Suspended Color: How to Create and Care for Beautiful Hanging BasketsBy Amy Bigej
 Nothing adds color to the drab corners of your
outdoor spaces like the brilliant, suspended blossoms of hanging
baskets. Hanging baskets flow like a river of cascading blooms over
entry ways, decks, patios and railings. They offer vertical appeal to
corners or posts and combine with brilliant mastery different colors and
textures of ever-blooming plants. With a few simple tips on
constructing and caring for your hanging baskets, you can begin creating a
basket masterpiece that will continue to give back throughout the growing
season. Container Choices
There are several choices when it comes to hanging
basket containers. Planters range from plastic pots to wood or wire
baskets. One very important thing to keep in mind: make sure
that the container you choose is large enough to carry your beautiful
blooms through the entire growing season. A larger container will
retain more water during the hot summer days and will allow enough soil
for optimal root growth and plant health. Smaller containers dry out
faster.
Plant Selection
When it comes to choosing your plants, the options are
only limited by your imagination. One way to narrow it down is by
deciding whether your
 planter will be in afternoon sun or shade. These
conditions will determine the plants that you choose. Next, you will
have to come up with a style or theme. For instance, do you want all
annuals or a combination of annuals, perennials, or tropicals? Look
beyond the usual suspects. Hanging baskets need to pack a punch if
they are going to grab attention from the street. Create an
overflowing river of blooms with known top performers such as trailing
petunias, but add different textures and colors by introducing new
eye-catching annuals or perennials to the mix. Al’s grows
several new varieties of annuals each year to offer unique and
cutting-edge style to your plantings. Just make sure that they all
require the same growing conditions and care. For a balanced look,
choose a combination of upright, mounding and trailing plants so that your
basket will fill in on top and cover over the sides. You can use
different leaf and bloom shapes to give your basket cool structure and
form. Color Design: Contrasting or
Complementary?
Color is an important part of your plant selection
process. You will have to decide on a color scheme that fits your
style and surroundings. Use contrasting or complementary colors
together or different shades of the same color for a monochromatic
look. Avoid mixing too many colors as it makes it look too busy and
over-whelms the eye.
Ready to Plant?
Now that you have picked a planter and a beautiful mix of plants to
go inside, you are ready to put your combination together. Follow
these steps for success.
Pour your potting soil into your container until it is at a level
where the plants can be placed on top and there is still a 1 inch lip at
the top of the container. It is better to add less soil and fill in
than to add too much and constantly try to ‘dig your way
out’. A high quality potting soil is an important start to
creating a thriving hanging
 basket. Al’s Premium Organic Potting Soil is a
superior blend of Canadian sphagnum peat moss, bark and pumice. Mix
in Al’s Transplant Fertilizer (7-5-4) to help reduce transplant
shock and help give plants an initial push.Place your plants in the container. For consistency and an
appealing look, always place your upright plants in the center or back of
the container, clumping plants next and trailing plants toward the
edge. If you are using 2 or more of the same plant in your pot, place
them opposite each other to create a balanced look on all sides.
Fill in around the plants with extra soil. It is important to
fill in around the plants to meld the combination and cover any exposed
roots. Just be sure to leave about a 1 inch deep lip around the top
of the planter to allow watering without excess soil spilling out of your
container.
Growing It On…Continued Care
Follow these essential tips to help your gorgeous flowering baskets
and containers thrive during the hot summer months.
Remember to water throughout the summer. Use common sense and
water when needed. During the hot summer, it will be necessary to
water every day. When the weather is cooler, you won’t need to
water as often. When in doubt, feel the soil on the top of the
planter. If it is dry,
 water the plants; if it is moist, leave it
alone.Fertilize your planters throughout the summer and into fall. The
more you fertilize, the less you have to deadhead and the more sensational
your plants will be. Use Al’s Slow Release 10-4-8 fertilizer
every two months or use Al’s 20-9-20 water soluble fertilizer 1-2
times a week.
Pests
Your beautiful blooms are edible delights to many pests. If you
notice all your blooms are suddenly missing this could be the work of the
budworm. To prevent budworm damage start spray your foliage with
Captain Jack's Deadbug Brew, in mid June and continue spraying every
two-three weeks to avoid these pests. If you see damage from budworm,
even after preventative spraying, spray every 10 days or as stated on the
label.
Your other plants may become jealous; as eyes are lifted past them,
to view the brilliant, suspended color of your new hanging
masterpieces.
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