How to Grow Hostas in Containers

Hostas are the perfect landscaping plant. With the wide variety of shapes, sizes and colors available, it’s no surprise that everyone loves hostas! If you can’t decide on the best place for hostas in you landscape, or if you want to add hostas to your patio or deck, try growing hostas in containers. This is a great option for decorating outdoor spaces, and makes your hostas portable. If you choose, you can even add them to your landscaping next year. Here are some tips for growing hostas in containers.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Hosta plant or hosta bulb
• Container or pot
• Potting soil, or commercial soilless potting mix
• Styrofoam peanuts or pebbles

1. Select a container or pot for planting. Be creative with size and shape, but make sure to consider the mature size of the hostas. Your container must also have proper drainage to prevent waterlog.

2. Put 1 to 2 inches of styrofoam peanuts or pebbles in the bottom of the planting container. This will help aid drainage and prevent waterlog.

3. Add potting soil or a commercial soilless potting mixture to the container or pot. Hostas love soil that retains moisture, yet also drains properly.

4. Add the hosta plant and pat the soil frimly around the base of the plant. If planting a bulb, bury the bulb about two inches below the soil surface or in accordance with specific species requirements.

5. Water the plant thoroughly.

6. Place the potted plant in an area that gets indirect sunlight. Most hostas cannot tolerate direct sunlight.

7. Keep the soil of the potted hostas moist, but not soggy, throughout the growing season. Water needs increase as weather gets hotter.

8. Move the potted hostas to warmer locations during winter months. If the temperature in your area drops below 30 degrees F, move the hosta containers inside to a cool location and water lightly to prevent complete dry out. Ideally, hostas should be kept at 30 to 40 degrees F during winter months. A garage is a great winter location. You can move them back outside when the danger of frost has passed.

Tips & Warnings

• Terra cotta pots are a great choice for growing hostas.
• Potted hostas look great when grouped on patios and decks or beside swimming pools.
• Hostas look great when planted with ivy that trails over the sides of the container or pot.
• To help retain soil moisture, add a bit of mulch to the surface of the soil.