Hi, Cyn! I'm a hosta-in-the-pot gardener, but my zone does not involve cold winters such as those further north.

Also, Pieterjze who lives in Canada container gardens, look for his posts as helpful to you. He has some HUGE pots!

I have several that I had over-wintered in pots. The key is to keep them dry so they don't rot in the pot. And keep them out of the sun to keep the soil cool and keep the temp of the soil as even as possible to prevent them from emerging too early. Many tip their pots on their sides on the north side of a building and cover with leaves. I left mine righted up on the patio under the wide overhang of our house's roof where snow and rain can't get to the pots, and are shaded from the sun most of the day. Seems to have worked, because all of them survived and Praying Hands has been in the same pot for two years and continues to increase. This year I bought a fancy pot to put my new Spartacus in, and will probably dress the top of it with some sedums. Praying Hands has Golden Creeping Jenny that returns nicer every year, like the hosta with which it shares the pot. I'm thinking of putting together some of my minis into one pot and a few others in pots. I like the look of hostas in pots and since I've been successful keeping them alive over the winter, my potted hosta collection will continue to grow.

Karen

Thanks, moccasinlanding. I tend to read the forum regularly, but couldn't quite remember. I will search to see what Pieter has posted on this. Thanks again.

first.. figure out what goes in the pot.. the media.. its not plain old bagged stuff ..

and then.. when winter comes.. i will yell...

TAKE ADVICE FROM PEEPS IN YOUR ZONE ... or higher

in my z5.. i would tip them over.. if left outside.. because .. WHEN THE POT FREEZES SOLID ... it can hold too much water ...

i would take a WAG.. that yours wont freeze solid

hockey on.. gotta run

ken

I'm also a "pot gardener". We're a little bit warmer than you, though.

I don't do anything to my pots in the winter. If it rains, they get water. If it doesn't, they don't. I completely ignore them in the winter. We get a fair amount of rain in the winter, so they are definitely not kept dry. Our overall humidity is low in the winter, though. I'm not sure why it works, but it works for me. I don't think anyone else does it like I do.

I've lost very few hosta over the years, and most all was partially due to staying too wet in the spring. I used moisture control potting soil. On top of that, I put rocks on the top of the soil to dissuade the squirrels from digging in the pots. That kept the pots even wetter. To compound those problems, the plants themselves appeared to be really "pushed". By that I mean the top was large and the root system was small. I've never lost a plant after I've had it a year, except one I chunked because of disease. (knock wood)

Babka covers hers so they stay dry all winter, but she's in a higher zone than you, too. She'll probably answer for herself.

I think the northern gardeners turn the pots on the side because of something to do with freezing, thawing and moisture. Some of them will chime in, I'm sure.

You'll probably have to work out what will work for your climate. Start with some plants that grow well in pots and aren't too expensive. So Sweet, U. Albomarginata and Francee grow like weeds for me. They're also inexpensive and easy to find.

bkay

Thanks also tepelus, ken and bkay! I did a search (probably should have done that to start and not bothered all of you!) and will head to the nursery to get some shredded bark, etc. Our winters here are so unpredictable. Two years ago we had 58 inches of snow-that was a great winter! Last year, nary a flake-not such a great winter, but since the school board may give us back the unused snow days, I could get out of school on June 15th rather than the 19th or 20th! Can't complain about that.

Thanks again everyone.

Cynthia

Cynthia,

Get the Pine Bark. Not the chunks, the shredded fines. Mix about 5 parts Bark with one part peat and one part perlite or grit (feed store). This mix will drain like crazy. That means you will want to water it every other day, maybe every day during really hot weather.

The reason why Northern gardeners tip their pots over is due to the possibility of crown rot. When a pot freezes, it freezes solid. If, as in a typical winter, you get a frozen pot and then rain during a thaw period or in early Spring, that water will sit on top of the frozen Hosta. It won't drain. Thus the crown will rot. When Hostas are in dormancy they need very little water. So we turn the pots on their sides once they are frozen, and store them on the Northerly side of a building. We want them to stay frozen and dormant until about this time of year. If your pots can stay outside and not freeze during the winter, then you need not turn them sideways.

Steve

We like being bothered.

bkay

Thanks, Steve. I appreciate the wisdom.

aw, bkay, you are too nice...and wise, too!

I've got some in pots in zone five. I use a really coarse soil that I mix as described above. Some I bury next to the foundation of my house, others buried in a bare spot in the garden beds. I don't tip or deliberately cover but there are usually leaves over everything that I'm too lazy to rake up until Spring.

i get bark mini chunks.. they are about the size of your thumbnail ... and they are bark ...

i agree.. we like being asked ...

also ... snow is not the water we worry about .. and i misspoke ...

late in winter. when the pot is still frozen.. and it rains ... you can kill roots.. by denying them air.. and that is also part of the function of the mini nuggets.. to increase air in the media mix even in summer ... but again.. its probably not a z7 issue ...

i would also keep them out of sun in winter ... as pots can heat roots real fast.. store on the north side of the house.. they will stay dormant longer.. which is always good.. no matter what your hosta fever thinks ....

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: go down THE page and hit the link to PINE BARK MINI NUGGETS

Cynthia, as ML indicated, I have a LOT of hostas in pots. Like most of them. The picture below shows what I mean....and not just hostas...

This was taken last spring while doing a bunch of dividing and repotting.

We have a small backyard, only a 50x100 lot, and I propagate a fair number of perennials for sale, mostly carport sales.

Pieter

I have only one large plastic pot with grasses in the open and bring it into the garage after the first frost in fall, because of fear it would crack due to freezing/ thawing. A large plastic flat one once cracked.
There is that mystery to me about pots cracking. Pieter, you seem to be able to leave larger pots outside due to your milder weather, I am in zone 5. Phil in NC also seems to leave large pots outside standing up, also in a relatively mild climate. I will have pots with hosta seedlings outside coming winter, turned on their sides after they are fully frozen, covered with a tarp.

When do plastic pots crack? Any solid explanation?
Bernd

When do plastic pots crack? Any solid explanation?

One explanation would be for a pot with fairly wet potting mix to freeze and the expanded potting mix could exert enough pressure to crack a plastic pot, particularly if the pot is subjected to mechanical stress while in this state, such as get knocked over.

Pieter

Wow, Pieter! I am pretty sure I don't have that much energy, but I am potting up a few today.

I cannot tell you all how much I appreciate the time you have taken in answering me. I will use all your suggestions. Thanks also for the link, Ken!

Cynthia