Shrinking hosta

Question: What might be the reason my variegated hosta has shrunk in size over the past couple of years? It used to be twice this size.

responder: Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied June 08, 2023, 2:21 PM EDT
response: We don't see any indications pointing to a specific reason, but root loss due to overly-wet or overly-dry soil, vole gnawing, or other environmental conditions would explain a reduced amount of above-ground growth. (We assume there is no leaf-feeding damage from deer or rabbits since in that case the entire plant would probably have been consumed.) Did anything change in the past couple of years with its growing conditions, such as newly-redirected water entering this planting bed or the removal, dieback, or pruning of a tree that was casting some shade on the plant? Since hosta prefer afternoon shade during our hot summers, maybe it is receiving too much direct sun and is now struggling to maintain a more "normal" amount of foliage.  Miri

responder: The Question Asker Replied June 09, 2023, 10:35 AM EDT
response: Miri, a few years ago we had a burrowing critter (never saw it but saw the tunnels) in my planting beds, this one included. I don't remember if it tunneled under the hostas. I would think that by now the roots would have started recovering, if they'd been damaged. The green one next to it shows no sign of it shrinking.     There has been nothing else done in this area to disrupt the plants, and deer have pretty much left them alone. It is on the East-facing side of the house, with a porch to the south side, with a large tree to the Southeast, shading them most of the day. They don't get much direct sun.     Thanks for the reply. We'll just have to see what happens next year.     Dotti

responder: Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied June 09, 2023, 2:43 PM EDT
response: Hi Dotti,  Ok, then it sounds like any voles previously present (if that's what they were) have moved on, though if the problem worsens, investigate to see if any have returned. Yes, we would expect that a plant should be recovering and regrowing roots if previously damaged by a vole (but not too badly), but perhaps some other stressor held it back from complete recovery. For now, we can't quite tell what is going on, so monitoring the plant and sending us updated photos for any new or worsening symptoms is all we can recommend. Keep and eye out for deer damage anyway also, as they love Hosta and might only be browsing overnight when they're least noticeable. Deer tend to tear foliage off to eat it, leaving a more jagged cut, while rabbits (another typical culprit if foliage is missing) make a sharper snip at about a 45-degree angle on the stem. You could try using a light to modest dose of general-purpose fertilizer for the weakened Hosta, though an impacts from its use might not be evident for a few weeks.  Miri

responder: The Question Asker Replied June 10, 2023, 6:48 AM EDT
response: Thanks, again. I did apply a fertilizer recently. Time will tell. Deer and probably rabbits have munched on them in the past so I know the signs. I've sprayed them with a repellent that appears to work.     Dotti  On 06/09/2023 2:43 PM EDT Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote: