Plants for Hanging Baskets

Hanging Basket Care

It's worth checking your hanging baskets daily, to ensure they're getting all they need to thrive. Here are some top tips to help you get the best from your hanging baskets:

• Turn baskets occasionally, so that all plants receive sufficient light.
• Check the surface of the soil and water when dry. This may well be daily.
• Water your baskets thoroughly - until water starts to drain from the bottom.
• Deadhead to keep the blooms coming.
• Feed every couple of weeks with a liquid fertiliser.

How many plants to put in your hanging baskets

A general guide is to add one plant per inch of basket diameter when using plug plants. If using more developed plants from nine inch pots, or strong growing plants like pelargoniums and fuchsias, you'll need to allow more room e.g. one plant per two inches of diameter.

Hanging basket planting advice

There are lots of different hanging baskets including plastic, ceramic, wire mesh and easy fill baskets. How you plant them will vary accordingly, but for most hanging baskets with drainage and a liner follow these simple steps:

1. Place your hanging basket on a bucket or sturdy plant pot for stability.
2. With the liner fitted, fill the basket with a layer of moist lightweight compost up to where you want to start planting.
3. For trailing plants, cut holes in the liner and feed the roots through from the outside. The rootball should sit firmly on the compost with the leaves on the outside.
4. Continue to fill the hanging basket with compost, firming it down to prevent water loss.
5. Position upright plants in the centre of the basket, but leave a small space at the top to allow for watering.
6. Water well and keep protected until the risk of frost has passed.

For more details and helpful videos read our hanging basket planting guide.

Need help picking a suitable basket? Find useful advice on choosing hanging baskets here. Looking for ways to take your hanging basket displays to the next level? Discover the best expert advice on hanging baskets on our blog.