Overwinter hosta in plastic pot under arborvitae: review my plan?
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (9)
Related Discussions
Just inherited some horseradish. Review my plan to plant please?
Comments (8)Hmm) I had that idea too - to plant it in a container. I just couldn't afford the beast taking over my small yard, but I needed a lot of it for canning, so I took huge plastic tub, made holes in the bottom, placed it in the big rock in my natural hillside rock garden, filled it with some pot soil and planted my horseradish in it. It grew, but without any enthusiasm... So by the end of the summer, I decided to pull out tiny unhappy plants . To my surprise, it didn't come out of the loose soil... Under suspicion, I moved the tub. And yes, it was connected to the ground. The root from the plant found the hole, went through, spread under the tub(remember, it was on the rock!), found a crack in between of two big rocks... Now I have a horseradish plant right in the middle of my rock garden. Good thing though, it doesn't spread. Even spreading champion only able to fight that much with two huge rþcús). Now, I built a standalone HIGH bed (2.5') at the end of my yard and planted it there. So far, so good, second year in progress. What ever will make out of it(if any), I am going to kill by cutting. From my fighting experiences with Japanese knot weed I know nothing can grow, if you do not give a chance to the leaves to be above the ground for more then 1 day....See MoreGrowers of potted up hosta
Comments (42)BK, I agree, I like the 'finished' look of pot feet, and I do use them with my decorative patio pots, which sit on concrete or decking rather than on the ground. The link is to the thread I had in mind. It's all you ever wanted to know about the movement of water through potting media. It seemed counter-intuitive to me that raising a pot off the ground doesn't improve drainage, but that's the idea here. Basically, a rough summary is that every media has a level at which gravity alone is no longer sufficient to draw water down through it. This is called the perched water level. (Do forgive me if you already know all this...it was news to me when I started out a few years ago!) When a pot is raised off the ground, the water drains out only to that "perched" level, then it just hangs out there. Not a problem if your media is well drained (has a low perched water level), but potentially rot-inducing if your media is finer (water perches at a higher level in the pot and keeps the roots and crown wetter, longer). When the potting media is in contact with the earth, that perched water can continue to wick downwards and out. The soil acts as a sponge or a wick. Now, as someone with verrrry slow-draining clay soil, I do wonder about how different soil types effect this process. But anyway, that's kind of the Readers Digest version. What do you think? Here is a link that might be useful: Tapla's container drainage thread...See Morei need advice on overwintering pots
Comments (29)I think that thought paints with too broad of a brush. For instance, I have never tipped my plants on their sides and have never lost one to crown rot. In fact, I have 3 plantings that over-winter outside I'll describe. 1 is in a shallow (4" deep) solid granite trough that just sits on the ground under a very old HL walking stick, the other 2 are in dish gardens planted in collection saucers less than 3" deep. I think we all know that shallow containers like these significantly increase the likelihood of problems associated with perched water in the soil, so the fact that these plantings survive year after year speaks to something other than me tempting fate and just being lucky. So, given that I don't tip my plants on their sides and don't have problems, can I logically say it's necessary to follow this practice? NO. Can I logically say it's unnecessary (for me?) YES, I can. If a mix is partially frozen, it can still partially drain. If the center of a pot is frozen, or the part farthest from an extraneous heat source is frozen, any rain falling on the pot will drain through the unfrozen soil. The problem arises when the soil being used is inappropriately water retentive. Soils that naturally hold little perched water will drain as soon as the soil thaws. The soil in contact with the container walls will thaw first, and by that pathway the water in the upper few inches of soil will exit the pot. Finally, hydrologically speaking, water in a nursery container resting on the ground acts the same way it would if it was in a raised bed that used the same soil as what is in the pot, because establishing continuity between the soil in the container and the earth technically turns the pot into a mini raised bed. I'm not saying that tipping the pot on its side can't be helpful, but I think some qualification of the statement, sop it's not so broad, should be added: In some cases, when using highly water-retentive soils where freeze/thaw cycles are common, tipping the pot on its side during periods of winter rain can sometimes help reduce the potential for ill effects due to over-saturation and the crown rot that can accompany those conditions. Al...See MoreNeed help overwintering pain induced hosta purchases!
Comments (11)OK - that sounds good esther opal - I hope you didn't think I was belittling your information - if you did, I apologize. What is your zone? Do you get a lot of snow/frost heaving in your winter? I have lost quite a few plants, not just hosta which seem to weather the winter a little better than other, to frost heave. Sometimes almost all my hosta roots are above ground when I get to them in the spring. This year because of my back and not getting out to the garden, the deer and rabbits have been feasting! I am hoping the green stalks will provide enough green for the plants to gather a little strength. One other thread I have read suggests that I might be lucky! Thanks again for your help - and again I hope you didn't feel that I was just disregarding your information. There is so much knowledge out there - I sometimes get overwhelmed trying to sort out what could be the most beneficial path for me to take! Mind you, I understand that nothing is guaranteed. Jakki...See MoreRelated Professionals
Kahului Landscape Contractors · Seymour Landscape Contractors · South Hackensack Landscape Contractors · Grand Rapids Driveway Installation & Maintenance · New River Driveway Installation & Maintenance · Aventura Fence Contractors · Compton Fence Contractors · Fullerton Fence Contractors · Independence Fence Contractors · Wilmette Fence Contractors · Woodinville Fence Contractors · Goleta Fence Contractors · Brooklyn Center Solar Energy Systems · Gardena Solar Energy Systems · Maple Grove Solar Energy Systems- 7 years agolinnea56 (zone 5b Chicago) thanked ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
- 7 years agolinnea56 (zone 5b Chicago) thanked ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
- 7 years agolast modified: 7 years ago
- 7 years ago
Related Stories

TREES10 Top Trees to Grow in Containers
These container-friendly trees make great specimens for pots on the patio or marking an entrance
Full Story
GARDENING GUIDES10 All-Foliage Container Ideas for Your Summer Garden
These long-lasting plants are easy to care for and add lushness and consistency to patio gardens
Full Story
GARDENING GUIDESNew Ways to Think About All That Mulch in the Garden
Before you go making a mountain out of a mulch hill, learn the facts about what your plants and soil really want
Full Story
LANDSCAPE DESIGN10 Gorgeous Container Garden Ideas for Outdoor Entertaining
Use these no-stress container garden ideas to add party-ready color to your patio, porch or deck
Full Story
GARDENING GUIDESGreat Garden Combo: 3 Wonderful Plants for a Deer-Resistant Screen
Protect your privacy and keep deer at bay with a planting trio that turns a problem garden area into a highlight
Full Story
MONTHLY HOME CHECKLISTSSeptember Checklist for a Smooth-Running Home
Get ready to get cozy at home with snuggly blankets, well-stocked firewood, added insulation and more
Full Story
DECORATING GUIDESFrom Queasy Colors to Killer Tables: Your Worst Decorating Mistakes
Houzzers spill the beans about buying blunders, painting problems and DIY disasters
Full Story
GARDENING GUIDESGarden Myths to Debunk as You Dig This Fall and Rest Over Winter
Termites hate wood mulch, don’t amend soil for trees, avoid gravel in planters — and more nuggets of garden wisdom
Full Story
WORKING WITH PROSWhat Do Landscape Architects Do?
There are many misconceptions about what landscape architects do. Learn what they bring to a project
Full Story
FALL GARDENINGWhy Fall Is the Best Time for Planting
Spring is overrated for planting. Starting plants in autumn has advantages for both garden and gardener
Full Story
tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