Marilyn, here's hoping we have bigger and better hostas this summer, and maybe a few more of those beautiful plants added to our gardens.

A favorite grouping from a while ago. That bed doesn't exist anymore. Too many roots that were choking out the hostas

Rose, I have a problem with tree roots too, a huge willow that sends it's roots everywhere!

Ouch! I think willows are worse than maples for roots!

Sorry about the tree root problems. I have some hostas under my maple tree, but I've used it as an area to put hostas that are in pots. This shows the 2014 collection of pots. These plants are a seedling from 'Little Red Rooster', H. 'Tickle Me Pink', and H. 'Obsession.

Nice seedlings, they seem to be doing well in the pots.

Hosta 'Patriot'.


Hosta ( ' Hosta fortunei Aureomarginata ')----In Bloom

Interesting shot of Patriot, Philip. What is that lovely blue flower on the right in the 'Hosta fortunei Aureomarginata' photo?

Margaret - only the one on the left is a seedling. I generally don't keep hostas in pots too long - usually new ones or small ones or ones I'm not sure about where to locate or ones that aren't doing well. I've not had very good success overwintering them unless I bury them.

Ann, I am surprised they don't over winter well in your zone in pots, I guess there is no hope of it working in my zone.

I tried an experiment this year. I put several potted hostas in our shed which is lightly insulated so will see if they survive. Come spring I'll report of I've had any success.

I hope they survive Debbie, I will be watching the hosta thread for your report in the spring.

I just plant pot and all in the ground if they're plastic pots. I live in sand, so drainage has never really been a problem for me.

I am planning to transfer my potted hostas to inground but the remarks about tree roots have me a bit concerned as they will be under a silver maple.

Perhaps I can consider sinking the pots but that will limit the size won't it?

Rose, I have no space to sink a pot in the ground, the soil here is not good, full of rocks with a layer of clay about a foot down and all bedding space is full to capacity, well almost, I'm sure I can find a little space here and there for a few new plants this spring.

CDsSister said:I am planning to transfer my potted hostas to inground but the remarks about tree roots have me a bit concerned as they will be under a silver maple.

Perhaps I can consider sinking the pots but that will limit the size won't it?

Marilyn, I have 4 hostas under a cottonwood tree and they are doing quite well, increasing in size, they look healthy. Maybe it depends on the type of tree.

I get about 50/50 success with leaving them in unburied pots and the survivors are sometimes very slow in the spring. I find it worthwhile to bury them in the veggie garden as long as I don't have too many. We generally empty out one compost pile each autumn and sometimes I leave them on the surface and and dump unscreened compost on them and that seems to work.

I will be able to see how my potted ones did in a few weeks. Will have to wait and see.

Marilyn, is this the first time you have kept hostas in pots over the winter?

I have a few in containers and they are usually fine. A friend keeps lots in containers and rarely has a problem....I'll report this spring......