08/20/2026
The Hosta Hideaway Nursery and Gardens of York Springs PA regularly gets asked about planting hostas in containers, so we thought this would be a great time to discuss three areas: 1. Why plant hostas in containers, 2. How to plant hostas in containers, and 3. Winterizing hostas in containers.
WHY PLANT HOSTAS IN PLANTERS: Anyone who visits The Hosta Hideaway of York Springs, PA will notice a large number of planters displayed throughout the nursery, as they add beauty and interest to the gardens. Many customers do not realize until they visit that hostas can survive year after year in planters, and that they will come back more beautiful each year.
You can use hostas in planters to define an area, as an entrance marker to the gardens, or in areas where it may be difficult to plant such as at the base of a tree. Along with the hundreds of varieties of hostas we sell in regular quart, gallon or two gallon pots, we sell full sized hostas already planted in nice five gallon containers ready for your garden spaces. So remember, utilizing containers in a garden, especially planted with hostas will add interest and beauty to a garden spot, and will come back each year to provide years of enjoyment.
HOW TO PLANT HOSTAS IN CONTAINERS: The first task is to find a planter that will handle the root ball of the hosta at maturity. For a miniature hosta, a one to two gallon container should be sufficient. For small or medium hostas, 3 to 5 gallon containers should be used at a minimun. And for large and giant hostas, you need to consider at least 10 gallon sized containers if you plan on leaving them in the planters for many years.
As far as planting the hostas, we would discourage using dirt as the planting medium, as that ends up making the planter very heavy, and dirt tends to block the drainage holes. Therefore, using a good perennial mix that has a larger concentration of small pieces of bark is preferred. You could also add a small amount of unstained mulch which would help to keep the "soil" from packing down.
Additionally, you can add something to the bottom of the pot so you are not filling a large pot completely with expensive potting soil. People use many things including Styrofoam or plastic milk bottles. But just remember, one day you may repurpose the container and then you will need to clean out whatever you used, and at that point you will most likely regret using things that you cannot compost. Personally, I like using unstained mulch in the bottom of large containers, as it is natural, will provide plant nutrients over time and it allows for drainage.
WINTERIZING HOSTAS IN CONTAINERS:
Generally, once a hosta goes dormant for the season, it does not require sun or water until spring. Therefore, there are generally two options for winterizing the planter. Either move the planter to a sheltered area that will allow the hosta to still stay cold while minimizing it getting water, such as a covered porch or outdoor shed. Or the planter can be covered with a tarp or heavy plastic. For more information on this technique see a video Donna filmed on Winterizing planters on our website under VIDEOS. We hope this information is helpful as you continue developing your hosta gardens.
And we also hope you visit The Hosta Hideaway and shop the 400 varieties of hostas we have for sale, and our nice selection of planters. And see our hosta display gardens, or peruse our large selection of statuary, lanterns, pagodas, benches, fountains, planters, and other unique garden finds for your landscape. And know the shopping areas have hostas all season long including our extensive hosta and statuary selling areas, so come for a visit!
The Hosta Hideaway is located at 95 Sequoia Court, York Springs PA, about 20 minutes north of Gettysburg and 30 minutes south of Harrisburg. Our hours are Monday thru Friday 9AM-6PM and Saturday 9AM-3PM (We are closed on Wednesdays in AUGUST and SEPTEMBER, and we are always closed on Sundays). For more information check out our website at thehostahideaway.com and AND IF YOU APPRECIATE THESE POSTS PLEASE FOLLOW US AND SHARE ON FACEBOOK, and come for a visit and bring a friend!
