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Hanging Baskets That Last All Summer Long!

by Sow and Dipity
(IC: blogger)
We want our gardens to be full of flowers and to last all summer long, but by the time the hot days of July roll around.. our beautiful hanging baskets we bought back in April/May are looking haggard and blown out.
I have a method that keeps me in blooms while all my neighbors are running to the garden centers looking for replacements in stores that are finished for the season. Here's my secret...
I have a method that keeps me in blooms while all my neighbors are running to the garden centers looking for replacements in stores that are finished for the season. Here's my secret...
Baskets that are bought in early spring have been growing since January in the nurseries so by the time you bring them home, they are already 3-4 months old. It is NOT realistic to expect annuals to last for 3 seasons ( most annuals that is ).
Planning beyond just flowers will keep you in loads of color from spring until the first hard frost. Ipomea is a favorite of mine as it is just grown for its foliage but it makes the flowers of anything it's planted with pop! Petunias look amazing with them until they peter out in summer. Come fall, I add rich colorful mums for an amazing fall into winter display.
These are my 2013 hanging baskets... in SEPTEMBER! I always buy inexpensive April/May baskets for that much needed color I'm craving in spring...BUT...the key is to have a back up plan.
This year I'm using 16" baskets that I popped the hangers off. These were planted May 22 and they look amazing when viewed from above... so for now, they are placed around my fire pit to add some gorgeous color while I wait for my summer perennials to kick in.
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Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
Published June 1st, 2014 2:06 PM
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Mimi Haywood on May 27, 2015
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