View full sizeWho says a hanging basket has to be ordinary? This one, from garden designer Lauren Hall-Behrens' backyard, combines wisps of white Spanish moss with a plum-colored succulent (Aeonium arboreum 'Zwartkop') and a gray-green sedum.Before shopping for plants, think about the effect you want to make. Maybe you'd like all one color with different textures to add character and depth. Or perhaps a hot shot of orange and yellow punctuated by the coolness of blue.
Don't neglect foliage, either. Think about using the white-gray of dusty miller to give some definition, or the chartreuse, heart-shaped foliage of the sweet potato vine (
Ipomoea batatas
) for pop.
You'll need a mix of upright and trailing plants. Also, consider whether the basket will be primarily in sun or shade. Don't forget fragrance. Hang the basket somewhere near a sitting area and fill it with the sweet scent of heliotrope and alyssum.
MATERIALS
- Wire hanging basket
- Potting soil
- Sphagnum, Spanish or Oregon green moss (available in bags at garden centers near the potting soil)
- Slow-release fertilizer
- Plants
HOW-TO
1.
Line the bottom of the wire basket with moss. Continue adding moss up the sides of the basket about a third of the way up. Make the layer about 1 inch thick.
2.
Add potting soil to where the moss stops. Add a few tablespoons of fertilizer.
3.
Hang the basket so you can plant the bottom. Poke a hole through the moss into the potting soil. Shake most of the soil off the plant roots and stick it through the hole in the moss. Make sure the roots get into the soil. Tap soil down from above and snug moss back into place. Keep adding plants from the bottom up the sides. You don't have to cover every inch of the basket, but put enough in so it looks good right away.
4.
Continue adding moss up the sides of the basket and filling with soil. Add fertilizer in layers as you go. Plant sides of basket, moving from bottom to top.
5.
When moss and soil are to the top of the basket, plant the top.
6.
Hang basket from a sturdy hook in a spot where you can enjoy it well into fall. Water well.
7.
Because there are so many plants in a small space, hanging baskets need lots of water, especially on hot days. If you skimp on moisture, the plants will get stressed and won't grow as fast or bloom as much -- they might even turn brown and die. Water at least every other day, more often in hot weather. You may want to add soluble fertilizer, fish emulsion or compost tea every couple of weeks. Remove dead blossoms for continued bloom.
Upcoming tips:
- Start right to keep hanging baskets looking good all season
- Choosing plants for a hanging basket
-- Homes & Gardens staff
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