Gardening enthusiasts are keen to know how to keep their hanging baskets in full bloom throughout summer. Experts say regular liquid fertiliser for hanging basket care — applied every 10 to 14 days — is the key to keeping blooming all summer plants looking healthy and vibrant.
Why Hanging Baskets Need Extra Care
During the warmer months, focus often shifts to what can be grown in gardens, greenhouses, pots and, of course, hanging baskets. Garden containers are available in an extensive range of shapes and sizes, each with their own specific positioning and cultivation requirements for plants. Hanging baskets tend to be shallow and designed to hang, while pots are usually deeper and meant to rest on a surface. Many enthusiastic gardeners will have already packed their hanging baskets with vibrant flowers such as petunias, fuchsia, verbena and bacopa.
However, according to gardening experts Jim and Mary Competti at This Is My Garden, the job isn't finished quite yet. They warned: "Unfortunately, most baskets that are purchased or planted in the early spring don't make it past mid-summer. In fact, sadly, some don't even make it to late spring without their foliage fading, and their once plentiful blooms becoming more scarce with each passing day."
The Key to Long-Lasting Blooms
Maintaining hanging baskets in full bloom can be a challenging task without proper guidance and equipment. The gardening specialists advise that regular feeding is crucial to keep newly planted baskets flowering throughout the season. Rather than being a single task, this needs to be performed on a regular basis. Plants in hanging baskets have limited soil available for absorbing nutrients and cannot extend their roots in search of extra nourishment, making fertilisation absolutely essential.
Jim and Mary have cautioned that without fertiliser, hanging baskets "simply will not be able to survive the entire summer." Gardeners must ensure their feeding routine is accurately timed and understand that liquid fertilisers are the best option.
Avoid Over-Fertilising
Gardeners should avoid using too much fertiliser at once, as this can lead to roots and foliage growing too quickly. The pair explained: "The result will be a plant that outgrows its basket and stops blooming because of it."
The advice is to select a liquid fertiliser with greater levels of phosphorus and potassium than nitrogen, as while nitrogen promotes growth, flowering depends upon phosphorus and potassium.
Recommended Application Method
A small dose of fertiliser every 10 to 14 days is recommended for optimal results with hanging baskets. West Coast Gardeners suggest using a 15-30-15 water-soluble fertiliser containing micro-nutrients. Their guidance offers two methods: "You can either use it every second watering at full strength, or use it every time you water, but at half strength."
For a more diluted application, mix the fertiliser with water before use. Bear in mind that container-grown plants, including hanging baskets, lose moisture far more rapidly than those planted directly in the ground, so extra attention is needed if they dry out completely and start to wilt. It's best to avoid applying fertiliser when plants are in this state; instead, water them consistently and allow the compost to become adequately moist and the plants to recover before resuming your normal feeding schedule.
