I read online that this is possible, but they do need a cool dormant period. Has anyone ever tried this

No. But I might try Hostas in my turtle vivarium. I have some that are not doing well where they are planted outside. I will try those first.

I do not think it would make a good house plant. They need a chill period of at least 2 months. I would think it would not be very attractive in the house. I know I cannot leave a tropical plant outside in the winter and a winter plant cannot be kept in doors in the winter.

Yes, dormancy is the major issue, i would just simply bury the container outside in winter and then 2 month into winter bring it back indoors. Im considering one of the mini cultivars such as mouse ears

Rhamel, I vote for you to give it a go! Interesting to see how it goes...

Well if you are going to give it the rest it needs then give it a try. Mouse ears increases fast so you could do a small piece and give it a try and you would not lose the entire plant if it does not work. It might just work if you are giving it the chill time.

Yes. I will give it a 3 month dormacy. In my refrigerator. I do this with my spider plants! I dont have room for them so in fall i freeze them for 6 hours and them refrigerate them until march. They come up rapidly the followinf spring

You are kidding. I have never heard of anyone doing that with spiderplants. You have amazed me.

I do something similar with my tropicals. I try to give them the life they would have in their natural habitat. I keep them cool and give them a sip of water once a month. They grow better and get bigger faster than starting them from a dry ball or bulb in the Summer.

That was my reason for suggesting that you should not use Hostas as a houseplant. I always try to duplicate the natural growth habit for the best plant but I see you have that figured out.

I kid you not! I do this to my mature ones in my gardening refrigerator because i simply lack room in my house! They come up rapidly and are 3 feet tall by august! Spider plants are very cold hardy tropicals, surviving the upper teens. The babies that i have,(45 to be exact!) go in my moms heated greenhouse and are put under grow lights along with my orchids, gesneriads and citrus trees. This climate(z5 albany, ny) is very cold and i have a insane amount of plants. The other day there was a giant swallowtail on a flower of my spider plants!!!!!!!!!!!! I WAS SOOOOOOOOO SURPLISED AND PLEASED. I ALWAYS SEE BEES BUT NOT BUTTERFLIES!!!

Notice that my avatar photo is a hosta! That is madame woo, certainly never going inside, often in flower over 6 feedt tall!!!

Nope there is no way that in going in the house.

I am like you I have way to many plants especially tropical that I have to bring inside any hardy plant I can leave outside I am happy to leave them out there. I have the space it is the time and strength that I am lacking.

With the amount of plants that you have inside why do you want to bring a Hosta inside. Is it just a experiment you want to try?

Just a experiment, and trying to push the boundaries mother nature set for us

I understand. I have tried it with tropicals when I have extras. I will put a lot of mulch on them and a over turned bucket. Sometimes it works if we have a mild winter.

Sometime I have to many Cannas or a extra tender bulb I try pushing my zone with those outside.

Rhamel, Please check your Treemail for the reply that I left for you. Just click on the icon of the envelope
in the left side of the blue section at the top of this page. Thanks,
Louise