pinterest: @gardensplus
• Twitter: @gardensplus

Find Down the Garden Path online: Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast. You can also email your questions and comments to [email protected], or connect with Joanne via her website: down2earth.ca

Down the Garden Path Podcast

On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low maintenance as possible. 

In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon.

Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.