By following these easy guidelines, your hanging baskets can bloom and thrive which allows them to stay healthy and beautiful for many months.
Light requirements
For best results, match your plant’s location with its light and heat preference. Most sun lovers will continue flowering in partial shade, just not as profusely. Shade plants however, will not tolerate the heat and dryness of all-day sunlight.
- Ivy and Zonal Geraniums and Portulaca – tolerate the brightest and hottest conditions and occasional drying out.
- Petunias – also appreciate a sunny location. Keep them continually moist but not wet.
- Impatiens and Begonias – keep your shadiest spots bright. They can tolerate a few hours of morning or late afternoon sun. New Guinea Impatiens will handle several hours of sun. Keep evenly moist and grow in well-drained soil.
- Fuchsias – do best in a spot that gets shade during the middle of the day. A few hours of morning or late afternoon sun is about all they will tolerate.
Water Requirements
Flowering plants do best when never allowed to wilt. Hanging baskets will dry out faster than garden plants as they are exposed to more wind and warmer temperatures. Normally baskets can go at least a day between watering. During extremely high temperatures you may need to water daily. Water retentive crystals are available to help maintain soil moisture. When planting your own hanging baskets or containers, mix crystals into the potting soil prior to adding your plants. The crystals will swell when watered and retain moisture until drawn up by the plants. Going on vacation? Take down your baskets. Trim plants back, water thoroughly and set them on the ground in the shade. Normally they will last at least a week and flowering will resume when rehung.
Fertilizer Requirements
Yellowing leaves and poor flowering may indicate the need for fertilizer. Water soluble fertilizer can be used once every two weeks. Another choice is slow-release fertilizer beads. Scratch two tablespoons into the top inch of soil. You may also use a combination of slow release and water-soluble fertilizer. If you do, fertilize less often (monthly) or at ½ the recommended rate of water soluble fertilizer per gallon of water. Wenke Greenhouses offers free ready to use liquid fertilizer. All we ask is that you provide your own container. Removing dead flowers and seed pods will help keep the plants producing new buds for more blossoms.
