From my roots to my trailing tendrils, a hanging basket is my perfect sky-bound kingdom. It provides the excellent drainage I absolutely crave; my roots despise sitting in soggy, waterlogged soil, which quickly leads to my demise. A lightweight, well-draining potting mix is my preferred foundation, one amended with coir or perlite. This allows my roots to breathe and access water without drowning. The elevated nature of the basket also means my cascading stems have the freedom to spill over the edges, reaching for the sunlight and creating the beautiful waterfall of blooms you humans so admire. It keeps me away from damp soil diseases and in the full view of the pollinators I wish to attract.
My relatively shallow root system and prolific blooming mean I have a constant, and sometimes demanding, thirst. During the heat of summer, I may need a deep drink twice a day. The key is to water me thoroughly until you see it running from the drainage holes, ensuring my entire root ball is moistened. Please, do not just sprinkle my surface; that teases my deeper roots without providing real relief. However, while I love consistency, I am not a fan of wet foliage. Watering me at the soil level, ideally in the morning, helps prevent fungal diseases and keeps my leaves healthy and strong, ready to photosynthesize all day long.
Producing thousands of intricate flowers is an energetically exhausting process for a plant like me. The initial nutrients in my potting mix are quickly depleted. To sustain my lush growth and vibrant display from spring until fall, I require regular feeding. A balanced, water-soluble fertilizer applied every other week is ideal. Alternatively, a slow-release fertilizer mixed into my soil at planting time can provide a steady stream of nutrients. I particularly appreciate a formulation that promotes blooming, giving me the strength to keep my flowers coming in waves rather than one big, exhausting burst.
As the season progresses, my energetic growth might lead to a few long, leggy stems with fewer flowers. Do not be afraid to give me a light trim! Using clean shears, you can cut back up to a third of my growth. This might seem drastic, but it encourages me to branch out from the base, becoming bushier and more compact. More importantly, it signals me to produce a fresh new flush of blooms rather than putting energy into setting seed. Regularly deadheading, or pinching off the spent flowers, achieves a similar result on a smaller scale, keeping me tidy and continuously in flower.
