Ever wondered how new Hostas are created? How hybridizers choose parents, make crosses, evaluate seedlings, and decide which plants are worthy of registration?

In this special "Best of Season 1" episode of Hosta la Vista, we're bringing together some of the most respected voices in Hosta hybridizing: David Teager, Olga Petryszyn, Don Rawson, and David Bowe.

Whether you're a longtime Hosta collector or someone who's been curious about creating your very first hybrid, this episode walks you through the entire process—from collecting pollen and making your first cross to growing seedlings and discovering that one special plant that could become the next great Hosta introduction via tissue culture.

You'll hear practical advice, hard-earned lessons, memorable stories, and the unique philosophies that have guided these accomplished breeders throughout their hybridizing journeys. Together, these four guests have introduced dozens of beloved cultivars and helped shape the future of Hosta breeding.

Topics include:
• How to get started hybridizing Hostas
• Choosing pod and pollen parents
• Growing seedlings and evaluating results
• What makes a seedling worth keeping
• How tissue culture works
• Advice for aspiring Hosta hybridizers

Want to learn even more about Hosta hybridizing? Be sure to visit David Teager's YouTube Channel, where he shares educational videos and insights from his years of experience as a hybridizer.

If you've ever dreamed of creating your own Hosta, this is the perfect place to start.

Questions, comments, or guest suggestions? Email us at hostalavistapodcast@gmail.com.

Vist our website at hostalavista.org

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Horticultural therapy is changing the way we think about health, healing, and well-being. In this episode of Hosta la Vista, hosts Betsy and Mandy talk with Chris VandenBosche, a Pittsburgh-area Master Gardener and registered horticultural therapist, about what horticultural therapy is, how practitioners are credentialed, and why working with plants can support people in many different stages of life.

They’re also joined by Alisa Bowe Lenhardt, a member of the recreational therapy team at Masonic Village outside Pittsburgh, who shares how her team uses plant-based activities to bring comfort, engagement, and connection to the people they serve. The conversation also touches on Good Nature: The New Science of How Nature Improves Our Health by Kathy Willis and Teepa Snow’s helpful dementia care resources for caregivers and families available on YouTube.

If you’re a gardener, caregiver, health professional, or simply curious about how horticultural therapy works, this episode offers practical insight and inspiration. For more information about horticultural therapy, or to find a registered horticultural therapist near you, visit ahta.org. *trigger warning: discussions on suicide*

Brought to you by Green Hill Hostas In the Country Garden and Gifts. Hit the + sign to follow the pod and stay up to date on new episodes. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, and visit hostalavista.org.

In this episode, we take you inside the 2026 American Hosta Society Convention in Dublin, Ohio (June 10–13), with firsthand insights from attendees Cheryl Lockhart, Andy Marlow, Susan Ragsdale, and Julie Lewter. Whether you attended or missed it, this recap covers everything hosta lovers care about.

We dive into stunning garden tours, standout moments from the leaf show, and what made this year’s auction and awards so memorable. You’ll also hear highlights from keynote speakers, behind-the-scenes stories from “Hostatality,” and a few unexpected hotel moments that made the experience even more fun.

Plus, we discuss exciting new hosta introductions coming soon and share a preview of what to expect at the 2027 American Hosta Society Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana.

If you’re passionate about hostas, shade gardening, or plant conventions, this episode is packed with inspiration, insights, and community highlights.

Join Hosta la Vista this week for Part 2 of our exclusive interview with renowned hosta hybridizer Doug Ruff — the breeder behind some of the most sought-after hosta cultivars on the market, including Hosta- Bloodline, Light the Match, Electric Fire, Violet Blue, and many more.

Doug is at the forefront of hosta breeding and hybridizing, pioneering work to bring vibrant anthocyanin coloration and "blushing" traits up into hosta leaves. In this behind-the-scenes episode, he opens the gates to his Minnesota hosta growing operation and shares the techniques that have made his breeding program so successful.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• The growing medium Doug uses to produce healthy, vigorous hostas
• How he forces plants to emerge early so different cultivars bloom simultaneously for hybridizing
• Why Hosta ventricosa remains an essential tool in his breeding program
• How he manages drought stress and keeps hostas thriving during dry summers
• His proven method for overwintering potted hostas above ground in Minnesota's harsh climate
• The parent plants behind some of his most famous hosta introductions
• Which pod and pollen parents produce the best blushing hosta offspring
• How he uses artificial intelligence (AI) to track anthocyanin expression, analyze color traits, and plan future hosta crosses

If you've ever wondered how red, purple, and yellow coloration makes its way into hosta leaves, this episode offers a fascinating look at the years of patience, experimentation, and innovation behind it.

