Hanging Flower Baskets

Hanging baskets are very popular with gardeners. There are many plants to choose from including:

PETUNIA	IVY GERANIUM
MOSS ROSE	NASTURTIUM
VERBENA	WAX BEGONIAS
TUBEROUS BEGONIA	BROWALLIA
LOBELIA	FUCHSIA
GERMAN IVY	COLUMNEA
LANTANA

Hanging baskets are especially popular as an accent on patios and terraces, and at entranceways. Be sure to check the sun and shade pattern so you can choose the best plant for your basket's location. Avoid windy sites where the plants will get banged around.

You can use many kinds of containers for hanging baskets, including the traditional wire basket stuffed with sphagnum moss. But you can also use ceramic, terra cotta clay, and plastic containers. Be sure to remove any attached trays so water can drain out freely. Whatever kind of container you use, there are several things you need to know to have your hanging basket do well.

First and foremost is water. Hanging basket plants have a small soil ball in proportion to the size of the plants and they tend to dry out quickly, especially those grown in sphagnum moss baskets or terra cotta clay. Check them daily and water them as needed. During windy or hot weather, you may need to water as often as twice a day, depending on the container and the container size.

Because you'll water your hanging basket frequently, you will also need to fertilize often. Frequent watering leaches out soil nutrients quickly and you'll need to fertilize regularly. Use a complete water-soluble fertilizer like Miracle Gro™, Rapid Gro™, or Peter's™ every two weeks.

Pick off old flowers as they fade. This encourages the plant to produce more flowers instead of setting seed. If the plants start getting leggy, pinch the stems back a few inches to encourage bushier new growth. With care in watering, fertilizing and grooming, your hanging baskets will provide color all summer long.

Links:
Yard & Garden
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