On Mar 9, 3:54*pm, "Andrew Ostrander" wrote:
wrote in message

...



I've noticed that one person in my neighbourhood successfully
overwintered
hostas in containers last year, just left out for the winter, and the air
temperatures here in winter sometimes go down to -40C. So hostas seem to
be
very cold hardy! (I'm trying it myself this year. I sure hope it works..)
Just out of curiousity, how big were the containers? *In the past,
I've been told that in order to successfully overwinter in containers
(zone 3a), the container should be a minimum of 3x3x3 feet. *Sometimes
people here will put foam insulation inside the outside edge as well.
Storage in a garage or cool storage area is also an option.

The containers were concrete cylinders, about 2 feet in diameter and 18
inches tall. *They were covered with decorative stones on the outside.

He had cedars in them the previous winter, and they died in spring, a
situation I've seen before. *He dug his hostas out last summer, so I won't
be able to see if they survive a second winter *. *This is in Winnipeg,
and I think it's Zone 3.

I'm in Calgary. I thought hostas were about a zone 4, so I'm
surprised they would survive. I wonder if the concrete insulated them
somewhat. Well shows you never know.
Now that the housing market has tanked, I can afford an apartment
condo, so I might be making a return to container gardening 8( . But
I'll have more storage 8)
Dora