My only potted hosta

5 years ago

So many of you have potted hostas that you over winter in sheds, garages or on the north side of your house. I decided to do an experiment—— I potted an Undulata Albomarginata, I had plenty and and wouldn’t miss the plant, if things didn’t work out. I put it in a plastic pot, carefully laid it on its side on the north side of the house and piled a bunch of dried leaves on it. I forgot all about it until I wandered over to the that side of the house the other day. Here’s what I found:

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debra

Featured Answer

miles10612

5 years ago

Very interesting since I've never done it either, not that I have a shed but I should have tried an experiment like yours just to see what would happen. I do have a set of shelves in a unit with a door that is meant to sit outside and wondered if that would be sufficient? Just thinking ahead.

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Comments (9)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
5 years ago
any reason you put so little media in the pot??

or that was good enough for the experiment???

pull it out ... bare root.. and look at the roots.. then pot it properly for next winters experiment

ken
djacob Z6a SE WI thanked ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
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djacob Z6a SE WI
Original Author
5 years ago
Ken, it was kind of a spur of the minute thing, I guess...... I had dug this out to put another more desired hosta in the spot. The other hosta had been in the green pot as it wasn’t doing well in the ground. After most of the summer, it came along well. So when I put that hosta in the ground, rather than just dump the UAM, I decided to try the experiment. I just used the dirt in the pot from the other Hosta. To be honest, I really didn’t think it would work, so I was surprised to see a pip coming up. I wasn’t sure if a plastic pot would work. So many people have ceramic.

debra
djacob Z6a SE WI
Original Author
5 years ago
Miles, it’s possible that would work, but I would defer to others with more experience. Or you could try tipping a hosta on it’s side on the north side of your house like I did.

debra
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
5 years ago
To be honest, I really didn’t think it would work

==>>> really ...

i moved 1650 hosta over winter .. and once the pots were frozen solid .. i stacked them .. on there sides on top of each other .... against the north side of the pole barn.. 6 feet high ... bigger pots on the bottom ... and lost barely any ...

spring flush was the problem .. but thats another story youve probably heard before ...

ken
djacob Z6a SE WI thanked ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
djacob Z6a SE WI
Original Author
5 years ago
Holy smokes! 1650 potted hostas.......OMG that must have been plenty of work! Obviously you must have needed a scaffold! Not sure I have heard the spring flush story..........

debra
undertheoaksgardener7b
5 years ago
Most of mine are in plastic pots. The ones in pots break dormancy earlier and suffer more frost damage, unless I move them into the shed after pips appear when weather is bad. The ones in pots will suffer more extremes in temperature because their root balls are in a small amount of soil above ground level, less thermal inertia. Essentially, the potted hostas follow the air temperature for soil, as well.
djacob Z6a SE WI thanked undertheoaksgardener7b
sherrygirl zone5 N il
5 years ago
That’s great Debra! You should try some more. I have about a dozen hosta in pots. They spend the winter in my unheated shed. The only hosta I’ve lost is Mini Skirt, twice.

Sherry
djacob Z6a SE WI thanked sherrygirl zone5 N il
nicholsworth Z6 Indianapolis
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
debra..you did it!..I think it's fun to have a few in pots..
djacob Z6a SE WI thanked nicholsworth Z6 Indianapolis