Care of Hanging Baskets

This is the time of year when gardeners with container gardens or hanging baskets become frustrated because their spring investment is starting to look pretty shaggy. If we stop and think about it, these plants in containers are living and developing much like any other living thing. Take for instance your lawn, that is living also and if we don't mow it for 10 days it looks pretty shaggy. The same thing is true for the plants we have growing in baskets or containers. They need attention to keep them looking good - like watering regularly and a steady diet. Some trimming when they start to look straggly, which usually occurs about 4-6 weeks after we have them home. Selected trimming about every 3 weeks will keep them full of blooms when they have food available from weekly fertilizing or a slow release fertilizer that we apply one time for the season.

Before Trimming

If you are like many gardeners right about now, your container gardens and baskets are starting to look pretty sad. I know of gardeners that are having this problem so I am sure some of you are experiencing a similar situation. The question that is asked most frequently is, "How often should I water my hanging basket or container garden?" My response is always "when it dries out". This is like asking "what kind of coat should I wear today", response: "wear the one that will keep you warm" and that will depend on how cold it is outside. Stop and think about it. Plant water needs are seldom the same every day because this depends on several things- temperature, wind, stage and rate of growth. As plants mature in containers and their rate of growth slows down, because they are flowering heavily instead of growing rapidly, they are also becoming "root bound" (the container is full of roots) and they will likely require watering more frequently when it is warmer. If the temperatures become cooler they will not dry out as fast and over-watering can occur causing serious damage to the roots and ultimately this will show up in the tops of the plants with light green and brown leaves. Symptoms of root damage is defoliation because the roots are drowning in too much water or are dried out severely. Let the soil dry out some between waterings and if the plants wilt some that is ok, as long as it isn't a severe wilt. Fertilizer will not help when the roots are damaged, so keep the soil moist but not saturated and feed regularly (weekly). Imagine if you were drowning and someone offered you a good Philly steak sandwich, you don't need the sandwich right then, what you need is air, this is true of your plants as well. When you keep them growing then they can use the feed.

After a trim and some growth

So the take away is: keep your plants growing by 1) keeping the soil moderately moist, not soaking wet or too dry. 2) Keep them fed so they keep growing and producing flowers and one easy way to do that is with a slow release fertilizer that feeds for the entire growing season with one application.


30 years of Growing
Meadow View Growers
New Carlisle, OH
www.meadowview.com

More Resources

Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting

More Landscaping/Gardening Information:

Related Articles

Gardeners Gift Ideas
Plant lovers and backyard enthusiasts are special people who will love your thoughtfulness when you chose a garden gift for them. If someone you know spends more than ninety percent of their day pruning and pairing, selecting garden gifts for their next birthday or anniversary might be the perfect token of your appreciation.
Garden for The Health of It!
Gardening is good for your health! You have heard this before but take a look at the scientific facts that are available today.
Liner Ponds versus Folding Preformed Ponds
IntroductionSo you've decided to build your very own backyard water garden. You are in the process of actively planning out your design, and you're visualizing the end-result.
Gardenscape On A Shoestring
Many of us flip through garden magazines, all the while thinking that it takes years, a professional, or tons of money to landscape the gardens featured in the glossy pictures. This isn't necessarily true.
Toxic Pollutants & Their Effect on Fish Health
Once water temperatures increase in the summer months, fishbecome more active and produce increasing amounts of waste,leading to potential water pollution. Fish produce waste in theform of ammonia, which is broken down into nitrites then nitratesby beneficial bacteria.
How To Plan A Garden Right
Gardening is a hobby that brings joy, entertainment, and a better quality of life. It is a creative activity, the result of which is a more aesthetically appealing home.
Build A Simple Planter Box
Love flowers, but don't have the space -- or the desire -- to plant a garden? You may want to try making your own flower box, which can be just about any size you wish.This planter box is built with a top and a bottom exterior frame; then you affix cedar panels to the frame and add bottom panels.
Should Gardeners Be Trying to Eliminate Every Bug in the Garden?
There are a number of insects that can injure the plants in our gardens but it is important to know which ones just cause cosmetic problems vs. those that actually destroy our flowers, shrubs and trees.
Tips for Choosing a Chiminea for Your Backyard or Patio
Imagine that you want to stay warm in your backyard on a cool, starry night. One of the ways you can do so is to invest in a clay or cast iron chiminea.
Growing Vegetables in Containers - The Compact Solution
Container vegetable gardens are a great alternative for those that don't have access to backyards. There can be a range of reasons to grow your vegetables in containers.
Why Summer Is A Good Time to Plant
Were you aware that many people think you can only plant trees and shrubs in the spring or fall? This used to be true but that has all changed due to updated and modern growing practices in nurseries.
Selling Your House? Trim Your Shrubs!
Shrubbery and other greenery that has an unkempt appearance can often be misconstrued as a sign of neglect, and gives a bad impression of your house overall. Prospective homebuyers who see shrubbery that has not been well maintained may not even be aware of their observation, but it will have an impact on the way they view your property as a whole.
Water Conservation in the Garden - Use a Rain Barrel to Harvest Rainwater
If you are a gardener you probably already do a bit composting to recycle yard and kitchen waste. This homemade "Black Gold" does wonders for your plants and soil.
Hummingbirds
Many individuals are fascinated by hummingbirds. So much so, that they will do anything in their power to attract these petite creatures to their yards.
How to Buy a Porch Swing
The Porch Swing is enjoying a surge in popularity thanks to the latest Home & Garden trend towards building "Garden Rooms". Patio Furniture Retailers have responded by flooding the market with so many options that making a choice can be a daunting task.
Developing the Perfect Landscaping Idea
Using landscaping ideas can be an effective way to attract wildlife, such as birds, to your yard and neighborhood. Thoughtfully placing bird feeders or houses around your yard can make it an inviting environment for different types of bird species.
Protecting the Pollinators and Controlling the Bugs
Now that summer is here some gardeners are finding holes appearing in the leaves of their garden plants and are concerned that this damage will end up destroying their flowers or killing their plants.
Growing a Sustainable Garden!
Do you wish you could grow a sustainable vegetable garden? Now you CAN have a sustainable garden of your own in a very small space. And it can be fun and productive!Let's think for a moment of what motivates us to grow gardens anyway?Many of us want the taste of fresh picked-when-ripe tomatoes, corn, peas and etc.
Wild Flower Garden - Yours to Design and Plan
To design a wild flower garden, you do not need to be a specialist or an artist, you just need to be observant and let your creative juices flow. Look around you, what is unique about your surroundings? Do you wish to enhance or compliment these things.
Bedding Plants and Plugs (small plants)
It is not difficult to grow bedding plants from seeds, and you may be surprised to know you do not need to have a greenhouse or some hot room to grow them in. I have managed to grow my plants by placing them in an old carton/pot covered in a polythene bag.