7 Tips for Full and Lush Hanging Baskets This Spring
With so many gorgeous, trailing plants to enjoy, hanging baskets are a must for viewing them from every angle. Gardening expert Melissa Strauss shares tips to keep those baskets looking their best through the summer.
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Hanging baskets and pots give us a unique ability. They make it possible for us to enjoy the trailing habit of some truly beautiful plants from a different perspective. Many of these grow along the ground, where we don’t get to observe them at eye level. Of course, you can put other types of plants in your baskets, as well.
One thing is for certain. If you’re placing your baskets in spaces where you’ll see them often, you want them to look as full and lush as possible. This is also a great way to go vertical and fill your space with even more flowers and foliage. I prefer for my patio to feel like a rainforest.
To keep your baskets looking their best, there are some definite dos and don’ts to consider. Let’s talk about the kind of care your hanging plants need in order to grow as lush and full as possible.
Choose the Right Plants
The first step is to choose cultivars that thrive in this type of environment. Those that need extra moisture or shade may not be the best choice for your hanging pots. However, if you have a shaded spot to place them, you have more flexibility here.
Growth habit is another thing to consider when making your selections. While you certainly don’t have to take this direction, I find that those with a trailing or climbing habit often look nicest from that vantage point. Something that drapes over the side of the container creates a dramatic and eye-catching effect.
Bright flowers are lovely for filling your baskets, as they bring color to eye-level, in addition to attractive foliage. Consider petunias, lobelia, moss rose, or trailing verbena. Flowering plants can also bring butterflies and other pollinators up close, where you can enjoy those, too.
I love to see exotic and interesting foliage on display in this way. Zebrina, or inch plant, is a wonderful cultivar with its bold purple leaves that have a metallic sheen. ‘Silver Falls’ dichondra and ‘Goldilocks’ creeping Jenny are other options with showy and interesting foliage.
Select the Right Containers
The most important characteristic to consider in choosing your containers is water retention. This is especially true for anyone who occasionally forgets to water. I fall into that category, and when things are over my head, they’re not always first on my mind. The right amount of moisture is paramount to keeping your plants healthy.
Hanging baskets are usually on the smaller side and don’t hold as much soil, so they hold a limited amount of moisture. If they receive a lot of sun, the water tends to evaporate faster. You want to select a container that is large enough to accommodate the roots, and retain enough moisture that if you skip a watering day, it doesn’t dry out completely.
Consider whether you’ll be hanging it under a cover or exposed to potential rain. If it’s not covered, drainage is an absolute must. Otherwise, rain will collect and sit in the pot, which can lead to root rot. I prefer a larger container with a single drainage hole that allows the soil to absorb moisture rather than drain too quickly.
Hang in the Right Light
Getting the lighting right for your specific plant is crucial to achieving the full, lush foliage you’re after. It’s also important when it comes to flowering. Each plant has its specific needs, so it’s essential to know what those are before choosing a location or selecting a plant for a particular spot.
For some, such as inch plants, spiders, begonias, ivy, and fuchsia, a certain amount of shade is necessary. The right lighting is what brings out the color variations in many leaves. Succulents often benefit from partial shade situations as well.
Others, like petunias, lantana, moss rose, and Black-eyed Susan vine, need a lot of light if you want them to bloom their best. Just remember that sun and heat mean the soil dries out faster, so you’ll need to water these plants more often.
Consider your climate when you choose locations. If you know that you experience scorching hot summers, very few things prefer full sun. Full sun in Florida is a level of exposure that few plants tolerate. In cooler climates, those that prefer partial shade may actually flourish with more.
Keep Them Well Watered
We talked about placing them in the right containers for moisture reasons, but that’s only half the battle. It’s important to stay on top of watering those baskets. For me, this is the most important contributor to healthy, thriving, hanging plants.
Because they are smaller and dry out faster, more frequent waterings are beneficial. Many hanging baskets contain several small plants, and as they grow, their root systems become more demanding and take over much of the container. More roots, less soil, and faster evaporation mean you’ll need to water often.
If you’re a tall person, this may be no problem. If you’re short like me, consider getting a telescoping or long-handle hose sprayer. A watering can with a long nozzle works, too. This way, you can reach up and water directly into the pot so all the water reaches the soil.
Unless you’re working with succulents, ensure that you water until the water flows through the drainage holes at the bottom. If you are watering regularly and your plant seems dehydrated, it could be that the water is running through too quickly or that you have too much drainage.
If this is the case, water the soil once to wet it, and then return to it and give it a second soaking to ensure that plenty has been absorbed. For succulents, it’s less important, but they will need more moisture than usual.
Fertilize
In the same way that your hanging plants need water more often, they will need fertilizer more than the same plant in the ground or a larger container. That limited capacity means the fertilizer doesn’t last as long, so you’ll need to replenish it.
You want to strike the right balance, because too much fertilizer isn’t good either. A good plan is to fertilize more often, but feed lighter. Dilute the fertilizer by half. This will be more effective than giving more nutrients, less often.
Another factor that makes frequent fertilizing a good idea is the potential for nutrient leaching. We have a smaller container with drainage holes in the bottom. Every time you water, which will be often for a hanging plant, the water rinses some nutrients out of the soil.
Fertilize more often during the active growth phase, and taper off when it ends. This will maximize those nutrients. Use a slow-release formula if you have difficulty remembering. If you’re conscientious about fertilizing, a water-soluble formula is ideal.
Prune Regularly
Pruning is a crucial aspect of caring for hanging plants. Think of it as you would consider growing your hair long. You still need to get regular trims to keep it strong and healthy, so the ends don’t snap off.
Plants are the same way. Giving them a trim does great things for their growth and overall health. Removing the ends of stems or branches serves several purposes. For one thing, it helps to maintain their shape. It also encourages fuller growth by redirecting energy in this direction.
Regular pruning is excellent for flowering cultivars. Deadheading and removing the spent blooms from the tips of stems will encourage the production of more flowers. Overall, it encourages fuller, stronger, healthier growth.
Protect Them From the Elements
Hanging baskets are more vulnerable to the elements than pots on the ground. Heavy wind can blow them around and even knock them down. If they are not undercover, a hard rain can give your flowers a proper thrashing. Too much sun, rain, and wind can leave them looking sad, broken, and battered.
Consider inclement weather when selecting a location for your hanging baskets. Try to provide them with some shelter from strong winds, heavy rain, and excessive afternoon sun. The sun is hottest in the afternoon, so providing shade during this time will benefit your plants. Even those that prefer full sun will thrive with some protection in the afternoon in hot climates.
