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Colorful Hanging Baskets
Hanging Baskets Add Color Around the House
Hanging baskets are a great and easy way to add some color around the
outside of the house. Hanging baskets can be used in small spaces and
are easy to care for. Creativity can be used when making hanging baskets
because the type and variety of plants are endless. Many types of plants
will grow in containers including: annuals, vines, herbs, some
vegetables, and houseplants. Herbs work great in hanging baskets or any
container because they will thrive with little care. If you do not have
the space or time to care for a vegetable garden, you could even have a
hanging salad basket with leaf lettuce, herbs, and miniature tomatoes.
As with any other container garden, it is important that the basket you
use has drainage holes. Drainage is essential so the plant roots will
not sit in water-saturated soil. Do not place pebbles or other material
at the bottom of the container; this does not improve the drainage. When
selecting a site for your hanging basket, remember that the basket will
be viewed from below. Hang the basket so that it will be close to eye
level, which will not only allow it to be admired but will make watering
easier.
Probably the biggest chore with hanging baskets will be watering.
Hanging baskets along with other containers can dry out very quickly. To
determine if the basket needs watering, feel the soil. If the potting
soil feels dry 1 inch below the surface, it is time to water. Daily
watering may be necessary. Water the hanging basket until the water runs
out the drainage holes. Watering wands can come in handy for those
hanging baskets that are difficult to reach.
There are many plants that do well in hanging baskets. When selecting
plants for hanging baskets it is important to consider whether the
basket will be in the shade or sun. For baskets in sunny locations here
are a few plants to consider using: coleus, ornamental pepper,
geraniums, cypress vine, creeping zinnia, dusty miller, annual vinca,
French marigolds, petunia, sweet alyssum, trailing lantana, verbena, and
moss rose. For baskets in shady locations here are some plants that are
commonly used in hanging baskets: impatiens, purple shamrocks, tuberous
begonia, caladium, coleus, polka dot plant, and fuchsia.
Do not think that hanging baskets can only provide color during the
spring and summer. You can also make hanging baskets seasonal. During
the fall and winter months consider some changing out your hanging
baskets with pansies or ornamental kale so that you continue to have
color through out the winter.
When selecting plants you can be creative as you like. You can have the
basket full of one type of plant or provide a mixture of plants. When
putting a variety of plants in a hanging basket here are some ideas that
can help when selecting plants: place trailing plants on the edges to
hang over the side, select plants not only for flower color but also for
foliage color, include plants with a variety of shapes and textures,
place taller or spike plants in the center or back, and place plants
closer together in the basket than you would in a flowerbed.
Hanging baskets are a great way to add some color to a deck, porch, or
front door of a house. Hanging baskets are low maintenance and you can
be as creative as you like when making them.
http://wayne.ces.ncsu.edu/index.php?page=news&ci=LAWN+71
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