Hanging Basket How-To

Angie Rose
by Angie Rose
6 Materials
30 Minutes
Easy
As the weather begins to warm up, more time is spent outside enjoying the great outdoors. Just as you add beautiful decor and floral arrangements inside your home, why not spruce up your yard or patio with some beautiful hanging plants? They add visual interest and a pop of color to any outdoor space. Hanging baskets are so easy to put together and a great way to incorporate your own personal style. Doing it yourself is not only simple, but you have more quality control than the ones you pick out at a garden center. You can mix and match color combinations, textures and different heights.
When I'm styling my own pot of flowers, I like to follow a tried and true method. I make sure to add a thriller, a filler and a spiller. The thriller plant is the main attraction of your creation. When picking, look for a little bit of height mixed with texture or a vibrant color. You want to pick something with structure and shape. The fillers do exactly what it sounds like. They fill up your basket and add contrast to the thriller. A striking mounding annual is perfect for this job. Spillers quite literally spill out of your basket as the season progresses. These plants are placed at the edge of the pot. Just as Rapunzel's long hair did, they dangle down and tumble out. Each of your plants work together as a team and amplify the beauty of your own little hanging garden.
Plants I Used


-Thriller: Dracaena (1)


-Filler: Proven Winners Superbells Tropical Sunrise (3)


-Filler: Proven Winners Bright Lights African Daisies (3)


-Spiller: Vinca Vine (3)
Once you have your supplies and plants ready to go, just make sure whatever hanging basket you choose is lined. Now it's time to start prepping your soil. I like to combine Miracle Gro Moisture Control potting mix with Coast of Maine Quoddy Blend lobster compost. The moisture control is super helpful in containers and helps retain water while feeding your plants. The lobster compost I use contains sphagnum peat moss. This also helps cut down on the amount of watering your planter will need. It also helps improve drainage to prevent over watering. Getting that perfect balance can sometimes be a challenge especially in the hot summer months.
Next I added in my Burpee Rain Gel water storing granules. This will save you from the dreaded dead hanging plants syndrome that follows any short vacation or weekend getaway. I can't tell you how many times I've gone away and come home to a sad looking plant all shriveled up and wilted. It helps reduce the amount of watering needed from daily to once a week. Trust me when I say, this is a huge help! Just mix some into your soil before you add your plants, and you are good to go! Just remember, you still have to water your plant more frequently the hotter it gets. If a heat wave hits, make sure to give your plant extra water and stick your fingers in the soil daily for a quick check!
Now onto the fun part. Adding all of your beautiful plants. You've done your research, sought them out, and it's time for them to shine! After you have added a small layer of soil to the bottom of the container, position your plants where you would like. You can play around with them until you find the perfect spot. Once you have found the design you like best, take them out of the containers and fill in the gaps with extra soil. Gently press your plants down and firm soil around plants. If you notice any faded flowers or damaged stems, now is the time to cut and remove them. Make sure to keep the top layer of soil a few centimeters below the top of your basket to allow room for watering. I can't tell you how many times in the past I have overfilled my containers. Watering becomes a messy process, and it's just not pretty.
After filling your hanging basket with your gorgeous flowers and soil, make sure to give it a healthy drink of water. This is the most important drink you can give your plants. It helps them acclimate, and prevents transplant shock. You want to give your planter the best start it can get! After the initial watering, here are some helpful tips to keep in mind. Make sure to keep the soil evenly moist. Don't overwater your soil, and allow it to slightly dry. This promotes root growth of your plants. You never want your flowers sitting in constant soggy soil. If possible, water early in the morning or late in the evening. Try never to water your plant in direct sun. This will cause your plants to burn. As long as you keep these things in mind, your hanging plants will flourish!
Finally, it's time to sit back and enjoy your hard work! I have made so many mistakes in the past when it comes to putting together hanging plants. It's okay to make mistakes though! It really helped me learn what not to do and taught me so much. Sometimes it's easier to see why something doesn't work when it happens to you first hand. With a little research and planning, maintaining a healthy planter all season long is definitely possible. Remember that the blooms you put in your planter in early spring may be small now, but as the summer rolls around that will change. Your thrillers will grow tall, your fillers will gain ample amounts of blossoms and your spillers will grow long and lavish.
Suggested materials:
  • Moss covered hanging basket
  • Basket Liner
  • Potting Mix
See all materials
Angie Rose
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
3 of 5 questions
  • Carolyn Noyer Carolyn Noyer on Jul 15, 2016
    I have the same questions already asked
  • Judy Judy on Jun 02, 2019

    I to have the same questions asked before

  • Dora Dora on Apr 21, 2020

    How do you prevent the basket from breaking where you attach the hanging chains?

Comments
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2 of 31 comments
  • Erica Smith Erica Smith on Apr 09, 2018

    Very pretty!!! Now just come on down here to My house and help me plant up some and my yard to! Lol 🤣😉

    *Blessings*

    Erica

  • Grandmasue10 Grandmasue10 on Feb 12, 2021

    PS to my advice in a reply. You can use feminine pads or baby diapers instead of the gel beads. I don't know which are cheaper.

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