The patio is likely keeping them warmer.

tj

Unfortunately it's not quite that simple. I'll bet the ones in the ground are a different variety from the 2 in the pots and that's where the rub lies. Yes location does make a difference. For example, I have 2 'Katherine Lewis' in pots. One's in a lot of direct light and it's well into senescence whereas the other one, which is planted pot-in-pot under a rhododendron, still has all its colour. A little too wet out there today to take and post pictures, unfortunately.

Pieter

I don't think it makes much difference whether the hosta is in the ground or in a pot. Location matters. But the two hosta you show have blue leaves it seems. I find that some blue leaved hosta tend to last longer in the fall.

Thanks for the input guys! I guess there's no concrete answer. I have about 15 other hostas in the ground, all different varieties and all pretty much done for the season. I just thought it interesting that these two are still looking pretty good. It might be interesting to pay closer attention next year and see if the blue hostas last longer. Not to mention, if I get these two potted ones in the ground, to see if they a) last longer than the others, and b) last as long as they did this year in pots.

Thank you!

:)

Dee

Well, my opinion is that the ones in the pots are warmer, as the air stays warmer. I only grow in pots and my pots always come up early. Almost every year, I'm scrambling to keep the early risers from freezing in the spring.

bkay

i agree with junkie.. when hes right.. hes right ...

and i agree with bkay about spring.. if you have a stone patio .. with no sun on it.. a pot will stay dormant longer in spring ..

its a heat sink.. a benefit in fall.. and a detriment in s[ring ..

watchout for those warm zone peeps.. they dont know what cold is.. or they forgot since they moved to warm climes...

ken

ps: if HOUZZ makes this post disappear again.. im going to be livid ...

hmm it worked.. lol

also.. NEVER leave a pot on a patio or cement in full sun ... if you get a few days warmth in winter.. the plant might pop out of dormancy.. and that is real bad .. they might ignore it happening once.. but if it does so repeatedly.. the plant will rot and die ... just no sense of humor about that ...

the key is.. get them dormant.. and keep them dormant ...

thee other problem with pots in late winter .. in cold zones.. if getting to wet and and many plant dont like cold sodden roots in spring... and in my ground freeze area.. roots being frozen solid on an pot sized ice cube ..

ken

Yes, we peeps who are Texans don't know what cold is. I was watching a TV program the other day and they said it was -20 F. and they were outside - working.

We had a few days around 0 F and people died, pipes froze, - lots of water damage to homes. My hosta weren't bothered, though.

bk

We peeps in cold are forgetting what realy cold is. Here in MKE, our last couple of winters were dry and on the average, not as cold. However we did have a really cold Spring and plants weren’t pipping until early May.

debra

Ken says "get them dormant.. and keep them dormant"

I've moved some hostas to our shed to protect the containers from cracking in our upcoming freeze (low 20s predicted). We've had some mild freezes already but some of the containerized hostas are hanging on still.

Here's my question: is it ok to leave them in the shed from now until spring, even if they are not fully dormant yet? Or should I move them back outside after this (relatively) cold spell passes?

I'm in north Alabama, zone 7b.

I am in zone 6, Canada. I have many hosta in containers. Most are dormant but some are not. We are experiencing a hard frost now for a few days. I have moved the nondormant hosta in more protective areas and some in an unheated shed. I am planning to put them back outside again when the daytime temperatures are above freezing. They should go dormant soon.

As you are in zone 7b, you are in a much warmer zone. It is not OK to leave them in the shed now until spring if they are not fully dormant because they will continue to want to grow. Growth will be poor. They need to be dormant before you store them for the winter.

Have had same experience. Same variety looked great in the pot and shriveled in the soil due to cold weather. I think soil in the pot was warmer.