Beautiful blooms all summer long
Get the most life, longevity, and blooms from your containers by following these simple maintenance tips Has this ever happened to you? You buy a beautiful hanging basket overflowing with colorful flowers at the end of May, and you can see it come mid-summer. . . Too many leaves and not enough flowers, droopy and sad? There are many reasons why a hanging basket may not perform well earlier in the season, as many of their needs must be met on a consistent basis. Usually, hanging baskets are made of annuals or soft perennials. In the borders of small containers such as hanging baskets, these plants are more demanding than in a large container or on the ground. But fear not: If you give them the right amount of sunlight, water, fertilizer, and pruning, you have the greatest chance of keeping your basket a blooming powerhouse until the first frost. But first, you need to start with the best plant material.
Where is the best place to get a hanging basket?
While hanging baskets are certainly inexpensive at the grocery store and big box stores, your best bet is to buy one at a plant nursery. Generally, the plants used in a nursery-grown hanging basket have higher quality genetics and are better cared for than the cheaper ones you can find elsewhere. Growers at nurseries can observe their plants year after year, see what works and what doesn't, and constantly improve their offerings, while big box stores toss what doesn't sell and do the same the following season. Of course, you can always collect plants and materials yourself and create your own hanging basket.
How Much Sunlight Should You Give Your Hanging Baskets?
Most hanging baskets contain plants that need full sun. Common annuals used to make full sun hanging baskets include:
petunias (Petunia cvs., annual)
Pelargonium cvs., zones 11-13
Garden verbena (Verbena × hybrida cvs., zones 9–12)
Lantana (Lanthana spp. and cvs., zones 9–11)
and Calibrachoa (Calibrachoa cvs., Zones 9–11)
However, some hanging baskets are designed for shade. Annuals that typically prefer some shade include:
Coleus (Plectranthus scutellarioides cvs., Zones 10-11)
Annual impatiens (Impatiens spp. and cvs., annual)
Tender begonias (Begonia spp. and cvs., zones 9–11)
and fuchsia (Fuchsia spp. and cvs., zones 6-11)
Some plants, like lobelia (Lophila erinus cvs., annual) and some impatiens, can take sun or shade. Know the types of plants in your hanging baskets and whether they prefer sun or shade.
How can you tell if your plants are getting too much shade or sun?
Your annuals will let you know if they are happy with their light conditions or not. If your plants are exposed to too much sunlight, the leaves may begin to wilt or fade, eventually turning brown and shriveled. Leaves may show brown spots or streaks, which may indicate sunburn. If your annuals get too much shade, they may start to grow legs or bloom less than they would like.
How often should you water your hanging basket?
Hanging baskets generally require more water than annuals grown in the ground or annuals planted in larger containers because they have a lot of roots in a much smaller container.
Watering Tips:
If your hanging basket is in full sun, it may need to be watered daily.
If it is in the shade, you should only water it every two or three days.
You don't want to keep the soil constantly wet, as this can promote root rot and other types of disease.
Let your hanging baskets dry before watering again.
You can estimate soil moisture by placing your finger down an inch or two or using a soil moisture meter. If the soil is dry, it's time to water again. If it is still wet, you can wait until it dries to water.
How and why should you die back or cut back your plants?
You want to keep annuals blooming in your containers all summer and into fall, and deadheading is the best way to do that.
Many annual species these days are grown without the need for deadheading, as are many varieties of petunias and callibrachoas. But some annuals, such as geraniums and verbenas, are notorious for needing frequent nodding. Removing spent flowers prevents these plants from trying to set seed and puts energy back into flower production.
How to deadhead
Cut spent flowers and stems above the first set of healthy leaves. You can also pinch your plants, the process of removing the stem tip of a plant to encourage lateral growth. This will create a bushier, fuller plant and extend your plant's flowering time. Learn more about how to kill your plants here.
If your plants are dying, tired of being pinched, and leggy, don't be afraid to give them a severe haircut. It may take a few weeks for them to bounce back, but as long as you provide adequate fertilizer, sunlight, and water regularly, you'll have a rejuvenated plant with thick foliage and fresh flowers.
Enjoy your hanging basket for the entire growing season
We all love our trees, shrubs and perennial beds and borders, but nothing like the cheerful, colorful flowers of a hanging basket that greet us from the side of the front porch or the side of the patio. Follow these tips regularly to keep your hanging basket full of thick, healthy growth and long-blooming flowers all summer long.
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