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Keep your hanging baskets beautiful all summer
Michigan is one of the top producers of flowering baskets in the United
States and Michigan gardeners have a wide selection of gorgeous hanging
baskets to choose from each spring. But while the baskets are stunning
in early spring they often fizzle by midsummer. Here are some tips to
keep your flowering baskets looking nice throughout the summer season.
Right plant - right place
Choose wisely by matching the light requirements of the plants in the
hanging basket with those at the site where you intend to place them. A
fuchsia plant that’s popped into full sun will quickly dry up and die. A
pleasing petunia basket will quit blooming and get straggly if placed in
the shade. Hanging baskets generally list the plant names and
requirements on a tag or label. If they don’t, ask a knowledgeable
salesperson what conditions the plants prefer. Don’t buy a hanging
basket, no matter how beautiful, if you can’t give it the conditions it
needs.
If a plant is listed as performing well in sun or part sun, it generally
needs about 6 hours of direct sun or filtered sun all day. If it says
shade or part shade then the plant prefers less than 6 hours of sunlight
and that sunlight is generally best if it comes in the early morning or
late afternoon.
Wind can also be a factor when choosing the right plants in a hanging
basket. Some plants are very susceptible to wind damage such as the
tuberous begonias. They should be hung in a protected spot. The stems
are brittle and break easily. These plants wouldn’t be a good choice
where they might get bumped or brushed frequently either.
Water - water -water
Hanging baskets require lots of water. There are a lot of roots in those
full lush baskets and little soil. Windy, warm days may require that you
water the baskets twice a day. Plan for watering before you hang the
pots. If you can’t access them easily you either won’t water them enough
or you will want to get rid of them. There are pulley systems you can
buy or devise that allow you to lower the pots for easy watering and
long curved wands that you can attach to a hose to water baskets above
your head.
Try not to let the plants wilt, even though they may revive when
watered, each time they wilt the plant is stressed. Water baskets slowly
with warm water until water drips from the bottom of the pot. Try not to
let the soil get so dry that it shrinks away from the side of the pot,
then the water you add just pours right through the pot, without much
absorbing into the soil. If this happens take the pot down and soak it
in a large bucket of water that covers the pot. Leave it for an hour and
then remove it and let it drain. The soil should have expanded to the
pot sides again.
If the hanging basket is set into another container that doesn’t allow
it to drain freely you could over water your hanging basket. Cool rainy
weather and a container that doesn’t drain well can be a problem. Plants
that are over watered generally have a swampy smell. They will wilt just
like a dry plant because the root system is rotting away. If the soil
feels very wet don’t water the plant. Empty all saucers or catch pots
shortly after you water your hanging baskets. These sources of standing
water also breed mosquitoes.
Feed - feed - feed
Nurseries and greenhouses feed their hanging baskets a diluted plant
fertilizer almost continuously. To keep your basket blooming all summer
you should feed them too. Use a flowering plant fertilizer designed to
be mixed with water at least once a week. Follow the label directions
carefully and use the directions for container plants. Do not make the
solution stronger than the label recommends or you may burn the roots of
your plants.
Many of these fertilizers say they can be sprinkled on the leaves and
the plants can absorb them. They do to some extent but it is better to
pour the fertilizer mixture on the soil. If you plant your hanging
basket yourself or repot it, you can add a granular slow release
fertilizer formulated for flowering plants and mix it into the potting
mix. Follow the label directions for container plants. This should feed
the basket for about 3 months.
Promise to deadhead and protect
Keep dead flowers plucked off to increase bloom. Trim off straggly and
broken ends and generally keep the plant tidy. Some plants will take a
bloom break when the weather gets very hot. Warning - not every plant
can be trimmed back drastically to renew it. This works with plants like
petunias, impatiens, alyssum, lobelia and a few other things. If you are
going on vacation for a week or two trim them back to about 6 inches and
in a couple of weeks you will have a bushy plant with renewed flowering.
They must be kept watered and fed during the transition too. Don’t cut
back plants like tuberous begonias, fuchsia, and lantana. For some of
the new and unusual plants in hanging baskets, ask an experienced
nursery person or your Extension office garden hotline if they can be
trimmed back for renewal.
If frost threatens cover your basket or move it inside a garage or shed.
You may extend the beauty of your baskets for a month or so in the fall
if you cover them when frost is likely. A large old sheet may be needed
to cover a large basket. Make sure to remove the cover shortly after
sunrise the next morning
Hanging baskets - an excellent article on how to get
the best out of your hanging baskets
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