Shop Doug Ruff's Hostas:
Interested in adding Doug Ruff's blushing hosta varieties to your garden? Visit our sponsor, In the Country Garden and Gifts, the exclusive source for many of Doug's hosta introductions.

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In Part 1 of this special podcast episode, we visit Hosta hybridizer Doug Ruff at his home for an exclusive, nearly two-hour tour of his private breeding program. Best known as the creator of the wildly popular and hard-to-find Bloodline Hosta, Doug gives us a rare behind-the-scenes look at the plants, techniques, and growing setup that have made his work so respected among hosta collectors. How he keeps his plants watered even amongst the upcoming El Niño this Fall.

But red is only the beginning. Doug has mastered the art of anthocyanins—the pigments responsible for the blushing color in hosta leaves—and he shares his passion for pushing hosta color further than ever before. From long-lasting red tones to exciting work in purples, oranges, and beyond, this episode reveals the artistry, experimentation, and relentless pursuit of perfection behind Doug’s hybrids.

Doug is an intensely private person, making this a rare and remarkable look inside his hosta program. If you love hostas, rare plants, plant breeding, or innovative garden hybrids, you won’t want to miss this one. This is Part 1 of 2—be sure to tune in next Saturday for Part 2.

Visit his website at hostaoriginals.com to learn more.

Tune in to Hosta La Vista wherever you listen to podcasts. Not sure where to start? Visit us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube.

Have a burning question or a comment? write to us at hostalavistapodcast@gmail.com

For listeners interested in buying Doug Ruff's plants, visit inthecountrygardenandgifts.com and enter code PODCAST at checkout for free shipping on orders over $100. Good through August 31, 2026.

What exactly is a “Super El Niño,” and should gardeners across the United States be paying attention?

In this episode of Hosta la Vista, sisters Mandy and Betsy sit down with Pam Knox, agricultural climatologist and Director of the Weather Network at the University of Georgia, to unpack the headlines surrounding the possible 2026–2027 Super El Niño and what it could mean for gardening across the U.S. this fall, winter, and into next spring.

Will your region experience unusual warmth, heavier rainfall, drought, snow, flooding, or an early spring? Could shifting weather patterns affect planting timing, moisture levels, frost dates, or overall garden success?

Pam helps us separate hype from reality as we explore how El Niño weather patterns affect the United States, why meteorologists are watching this developing climate event closely, and what gardeners should (and shouldn’t) be paying attention to heading into the 2026–2027 gardening season. From temperature and precipitation trends to regional growing conditions, this conversation offers practical insight for gardeners who want to better understand the long-range weather outlook.

If you’ve been hearing news stories about the Super El Niño, wondering how El Niño affects gardening, or trying to figure out what the 2026–2027 weather forecast for gardeners could look like in your part of the country, this episode is for you.

Topics include:2
What a Super El Niño actually is
How El Niño affects weather across the U.S.

Possible gardening impacts for fall, winter, and spring
Regional weather patterns gardeners should watch
Temperature shifts, precipitation trends, frost timing, and planting windows

Worried your hosta might be sick? Wondering if those strange streaks, spots, or browning leaves are Hosta Virus X (HVX), tobacco rattle virus, nematodes, or something else? This episode is for every hosta gardener.

This week on Hosta La Vista, Betsy and Mandy are joined by Brett Arenz, Director of the Plant Disease Clinic at the University of Minnesota, to talk all things hosta disease, hosta viruses, and plant diagnostics.

We cover:

Hosta Virus X (HVX) symptoms, diagnosis, and how to recognize suspicious patterns in hosta leaves
How to test for HVX and when you should test a plant

Tobacco Rattle Virus (TRV) and how it differs from HVX

Foliar nematodes in hostas — what damage looks like and how to spot the signs
Impatiens Necrotic Spot Virus (INSV) and other diseases affecting hostas
Common issues that can look like hosta disease including environmental stress, frost damage, herbicide injury, and nutrient problems
How to send hosta samples for plant disease testing
Why gardeners should contact their local Extension office or land-grant university for in-state plant diagnostic testing

Brett shares practical, science-based advice for diagnosing sick hostas, understanding plant pathogens, and protecting your shade garden from disease.

Want to test your hostas at home? Order Agdia plant testing kits here:
Agdia Testing Kits

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