Theoretically, as they get potbound you could keep up-potting them. But how strong are you??? And how much space do you have??? And where do you put them when they go dormant?

When they start to dry out way faster than all my others in pots, I figure it is time to pot up to the next bigger size. They grow at different rates so some have been in the same pots for 4-5 years. I go up to 3 gal pots for the largest hostas because I can move them around, anything heavier and I'd have to call in my Marine. Since I like to move them around depending on how they look at any given time, I prefer to do it myself. ;-)

When it is time to divide, I cut them in half and repot in the same pot. If you do this in Spring just as the first eyes appear, they will will fill in nicely and not look lopsided.

I don't carefully replace the potting mix, or seperate roots, i.e. the solid packed rootbound 1 gal can goes into a 2 gal can in one piece. I figure the less disturbance to the root ball the better.
They may or may not have smaller leaves the next year, but that is the price we pay for having to divide them eventually, unlike or neighbors to the North and East who can leave them in the ground forever.

I'm just so glad I can grow them here in pots, on my tiny little california lot, without snow.

-Babka

Welcome to the forum. I grow all of my hostas in containers. I am using a system first described here. I have been more than pleased with the results. When I first heard about the system, I thought my hostas would all rot. I tried it anyway, and I actually had some leap this year.
Here is Climax in one of those bigger utility pails.

Here is a link that might be useful: Constant water

So, if I understand this correctly, you've got a regular pot inside a pot with no drain holes. Then you put drain holes in the side of the outside pot about half way up. This way, the pot stands in water all the time. Is this correct? And, you're having great success?

By the way, I've never seen a pretty hosta in the ground in Dallas. One of my clients has some in her front yard. They are variagated. I've been delivering to her house for 3 years and they don't look any larger than they did three years ago. She has a sprinkler system, so they should stay hydrated. Each one has about 6 small leaves. I might rethink that move to in ground.

Barbara

Barbara

I have tried three ways: standing in a shallow pan of water, pot within a container, and drainage about two thirds up. The best for me is the third option with the drainage on the side. Pine mulch does draw termites, and with the drainage on the side, I don't have to worry about them. Mosquitoes are not as much of a problem either, and my plants are growing much better. The best container for a small to medium hosta is one of those Ikea trashcans. They are cheap, and you can kind of see where your water level is through the plastic. I would rather have my hostas in the ground, but I could not keep them hydrated without running into issues with rot in my clay soil. This method conserves water, and so far so good. I don't know how much of a hassle it will be to renew the mulch, but I will cross that bridge when I get to it.

Your whole growing medium is pine bark mulch?

So, you are basically growing hydroponically. What are you using as food for the plants?

I haven't been to IKEA in a while. What do the trash cans look like? (A few years ago, I standardized to all terra cotta/terra cotta colored pots and find I like the standard color.)

Are you sure this is a good idea? I thought hostas were supposed to have good drainage.

Are slugs a problem with this system? I grow all my hostas on "pot feet", which keep the slugs out. Doesn't the water attract them?

I'm sorry for being so skeptical, but it seems so foreign to me.

Barbara

Hi, I understand your skepticism. I was leery at first. I was so programed from over watering house plants that I figured my hostas would rot. I didn't have anything to lose so I experimented. I tried mixing pine mulch with different kinds of compost like they suggest in the container forum. I did lose some hostas to rot using that mix so I moved to straight pine mulch. The top layer of mulch drains so I haven't had a big problem with rot. You can use any kind of fertilizer you like. I use compost tea, and I have also used Miracle Grow as well as Osmocote. Slugs and snails will climb my containers so I apply slug bait, hand pick, and spray with ammonia like suggested in the FAQ here. I don't know if the water would attract them with pot feet. If you look, you can probably find something that will fit into the terra cotta pots you have. The Ikea trash cans I use are the size you might use in a bathroom. They are a couple of bucks. I also use plastic buckets and the larger utility buckets with rope handles. I have the occasional hosta that I have had to move to a smaller container, but most of them are happy in the trash can sized container. Good luck if you try the method. I hope you see the growth I have seen.

Thanks so much for your input. I will give it a try on one of my ugly hostas.

Barbara

Barbara, did you try this method and did it work for you?

I am asking because I adore hostas and have spent a fortune on and lost them. So, I declared that I would forget abot hostas; however, Mary's system is making me reconsider that decision.

never put a small hosta into a giant pot ... for some reason.. i jsut doesnt work right ...

always pot up..

so if you take what is supposed to be a giant .. because it is struggling.... start with the smallest possible pot .. before you go to a huge pot...

if nothing else.. just put the smaller pot into the big pot.. for now ... always use pots with drainage holes ....

ken

No, I didn't try Mary's system. I'm still just potting them up like I did before, but have made a much lighter potting soil. Back in those wild, crazy days of the 70's, I tried hydroponics and didn't have much success. Mary is still having great success with it.

However, you have to understand that Mary and I are in the Texas prairie in zone 8. We don't have any problem with what to do with hosta in the winter. We can just leave them where they sit and they do fine. We rarely get a freeze that lasts more than a day or two. I'm not sure where Butch lives, as I have not seen him on the forum since I've been on it. You might follow up with Mary and see what else you can find about Butch's method and where he lived.

bkay

Thanks, bk. I do understand because I live in the same area.