first is a good potting soil ...

winter protection usually involves tipping the pot on its side ... so water doesnt accumulate and cause root rot ... and making sure it stays out of the sun ...

they need the dormancy.. so they do NOT come indoors ...

in ground freeze areas.. pots can crack .. think about a pot in pot situation ... so you can empty a fancy pot for winter storage.. and deal with the hosta separately ...

though you can get a lot of ideas from warmer zone peeps .. they may not have the best advice for a colder zone ...

there have been many posts about this.. perhaps others have easy links available ... link to the GW search engine.. perhaps after reviewing a few of those .. you can narrow your questions a bit .. there is one from paul dated 3/21/11 .. with the last reply 4/2 ...

its easy .. and fun.. go for it..

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: go down to the teal posts ...

We don't freeze here, so I can't tell you how to handle them in the winter. I just leave mine where they are and they do fine. I've made several mistakes, so hopefully, you can learn from them.

Start with a light potting soil, or add pine bark mulch or vermiculite so it won't stay soggy. DO NOT USE moisture control potting soil, especially on a small plant. Try to fit your pot to the size of the plant. If it's too big, it will stay too wet. If it's too small, it will dry out too quickly and you'll be watering all the time. (not usually a problem with a new plant) Plan on moving to a larger pot in a couple of years, or so. (depends on variety)

If you have a bare root plant, soak it in tepid water for an hour or so, and plant it in a pot. Do not cover the "eye" with soil, or it can rot.

That's about it. Stand back and watch it grow. I'm a lazy gardener, so I put a handful of 12/12/12 fertilizer in the pot every few months. Some folks use Miracle Grow. You just have to fertilize like any other plant in a pot.

I lost some plants this winter. I've never lost any before. (they are pretty fool proof) We had a really cold winter (for us), which may have been a factor. Two of the plants were single eye plants that probably rotted (I used Miracle Grow moisture control potting soil). They need lots of moisture, but not soggy soil.

Good luck

bkay

If it's dormant, it needs little/no water and no sun.
Once it's frozen, tip it or cover it. When weather gets into the 40's again, tip it back upright and try to keep it free of snow, if that's an issue.

Make sure your pot has enough drainage, including a hole in the bottom.

Thanks, I will be brave and try it, following your instructions of course. I plan on transplanting one from my front bed and using a terracotta pot. It will be located under an overhang and close to the foundation of the house so it will be kept pretty warm in comparison to where it is now. Good thing you guys mentioned to not bring it in the house otherwise i would have.

I put mine on something (pot feet, plant trolley, etc.) to break the contact of the pot and the ground. I'm not sure, but I think it pretty much eliminates problems with snails and slugs.

bkay

Hold the phone!
Terra Cotta (the unglazed kind) might be a mistake.
They transpire a LOT of water and it might be difficult to keep the hosta soil moist.

If you've not already bought your pot, consider a glazed one.