Hanging Basket Care Guide
Caring for your Hanging BasketĀ
~Watering
Hanging baskets typically need more water than flowers in the garden. How often you will need to water will vary depending on the time of year and temperatures. Once a day during the summer months is usually sufficient but if it's exceptionally hot or windy, or if you have smaller baskets, you may need to water twice per day.
Follow these tips for the best water guidelines:
-When the top of the soil is slightly dry to the touch, water thoroughly until the basket is heavy and water comes through. It is better to water thoroughly than several times in small amounts.
-The best time to water is early morning as this prevents evaporation and allows plants to dry quickly, which helps control foliar disease.
-If you are able, drip irrigation is best.
~Feeding
Our hanging basket soil is enriched with a slow-release fertilizer; however, supplementing it with a water-soluble fertilizer throughout the growing season will help create fuller looking baskets. Fertile weekly with a water-soluble fertilizer that promotes blooming. (15-30-15) Fertile when the soil is moist -- not when the plants are wilting. Top up with some slow-release fertilizer around the end of July.
~Maintenance
Hanging baskets can start to look leggy by mid-summer so don't be afraid to trim your basket once or twice a season. Giving them a little 'haircut' will increase branching out and create a fuller looking basket for the rest of the summer. Be warned that you may lose some pretty flowers short-term, but your basket should bounce back quickly and will be much healthier in the long-term. It is not necessary to deadhead most of the plants in our baskets to promote blooming, however, geraniums, fuchsias and verbena will benefit from regular pinching off of spent flowers.