I was considering putting a few hostas into pots since I am quickly running out of room in my beds. How easy are they to grow and keep alive in pots?
Thanks for you help.
Hostas in Containers ?
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putnamgardens
- Posts: 1800
- Joined: Oct 21, 2001 8:00 pm
- Location: LISA in St. Paul's upper West side, MN
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Easy?.....depends upon what zone you're in. In MN it's hosta suicide. You can try to winter'm over in a greenhouse. You gotta dump snow on'm a couple times a winter. I've had friends who sucessfully laid the containers on thier side. Honestly, the best people to ask are the ones in your zone. My friends in Seattle do only pots without any losses. I'm sorry I'm no help but 7 folks peeked at your post and no one replied so I thought I'd give it some type. Later, Love, Lisa
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Have I mentioned lately that my drinking team has a hosta problem?
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Hostas in Pots
I put 30 hostas in my garage in pots and they all did very well.
I watered them every month and a half and kept them on the wall closest to the house.
I am experimenting with bigger ones this year.
I watered them every month and a half and kept them on the wall closest to the house.
I am experimenting with bigger ones this year.
Call it beginners luck, but last winter I had several hostas in their pots overwintered in our unheated shed.
They were a variety of sizes from medium like 'Sweet Home Chicago', Great Expectations', 'Clifford's Comet' to minis like 'Cat's Eyes', 'Masquerade' and 'Pandora's Box'.
After they were dormant, late November I believe, they went into the shed and never received a drop of water until I brought them out sometime in March.
They were in plastic pots and some of those newer foam type pots that look like clay or stone, but are much lighter. I think they have some insulating to them as well.
I don't have alot of space for all the hostas I want, so growing them in pots lets me get more.
They were a variety of sizes from medium like 'Sweet Home Chicago', Great Expectations', 'Clifford's Comet' to minis like 'Cat's Eyes', 'Masquerade' and 'Pandora's Box'.
After they were dormant, late November I believe, they went into the shed and never received a drop of water until I brought them out sometime in March.
They were in plastic pots and some of those newer foam type pots that look like clay or stone, but are much lighter. I think they have some insulating to them as well.
I don't have alot of space for all the hostas I want, so growing them in pots lets me get more.
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Becky in TN
- Posts: 425
- Joined: Oct 20, 2001 8:00 pm
I'm in zone 6. I have around 50 in larger pots, the foam pots and some plastic pots that are 7 and 10 gallon. I have never lost any hostas in them. I will take that back, 2 yrs ago I had 2 that almost died; they were in metal plant stands all winter. They came back much smaller then the preceding fall. Now I make sure all pots with hostas are on the ground. Unless it is a very large hosta, I plant 2 hostas per pot/ or a hosta and a heurchera. I do this keep the root growth strong enough to use the moisture so they don't sit wet to long. I do not add anything to retain moisture ( I added the gel to a dry bed one year and several of the hostas in that bed had crown rot the next year).
Besides the larger pots that I use on my patio and in beds where tree roots are invading, I also have a "holding"area where I have been growing out TC's, divisions, trades received, etc. Most of these are in gal pots, a few are 2 gallon and several are 4 inch and 6 inch pots. There are about 200 pots in this area. The sit out all winter. I do not cover them or turn them on their side. Every now and then I loose a few. But most have been there for a 3-4 years with just being potted up a size when they need it. One winter I had vloes eat about 10 of these. One year I lost several in 4 inch pots but I think it was more due to a dry fall and I didn't keep them watered, so they when into winter less then vigorous.
Just sharing my experience.
Becky in TN
Besides the larger pots that I use on my patio and in beds where tree roots are invading, I also have a "holding"area where I have been growing out TC's, divisions, trades received, etc. Most of these are in gal pots, a few are 2 gallon and several are 4 inch and 6 inch pots. There are about 200 pots in this area. The sit out all winter. I do not cover them or turn them on their side. Every now and then I loose a few. But most have been there for a 3-4 years with just being potted up a size when they need it. One winter I had vloes eat about 10 of these. One year I lost several in 4 inch pots but I think it was more due to a dry fall and I didn't keep them watered, so they when into winter less then vigorous.
Just sharing my experience.
Becky in TN