I love Hosta but I can only plant in pots. They do not seem to survive the winter-spring cold wet, warm, cold, frigid, warm wet cycles we have here.

I have tried to cover them and they rot. I have just left them alone and they did not come back up.

I am reaching a point where the cost of replacements of really nice ones is getting out of hand.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

https://www.americanhostasocie...

https://www.delvalhosta.org/ho...

I'll need to re-read these come fall, so I can take proper steps to protect them.
Thanks for the info.

Do you have any garden space available? I live in Ottawa, ON. Zone 5a or 5b depending on who you talk to. Unfortunately, I've found the only sure way to overwinter pots is to bury them in my veggie garden. Lots of work and I'm getting too old for it. But I've tried all sorts of things and my success rate if I don't bury them is 50% at best.

A neighbor has had great success in covering their hosta containers with leaves.
Any plants that I have not made it into the ground, I put on the north side of the house covered with leaves, usually have about a 80-90% survival rate, that includes Hostas.

Welcome back Ann!

Thanks Rj. I've actually been around, but have been trying to make up for lost time in the garden. The boot is off the ankle, but the ankle still isn't up to normal, but I'm getting there. Actually we got home from Europe in the early hours of June 19 and I tested positive for Covid late on the 21st. Fortunately not sick at all, just a bit of a cough, but CONFINED!

Glad you are up and about! Were you on Paxlovid for the Covid?

Because I am in a townhouse my ground is limited to a strip about 8 inches X 36 inches. It is now covered in a Ajuga. Not sure I have the energy to pull them up. Has lots of tree roots in there too.

North side of house not an option. My rest of the front entry area is covered in rocks by the HOA, just the small strip at the edge of ground. I do not think they would approve of me digging them up.

Ann, sorry for your Covid. Hope you quickly recover.

RJ, Leaves may be an option, but will have figure a way to keep them from blowing away.

I use a plastic netting on my sempervivums during the winter, that could work to hold the leaves on the containers.

Here are a couple of pics of area I have to work with.
Front entry area The small strip is at the front of this area


My patio where I plant some others as well

Ann very good to see you back , and glade you did not have a hard time with covid. Bird or deer netting works well to hold leaves in place.

crawgarden said: Glad you are up and about! Were you on Paxlovid for the Covid?

No because I wasn't sick. I have a chronic cough because of allergies and the only symptom I had was a slightly more persistent cough. (I HAVE had 6 vaccinations though). It was mostly a nuisance because I felt well but tested positive for about 10 days.

@ CDsSister when I lived in the same city in Colorado my hostas at that time were grown in the ground did ok.
It's the hail storms that would shred some of the garden plants that made it difficult for the hostas to come back.
For winter survival for storing hostas in pots place the potted plants wrapped in bubble wrap or newspapers between a larger pot will help insulate the roots from freezing. Then place them near the house under a covered area keeping overhead frost at bay.
Once they go dormant keeping the roots protected against freezing is key. Be sure to check them weekly .

Thanks, Bea, I will try that.

Good morning, has anyone used frost blankets? I am hoping that my new additions do survive. I bumped up to planting in 2 gallon pots. We did get down to 5 degrees last month
What do you fertilize with in pots? A slow release?
Thanks
Teresa in KY

The only time I have used frost blankets is when plants were already up and growing. That was on annual and veg. plants at just below freezing.

Thanks, Bob What do you use for fertilizing hosta in pots?

I only grow in the ground and mostly use Alaska Fish Fertilizer.

I have grown a few in pots over the years. Even grown them in floating pots in the pond. Never protected the roots in the pond just kept the water running .
As long as the correct growing requirements are met they do really well with fresh new growth in spring. They over winter just fine. Just bring the pots in a spot next to the house on a covered porch.

Each time it's watered during the summer add 1.3 strength of liquid fertilizer.