If you use a properly fast draining potting media, it is virtually impossible to overpot!! It is a similar principle to planting inground - no rootbound/potbound hostas there. Potting soils just need to be quite fast draining to accommodate the much reduced drainage area of a container. Being confined to too small a container will not speed up growth or help them increase in size!

I grow all of my hostas in containers and pot up immediately after purchasing into what will most likely be their permanent container. But I use the fast draining 5-1-1 mix discussed in depth on the Container Gardening forum.

how big are they??

putting a tiny babe.. tissue culture plant.. or mini hosta.. into a large pot.. just doesnt seem to work ... im not sure i ever heard a reason why ... other than to say... they like to be a bit root bound....

i presume it has something to do with how water moves thru a media ... insuring proper flow.. drainage.. and perhaps nutrient availability ... especially on a commercial level ...

and i dont really think it is only a hosta thing ... i dont see why you wouldnt get the same issues.. if you put a 4 leaf seedling of anything.. into a one gallon pot ... usually we see them going from cell packs.. to quarts ... to gallons .. and the price going up accordingly ...

i see no issue going from a quart.. to a gal .... within the season.. the plant should fill the one gal by fall ... or perhaps you did something wrong ... you do want to give it room to expand the roots ...

this is also why ... if you have some GIANT pot ... you might want to do a pot in pot system ... among other reasons [was that your post???] ....

comparing pot culture with soil grown plants ... is hard to do ... as there are so many variables to take into account ... but once you put one plant in each.. i think you cant compared directly .. or predict....

also.. keep in mind... with a hosta.. it is what it is.. after it leafs out ... after that.. its growing roots and storing energy for next year .... dont expect it to increase in size ... as you might see with other perennials ... and especially annuals ...

btw ... there is a container forum ... you might find other muses there ... it is a real art.. when it comes to long term container growing .... starting with the media ...and moving on from there ...

ken

I think hostas are a little like people, they want to know their boundaries (pots)!