Hostas are one of the most popular shade perennials. They are extremely versatile and add such a lush feeling to gardens, whether planted in the ground or in garden beds. But have you considered adding them to containers?
Are all Hostas suitable for growing in containers?
The short answer to this question is yes. All Hostas can look great in the right container. There’s no doubt that if planted they will possibly look better, but you can make a very good focal point, with a carefully chosen Hosta in a container.
Why grow Hostas in containers?
By choosing to grow in a container, the Hosta is easier to look after, particularly if there is some form of issue with it. You can move it easily into more shade or even less shade if required.
Having many Hostas in containers you can display them to their best advantage, and you can easily change that format, by simply moving the containers to give a totally different look.
One of my favourite reasons for growing in a container is that if you get a gap in a border, especially if it is temporary, you can put a container in the border to fill the gap. It can easily be moved again, once not required. All this without having to dig up any plants.
The biggest reason for Hostas in containers is where you don’t have a garden, anywhere to plant them, no other space. This means you can still have a display in your back yard, patio or balcony.
Growing in containers, also reduces the incurrence of slugs & snails. It won’t stop them, but it is less likely than those planted.
Many different methods exist on the market for protection from slugs & snails, such as copper bands.
Which Hostas are best for containers?
These leafy marvels look great in pots and containers of all sorts. The thing about Hostas is that there are so many unique varieties that vary widely in shape, size, and colour, that it is not a one size fits all approach to putting them in containers. They can look great by themselves, or with other container friendly companion plants.
Let’s start with the larger & giant Hostas.. Whilst these are a magnificent focal point when planted in the garden, they can do the same job in a carefully placed container. The advantage, is it can be moved to change the view without digging up.
Don’t be tempted to put more than one giant Hosta in a container. The container should also be large enough for the eventual growth of the giant Hosta.
Medium sized Hostas can be used in exactly the same way. Miniature Hostas need to be treated a little differently.
Miniature Hosta not only look fantastic in containers, they prefer being there than planted in the ground. Most miniature Hostas cannot cope with the competition from larger plants, and will generally be far happier in a container, with no competition.
Miniatures can be grown a single or multiple plants in a container. The compost in the pot is also different. See details later.
Choosing the correct container!
When choosing a container, ensure you get the right one for the Hosta specimen that will be planted. There are hundreds of different looking, different sized containers on the market today. The world is your oyster.
In general, choose a frost proof container that fits the need. This could be a clay pot, or ceramic, or even concrete. It could be a bowl, or pot or even a trough. There are many ideas for container, why not be a bit quirky?
Many of our miniature Hostas are in shallow bowls or small clay pots. The others in clay pots or ceramic pots. Each pot chosen for the size of the plant getting towards maturity. All of these containers will have adequate drainage including the use of crocks. (broken up pieces of old clay pots)
So, when it comes to container planting your Hostas, where do you start?
Once you have chosen your container (with holes in for drainage, & crocks) the question is, which compost shall I use?
Hostas are not fussy about the type of compost that you pot them into. However, it is always nice to give them the best you can afford.
I tend to use a combination of my own compost and 2 year old leaf mould, both roughly sieved mixed with an equal amount of standard potting compost.
Standard potting compost purchased from a garden supplier. Now it is up to you whether you use peat free compost, or compost with other ingredients in, or possibly one of the John Innes composts (Use No 3 for potting).
Some people add garden soil to the mix. This is fine, but it will present a weed problem on the top of the container later.
You don’t generally need a mulch or other covering on containers (except miniatures) We will discuss this shortly.
Use a standard potting soil as the growing medium and water the plant into your pot.
Plant your Hosta at the same depth that it's planted in its original pot, into multipurpose compost, or similar.
What is different about miniatures in containers?
Miniatures need special care from day one. It’s a bit like having a new baby and looking after it. You give it all the right things that it won’t necessarily get as a grown-up child.
Using the same compost as for all the other containers, but with the addition of horticultural grit to give extra drainage. Miniatures need to have good drainage as they are far more prone to rot, with being wet, than the bigger ones.
Plant them at the same level as the compost in the pot and cover the compost with a layer of horticultural grit. Them main function of this is to stop splashing compost onto the Hosta foliage when watering. Water in well.
When arranging Hostas in multiples, in a trough, or a shallow bowl, it is always more aesthetically attractive to plant in odd numbers, 3’s & 5’s. My preference is to have different varieties, with different leaf shapes & colours. It looks so more attractive than a single variety, with the same leaf shape & colour, but it’s up to you.
General theme when arranging how your containers are displayed. You can put them out how you like but there are a few rules that could be followed:-
Place out the containers in themes based on the colour or type of container. Clay pots are lovely but don’t quite look right when mixed with blue ceramic pots. Put you clay pots together, and your ceramic pots together, but keep them separate.
You collection of containers should also be arranged in an attractive way; again odd numbers are best.
In general, the larger pots would be at the back with the smaller ones in front. Give them enough space to breathe. Do not have them touching. Make some room.
Drainage is important for Hostas, and if your containers are on a paved area such as slabs, you need to lift the pot above the paving. This is easy as there are loads of ‘feet’ on the market today. However, a cost-cutting way of doing this is to save you bottle top, from your milk, orange juice, or lemonade bottle, and use these They are all slightly different sizes, so use the same under each pot. You only need 3 to get the balance.
When winter comes, do you need to put the pots into the garage or similar?
The pot will have roots around the outside of the root system inside the pot, and therefore be more likely to be frosted with only a thin pot to protect them. I have been growing Hostas for 25 years and have found that they are extremely hardy and need no special attention. Hostas need a little bit of frost attention, to become even better the following year.
Putting them away in a garage prevents this. Don’t get me wrong, they will still come back up in the spring. If you have a very small number of containers, maybe you could do this.
There are about 2,000 containers here at Rewela Cottage. It would be a logistical nightmare.
What I will say, is that newly planted containers, those of less than one year, will not have yet established, and might be at more risk of frost damage. Perhaps these could be covered with fleece or put beneath some shrubby foliage for protection.
Many growers feel that miniatures should also be protected. Again, they are very hardy and need that frost. However, they can be very small, and could be treated the same way as the newly planted containers.
I tend to leave all my Hostas, in containers, exactly where they are used as display pots, and they always come again in the spring. Don’t under-estimate the strength of the good old Hosta.
My last bit of advice for Hostas in containers, is one I have banged about before… labelling.
Every single container will have a label for each variety. I use a 6” plastic label and printed tape for the name. These normally last for several years. I also have 4” plastic label, written by hand with indelible ink, that will be pushed into the pot, so the Blackbirds can’t see and therefore don’t hoof ‘em out.
Keep a note of all your Hostas on paper or on a computer, so if one label goes adrift, you stand a chance of finding out what it is. Particularly important in the winter months when there is no foliage to help identify the hosta.
To learn more about Hostas, you may interested in reading : AI Generated Hosta Photographs, Watering and Feeding Your Hostas, What Are the Common Mistakes to Avoid When Growing Hostas?, Ways to Protect Your Hostas from Slugs and Snails and "Uncovering the Advantages of Bare Root Hostas:
Shop for Hostas HERE
John Plant
Rewela Hostas
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