Just curious - quick question about hostas in the ground vs in pots
diggerdee zone 6 CT
3 months ago
I don't usually post here but a question popped into my mind when I was walking into my house yesterday. I noticed that two hostas which I have in pots on my patio are still looking really good, while the hostas out in the gardens are pretty much toast. And these potted hostas were dug up from a friend's garden in spring, and just thrown into a pot with a handful of soil because I was going to plant them right away. Ha, yeah right.
Anyway, is this a usual occurence or situation? Do potted hostas do better (or at least last longer) than in-ground ones? They are in about equal light situations, and equally neglected by me, so it's not like the ones on the patio got better care. There might be a VERY slight difference in protection on the patio (from winds, etc), and I suppose the patio could be warmer because of the pavers, but it doesn't get much sun to begin with.
some hostas in the garden
Ivory Queen in a pot
Northern Lights(?) in a pot
Just curious... Thanks!
:)
Dee
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (13)
tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
3 months ago
Pieter zone 7/8 B.C.
3 months agoRelated Discussions
Growers 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 MoreWhat pot for hosta? What sources?
Comments (16)Oh Westy your funny! Yes I do have them in very large 30+ black landscaper pots. You can also spray paint them to become more decorative. Many years we would drag these huge pots into the garage but our backs were weakening and I just started tipping them in place (lazy). As long as they are at least slanted more than 45 degrees they will be fine. You only start to put back on their feet when the pot is UNFROZEN...very important! This is because if tipped up and frozen the sun may defrost some of the soil it could rain and the crown could rot! I would suggest very loose good gritty soil. I use a mixture of mulch, soil, soiless mix...NEVER, like Caliloo said, moisture control...plants could rot! Then you can layer your yard. The reason we do this is because we have a suburban lot and had to be creative to include the giants that my husband loves. If your not sure just take a smaller common plant and put it in a pot...plastic works best but I do have(like Ken said) glazed terra cotta that I have never tipped or brought in and they are fine. Italian pots are made stronger than Mexican just a FYI. Just experiment! Sorry no pics but you can e-mail me and I'll send some. Westy...your so funny! See ya Thursday! For our annual Sunrise Greenhouse adventure! lol...See Moreleaf size in potted hosta
Comments (8)Could the small leaf size be retained because of the small pot? ==>>> perhaps after a decade or so ... by which time most of its roots have grown out the bottom.. and the plastic pot is half exploded .... but i would suspect a small or mini hosta.. before i would suspect dwarfism due to pot... need that pic and may as well tip it out of the pot.. and look at the root system... then shove it back in ... why guess???? ken...See More'Up-Potting' - Jes What Is That All About?
Comments (20)Hmmmm, well, I have some of the larger containers and the hosta are new planteeeeees. So what I've done is put more than one hosta into those larger containers. I've teased out some looooong roots, and those hosta are the ones which wound up in the smaller diameter but deeper pots. As time goes by, I shall be removing the burgeoning hosta from the communal planting, and if I am lucky, they shall be the ones that go into the soil. I got one hosta, a Venusta, which arrived with one rather fat but single 3 inch long root. I was really worried about it, and put it in a small container. I babied it for about three weeks before I realized....it died. I could not believe someone had actually shipped me such a bad looking hosta. Live and learn. It wasn't the pot. I really don't have enough money to put all my hosta into containers that are "too big" for them. But I love large containers for large shrubs that will create some shade for my hosta. Perhaps by the time spring arrives, I'll have a few requiring new or larger pots. But I think not. If any come up smaller than they were when originally planted, I'm leaving them as they are. However, would you believe that in my pot moving this fall, I discovered some roots peeking out the bottom? Now, those dudes may have to be given deeper pots. It's going to be neat to see what happens, my first real spring with hosta EVERYWHERE. .....wheeeeeeeeeeee...See More
newhostalady Z6 ON, Canada
3 months ago
diggerdee zone 6 CT
3 months agobkay2000
3 months agoken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
3 months agoken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
3 months agobkay2000
3 months agolast modified: 3 months ago
djacob Z5b SE WI
3 months agoBen D (zone 7b)
2 months agonewhostalady Z6 ON, Canada
2 months agolindalana 5b Chicago
2 months ago
Related Stories
LANDSCAPE DESIGNPros Field Your Questions About Outdoor Lighting
Find out what to consider when illuminating your landscape for safety and ambiance
Full Story
GROUND COVERSGround Force: 10 Top Ground Covers for Your Garden
Protect your soil from weeds and drought this summer with a living mulch of ground covers
Full Story
CONTAINER GARDENSContainer Garden Basics: How and When to Water Potted Plants
Confused about soil moisture, the best time to water and what watering device to use? This guide can help
Full Story
CONTAINER GARDENSSolve Your Garden Border Dilemmas With Planted Pots
Set your containers free from the patio — placed among plantings in the ground, they fill unsightly gaps, let you experiment and more
Full Story
KITCHEN SINKSEverything You Need to Know About Farmhouse Sinks
They’re charming, homey, durable, elegant, functional and nostalgic. Those are just a few of the reasons they’re so popular
Full Story
LIFEA Quick Downsizing Quiz for the Undecided
On the fence about downsizing? We help you decide whether that fencing should encircle a mansion or a mini trailer
Full Story
LIVING ROOMSRoom of the Day: Curiosities Bring Quick Intrigue to a Living Room
From blank box to captivating, exotic concoction, this room goes for the wow factor — and the whole house took just 4 days
Full Story
GREEN BUILDINGConsidering Concrete Floors? 3 Green-Minded Questions to Ask
Learn what’s in your concrete and about sustainability to make a healthy choice for your home and the earth
Full Story
EXTERIORSCurb Appeal Feeling a Little Off? Some Questions to Consider
Color, scale, proportion, trim ... 14 things to think about if your exterior is bugging you
Full Story
ARCHITECTURE4 Things a Hurricane Teaches You About Good Design
When the power goes out, a home's design can be as important as packaged food and a hand-crank radio. See how from a firsthand account
Full Story
old_dirt 6a