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Hanging Flower Baskets

SOURCE: NDSU Extension Horticulturists

Hanging baskets have become very popular with the gardening public, and a wide variety of plants are available in hanging baskets. These include petunia, ivy geranium, moss rose, nasturtium, verbena, wax and uberous begonias, browallia, lobelia, fuchsia, German ivy, columnea, and antana. Hanging baskets are especially popular as and accent on patios and terraces, and as entrance ways.

There are many kinds of containers you can use for hanging baskets, including the traditional wire basket stuffed with sphagnum moss. But you can also use ceramic, terra cotta clay and plastic containers.whatever kind of container you use, there are several things you need to know in order to have your hanging basket do well.

First and foremost is water. hanging basket plants tend to dry out much more quickly than plants growing in the ground, especially those grown in sphagnum moss baskets or terra cotta clay. You need to water your hanging basket often. During hot, dry weather, you may need to water as often as twice a day, depending on the container and the container size. Check your hanging basket for water often.

Because you'll probably water your hanging basket frequently, you should also fertilize it often. Frequent watering leaches out soil nutrients quickly, and you'll need to fertilize regularly. Use a complete fertilizer, like Miracle-Gro, Rapid Gro or Peters, and fertilize every two or three weeks.

Pick off the old flowers on your hanging basket plants as often as possible. This encourages the plant to produce more flowers, instead of setting seed. If the plants start getting leggy, pinch the stems back a few inches to encourage side growth. Watch carefully for insect pests, and deal with them before they build up.

Hanging baskets need more care than plants growing in the ground. But if you know their basic needs, they'll do well for you all summer long.

If you have further questions, please contact your local county extension office for further information.

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