Hosta Scapes! Are you a fan? and I compromised!
People love them, hate them, tolerate them for their bees or just don't care.
I hate them! In my opinion, they are messy and not pretty!
I have been tolerant of them so far this year for two reasons. I'm being persuaded that the bees need as many flowers as possible and they gave the yard some variety as I waited for the daylilies to bloom and there is much talk about a virus called HVX that destroys hostas slowly and can be transmitted from one plant to the next via the utensils used to dig or cut them.
What to do? Leave them sticking out all over the place? Cut them all off?
WELL...
I think I’ll get a bucket with bleach water and two or three clippers and start cutting — disinfecting the clippers each time! The virus has not yet appeared in my yard but I am getting a bit paranoid! and there are other flowers for the bees.
Ok! I gave in and compromised. Each plant that was trimmed of its scapes was left with at least one flowering scape! I felt kind but I will admit the high heat and humidity may have been a factor!
About half the hostas got their "haircut" but I can't promise to be so beneficent the next time around.
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