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Surgical repair of Hosta

Birdy13Birdy13 Posts: 595
edited June 2019 in Problem solving
Don't you hate it when you find a perfectly healthy flower has been broken? My hostas are doing fabulously well this year so when I noticed a badly bent flower stem which was still attached I wondered if it would be possible,to splint it. 
I took a plastic straw, split it along its entire length and carefully eased the stem in - a bit like a plumber wrapping a water pipe with split foam insulation. 
The operation was a bit fiddly but very successful. The stem is now straight again and there's every expectation the the patient will do well. Unfortunately, I seem unable to get my photo to upload on to this post.

Posts

  • RubytooRubytoo Posts: 1,630
    Try making the picture a bit smaller? Sorry i am not technically inclined.
    Don;t know if this sticky topic will help.
    https://forum.gardenersworld.com/discussion/1010384/how-to-upload-a-picture-or-embed-other-media#latest

    It is annoying I agree when you get a nice stem and it breaks, sometimes although it is easier to just cut it off we persist in trying to fix it, to enjoy the flowers although it might look a bit dodgy.
    I guess it is the gardening spirit we want things to succeed.
    Some might say why bother,  but I say good for you :)
  • Birdy13Birdy13 Posts: 595
    Oh look, I've managed it. I tried taking a different shape picture.


  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Pretty Hosta, some people cut the flower stalks off right from the start, so just the green plant.  
    When @hostafan and I went to RHS Rosemoor someone had dead headed them but just the flowers, leaving the stalks sticking up, looked awful!.
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    Putting more lead in @Hostafan1 pencil  :)
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    anyone who cares this much about Hostas is ok in my book. 
    Devon.
  • Birdy13Birdy13 Posts: 595
    I'd always prefer to mend something if it can be mended. We'll see soon whether or not the flower develops properly.
  • RubytooRubytoo Posts: 1,630
    Glad you managed to get the photo on. That is a lovely hosta, pretty but also you have grown it well and I like the flowers too.

    I will keep your surgical approach in mind  for next time.
    I have also tried brown vinyl packing tpe once when a clematis got broken and I could not bear to cut it all off.

    Now there's a garden essentials opportunity money spinner.
    You could corner the market @Birdy13 . Green (stick) fracture repair straws. :)

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