Lynn,
Your hosta would not need fertilizer if it is grown in a container. Good soil is all you need. I had a common Hosta in a syrofoam pot for 5 years before I moved. I had it in a styrofoam cooler with a Honeysuckle vine on the patio.
It would probably take about 5 years before it would be root bound in a large pot.
Since as you said you do not know about Hostas when I say common. It was a plain green hosta that real hosta collectors are not concerned about. It was Hosta Lancifolia. I was dividing the hostas in the garden and because I hate to throw plants away I had laid it in the pot. I had planned to get back to it and find a spot somewhere. It sat there with no soil all winter. After winter I saw it was growing so I put some soil in the styrofoam box and did my pretty up the styrofoam box and stuck a cutting of a Honeysuckle in the box with a trellis. It was a nice planting on a side concrete patio. It became a nice accident. I put a little rabbit statue in the box for interest.
