Hosta leaves turning white then light brown. Diseased? - Ask Extension
They border a small patio in my backyard receiving about 1/2-3/4 day of sun. I divided several last fall (for my grandson's garden) and these are the ...
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Hosta leaves turning white then light brown. Diseased? #349370
Asked August 02, 2016, 4:24 PM EDT
They border a small patio in my backyard receiving about 1/2-3/4 day of sun. I divided several last fall (for my grandson's garden) and these are the ones showing most damage. Is this a disease? Can it be treated? If not I will dig them up. Can they be disposed into Mpls yard waste pick up? They are about to bloom. Will they harm the many bees that come to them? If diseased, what can I plant in place of them? Cone flowers?
Thank you. Marilyn Muller
Hennepin County Minnesota
Expert Response
Without a photo to see exactly what they look like it is difficult to say what it wrong but I wonder if they are sunburned. Hostas usually prefer shade and if they were growing in a shady spot at your grandson's it is possible that they are just not used to that much sun. I would just make sure that they are watered for the rest of the summer and hopefully they will adjust to their new location and look better next year.
I guess I didn't make myself clear when I said I divided the hostas which are now developing white areas on the leaves. I only mentioned that we divided them last fall because these are the ones now looking diseased and may be under stress from being divided. They have the same symptoms in my grandson's garden (3 blocks away). It may be they are "sunburned" as you state because they receive full sun there. However, the ones in my garden receive about 1/2-3/4 day's sun and were fine summer of 2014 (when I bought my house) and 2015. I am attaching 2 photos. Again, thank you for your help.
It looks like sun scald. It has been a hot summer. Some varieties tolerate sun better than others. Here is a link to look at and compare. http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/diagnose/plant/annualperennial/hosta/leavesspots.html
Wow Thank You!! I am very relieved I don't have some disgusting disease going on in my garden!!
