WATERING HANGING BASKETS
We get so many emails on watering hanging baskets - and why did my
basket dies, why are my plants sick not doing well and so on and so
forth, that we decided to write this.
Your Basket is Too Full of Soil
The most common problem if you are indeed watering your baskets
regularly is that your basket is too full with potting soil and the
water is not getting to the roots of your plants.
Traditional English Pots
Traditional English terracotta pots the ones our parent and
grandparents used before us all came with a fool proof guide as to where
to fill your soil up to.
The guide was the lip or rim of the terracotta pot. Usually this was at
least 1.5 2 inches from the top of the pot as you can see here in
this photos above and below.
Potting Soil Bakes Hard
Potting soil initially is nice and porous but after a few watering it
can form a hard surface this is easy to test for just push your
fingers gently into the potting mix at the top of your hanging basket
and see what happens.
If you meet with resistance then your soil has become hard.
The combination of hard soil and soil filled to the top of your basket
or planter means that that when you water - the water tends to easily
spill from the top youre your basket to over the side of your baskets
dripping down to the ground. The result being your poor plants not
getting their much needed drink.
It is easy to overcome this when you plant your baskets leave at least
an inch lip from the top of your basket to the soil. The soil will
naturally settle so this lip will most likely increase which is good.
You can see in the pot below how much of a lip they have left. Yes it
looks too much and many of us over zealous gardeners would be screaming
add more soil add more soil!!!
But the truth of the matter is that water is more important than the
soil. Plants are amazing things and even mass planting of lots of
flowering annuals crammed together in your hanging basket will thrive if
given less soil allowing more water to get to their roots. Dont forget
to feed them a good liquid fertilizer each week as well.
Tips on Reviving Hanging Baskets.
In the links below we share some some really good advice on hanging
basket care and on how to revive your hanging baskets.
Reviving Hanging Baskets
More on Reviving Hanging Baskets
Water Gently Water Wisely
The next most important step is to water gently now that your plants
have a nice lip let the water fill up to the top and slowly drain
right to the bottom at least once if not twice.
Try not to flood your basket with too much water so that they water
spills over the side.
This approach is also good as by watering gently you are actually
conserving water and being Water Wise in Watering is the key to
success when it comes to hanging baskets. your approach so good luck
with your hanging baskets and may they bloom all summer long.
Watering is the key to success when it comes to hanging baskets.
More on Watering hanging
baskets
More on conserving water with your hanging baskets
HINT Add Water Wise Soil Amendments
We also like to add water holding amendments to our soil we opt for
Angel Moss Marbles small almost coin shaped these marbles swell when
wet, and hold twenty times their own weight in water plants love them.
Other Amendments options
include water beads
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