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Hosta in pots under trees?

6 years ago

Hosta growth will be compromised if planted under trees due to the tree root competition?? Anyone left them in the plastic pot to protect them against the tree roots

Featured Answer

StevePA6a

6 years ago

I would suggest if you bury potted hosta under a maple, you would have to water about as often as a typical potted plant above ground. Not much rainfall hits the ground under a maple unless it's very heavy rainfall. My experience being in south-central PA.

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Comments (6)

Babka NorCal 9b
6 years ago
Many people do. Some use Spin Out bags. It is a never ending battle.

-Babka
newhostalady Z6 ON, Canada
6 years ago
Yes it can be done. But the tree roots will find the drainage holes of the buried pot and invade. It is best to rotate the pot a couple of times in the season to break off those tree roots that are entering your pot. Also I would encourage you to use a pot that is not too large as the buried pot will not drain as easily especially if you have clay soil.
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if the tree is basically destroying the invasive weed known as GRASS ... odds are .. its going to be a battle to SUCCESSFULLY grow hosta under it ... now maybe some of the workhorses.. like undulatas.. might work.. and compete .. but dont waste a lot of money with foo foo ones ... can it be done.. sure.. why not.. with a lot of hard work.. anything is possible ... will it be easy.. no ... frankly... kill all the grass.. throw down a bed of mulch.. install some garden chairs.. pot up some hosta.. and use it as a seating area.. with potted hosta .. and avoid battling the tree altogether ... and most likely.. the tree will figure out how to grow roots into the pots on the surface ... ken
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i hate to say it.. but forget about trying to grow them under that tree.. its roots are already at the surface... and frankly.. EVERY TIME YOU STICK A SHOVEL IN AND SEVER A ROOT.. IT WILL BE REPLACED BY 100 NEW ROOTS ... ergo i suggest pots... i hate pots... but many peeps have good luck with them .... i will even give you the pots that are stored in my barn for free .... barretts in adrian also has a recycle program.. and i am pretty sure you can go take them if you want them ... almost all nurseries have a pile of pots they are willing to give away ..... besides.. if you succeed .. you can take them with you when you move.. go figure on that .... now... would you care to work like a dog for some plants???? i have to move a bunch of clumps... and might be willing to give small pieces for starts for some labor .... how about you come over some evening with fiancee and have a tour and get some pots.. and we can discuss acquisition ... i am on the way to Tecumseh .... email me from my members page .... think about it ...ken PS: fall planting in zone 5 can lead to winter heave ... now is prime time to plant/move hosta ... they are beginning to grow roots and store food for next year ...
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Great photos. We can identify some if you would like us to try. I see what I think is Francee and two I think are u. albomarginata. Others might be able to name others. If you want us to try that, start a new post with ID or NOID in the subject line. Give us a big photo of your hosta and only put two per post. (It gets confusing when there are more than two varieties in a post.) I, too, have had good luck with Hallson's. I also like Land of the Giants and Green Mountain. I've always heard great things about Naylor Creek. Here's a link to a thread we did a couple of years ago, entitled "where to buy hosta". Pay attention to the places that are recommended by more than two people. http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/1963531/where-to-buy-hosta?n=51 bk
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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
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Lynn T (6B Boston area)
6 years ago
Newhostalady is right, to my sad experience. I had two Francee hostas in wooden barrels for years, not knowing what was going on where i couldn't see. I put a new hosta in a new barrel three years ago, and the contrast led me to replace the older barrels. It took me two days, a saw and a hatchet to pry the Francees out of their barrels thanks to maple tree roots. The wooden barrel bottoms had rotted completely away, and it was a mess inside.

For the new barrels, I got enough curved patio pavers to make a stone ring under each one, with a big hole in the middle. Every spring since then, DH and I have tilted the barrels to make sure the space is clear. The empty air is not something the tree roots want to grow in. I don't think we need to check next spring. It's working! And the hostas didn't bat an eye at being cut out of the roots/barrels. I'll get photos next spring.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
6 years ago
agree with all that ...

but add ... plant it in two pots .... so you can slip the one with the plant out... a couple times per year ....

an old friend tried this under norway maples ... he lost.. if grass wont grow under the tree ... you just arent going to dream up any viable option to beat that tree ...

ken
newhostalady Z6 ON, Canada
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Philip, you might want to read my post in which I removed a buried hosta pot that had not received regular pot turning.

http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/3918002/im-a-bad-hosta-momma-fragrant-blue?n=20

Lynn, I am glad that you figured out what was going on and were able to replace the old barrels. I like the idea of using curved patio pavers under the barrels.

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