Overwinter hosta in plastic pot under arborvitae: review my plan?

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

I will be overwintering my one and only potted hosta this winter. It is Peanut, a mini that never did well in the ground, but fantastic in a pot. It has yet to decline and go dormant, but I am watching for that.

Based on reading threads here, this is the plan: tell me what might need adjustment. If this works well several other minis will move into pots next year. So this is my “practice” winter.

I have a tall wild arborvitae tree on the NW corner of my attached garage. I will put it at the base of the tree. There will be no direct sun, ever, to thaw the pot. The lowest limb overhead is about shoulder height.

About 2 feet in front of the trunk are 3 small hydrangeas that I have to cage for the winter , filling the cages with leaves. The squirrels and rabbits in my area are vicious and voracious. I will have no hydrangea bloom at all – probably no hydrangeas, period – if I don’t do this. The cages are already in place but the h. shrubs still have their leaves so I have not filled the cages yet.

I was going to put the hosta plastic pot on its side between the tree trunk and the caged hydrangeas, then throw more leaves on top.

Because it is an evergreen there will be less snow fall under it, though drifts into the area are possible. I can always shovel snow into it. Assuming we have enough. Last year I lost plants (not hostas) due to lack of consistent snow cover.

If the caged hydrangeas will be a problem, I can move it further from the trunk and closer to the garage wall.

I was thinking of covering the top of the pot with crimped-on wire hardware cloth too, due to the voracious tree rats. I have done a lot of fall planting and have had to check everything daily due to their persistent digging.

How does all this sound? Thanks.

Featured Answer

tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱

8 years ago

I have but one potted hosta I overwinter. I dig a hole, put sand in the bottom, keep the pot's soil level an inch or two above the surrounding soil and tuck soil around the sides. Seems to work. Tree rats have never bothered my hosta so I wouldn't worry about them.

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Comments (9)

DTeager
8 years ago
Your plan should be fine, but that seems like a lot of doing for one pot. Is your garage unheated? You could just put the pot into the coldest corner.
linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago) thanked DTeager
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
8 years ago
any time i tried to outwit ma nature ... or by definition tried to love a plant too much ... they died ...

why not just plant it.. with all the other hosta you just bought .... in your other post ...

off hand.. i dont recall the whole debate about this problematic hosta ...

ken
linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago) thanked ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
8 years ago
oops..

otherwise your plan sounds fine.. pot out of sun and winter wind ... tipped on side .. with vermin protection ... sounds like you covered all the usual suspect variables ...

ken
linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago) thanked ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
8 years ago
I grow all my hostas in containers, simply to avoid issues with slugs, snails and deer. I just leave them out as-is all winter.......but then I do understand those in less mild winter climates may need to take additional steps :-)

As long as the process keeps the container soil from freezing solid - the biggest risk with any containerized plant over winter - you should be fine.
linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago) thanked gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
bkay2000
8 years ago
Gardengal, linnea wants hers to freeze and stay frozen.

Your hosta routine sounds about like mine was, as I'm also in zone 8. I just left mine sitting in the pot where they were. If it rains, they get wet. If it freezes, they get frozen. However, here, it thaws and stays that way most of the winter. If it is a really dry winter, I water.

Linnea's problem is that her hosta can rot if it thaws and freezes repeatedly and holds water. That's why she turns it on the side and keeps it in the shade. She wants it to stay frozen and have no standing water in it, ever.

Hosta in pots are much easier in zone 8.

bkay
linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago) thanked bkay2000
linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago)
Original Author
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Thanks, all. Peanut was a total waste of space in the garden. As a matter of fact, I dug it up this spring to throw it out. Then thought I’d give it a reprieve and see how it did in a pot. If it doesn’t make it through the winter, it’s not a big deal. So this is a good plant to learn with.

My collection of minis is growing. I’d like to try some of those in a pot next year so I can see them better.
lindalana 5b Chicago
8 years ago
here is my Peanut and friends. I have overwintered hostas this way before but not Peanut, which is new. We will see. Barrell is unmovable so it will get bit more leaves after it frozen and get loosely covered with tarp to protect from rain.
linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago) thanked lindalana 5b Chicago
linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago)
Original Author
8 years ago
Looks like a nice collection! Something that big is probably safe.