Nothing looks as nice displayed from the front of your house or off a porch than a hanging basket. A hanging basket offers a different planting dimension that can add color and texture to an area not normally landscaped. The containers used are varied from plastic to wire to wood, are easy to care for and make a real eye-catching impact – especially in small spaces. Both youth and adults will enjoy this horticultural activity.
Hanging pots of plastic or ceramic can be filled with a sterile potting medium that contains peat moss, sand, and perlite. This material will hold moisture well, has good drainage and is still somewhat lightweight in comparison with other mediums. Drain holes are important in these containers so that excess water does not suffocate plant roots. A good strong chain, rope or wire will be needed to hang the finished basket in its permanent place. Open wire or plastic baskets will need additional work before they can be planted.
Garden centers often carry unfinished or partially finished wire baskets. These must be lined with some type of material to hold the planting medium and allow water to pass through. Prefabricated coco-fiber liners are convenient no muss, no fuss products that are ready-to-use and sized to fit any basket dimensions. A good two-inch layer of sphagnum moss will also do the trick. Avoid breathing the dust also and wear plastic gloves when handling sphagnum moss. Wash your hands and arms thoroughly after working with sphagnum moss. Prior to using the sphagnum moss, wet it. Press the sheet of moist moss into the bottom and sides of the basket. A layer of plastic nestled into the moss will help reduce moisture loss. Punch several holes through the plastic layer to ensure proper drainage. Add the potting mix up to within one half inch of the rim.
There is a long list of plants that do well in hanging baskets. Plants that vine, trail or cascade are ideal for these types of planters. Imagine your planter filled with periwinkles or lantanas! Narrow-leaved bromeliads or ferns are good choices. Also consider ivies, burro-tail, or creeping figs. Bright, cheery annuals like coleus, wax begonias, purslanes, and impatiens also are top choices for hanging baskets. Consider the sun or shade requirements of each plant and maintain as needed concerning fertilization and watering.
Use the hanging dimension space around your home landscape. This type of container gardening has unlimited potential and appeal – start today! For more information on all types of flowering plants for your garden suitable for our area, or to ask a question, please visit https://www.facebook.com/CharlotteCountyExtension. You can also call the Master Gardener Volunteer Helpdesk on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 1 to 4 pm at 764-4340 for gardening help and insight into their role as an Extension volunteer. Ralph E. Mitchell is the Director/Horticulture Agent for UF/IFAS Extension Charlotte County. He can be reached at 941-764-4344 or ralph.mitchell@charlottecountyfl.gov. Connect with us on social media. Like us on Facebook @CharlotteCountyExtension and follow us on Instagram @ifascharco.
Resource: Ruppert, K. C. & Black, R. J. & Park Brown, S. (2010) Plants and Youth: Designing and Building a Hanging Basket the University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service, IFAS.
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