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Hanging Basket care

In spring many of us buy beautiful, blooming hanging baskets. They look great for a few weeks and then slowly start to  fade; no longer looking like the ones we bought a month ago. Here are few hints to keep that hanging basket looking good all summer long.

Fertilize
Keep in mind that growers fertilize the baskets every time they water. This helps maintain healthy, vigorous growth. A grower recommended fertilizing once a week with a formula with a ratio of 1:2:1 (10-20-10) with micro nutrients such as iron, copper, manganese to satisfy the heavy feeding requirements for hanging baskets. There are some specially formulated fertilizers available for container growing on the market. It is the moderate steady supply of fertilizer that will sustain and maintain the plant in a vigorous growing state. A research study in Michigan State compared 3 flowering baskets: one with soluble fertilizer, one with a time-release fertilizer incorporated into the soil and the one with both soluble and time-release fertilizer. The third basket with both soluble and time-release fertilizer preformed the best.

Watering
Many of us find that by the time we get home from work, our poor hanging basket is drooping from the heat of the day and lack of water. So we immediately get the watering can and pour lots of water on the plant to rehydrate it. This practice causes lots of stress to the plant. In addition, leaving soaking wet roots overnight (when its cooler) can invite root rot and other diseases.  Water just enough to revive the plant in the evening  and then water again in the morning using a wand or watering can and pouring directly onto the soil avoiding wet leaves. To make sure all the roots get wet, water  until it runs out of the bottom of the container.  In hot weather, you may have to water twice a day. If  the soil has completely dried out, to the point where it separates from the side of the basket, then you may have to soak the basket in a tub of water to slowly re-hydrate the soil.  This may take a couple of  hours.  Do not leave the soaking basket for a prolonged period of time or overnight, this can cause root rot.

When feeding your plants, water first with unfertilized water and drain; then re-water with a fertilizer solution. This will keep soluble salt accumulation to a minimum and avoid fertilizer burn to the roots.  A moisture retaining polymer can also be added to the soil to keep your plant hydrated longer.

Exposure
Check the label for sun exposure- place your hanging basket in the right spot – too much sun can be as bad as not enough. If you basket shows signs of scorching, brown edges and faded or bleached leaves if may be getting too much sun, therefore move it to a shadier spot. Spindly, leggy plants with lack of flowers can indicate not enough sun. Plants facing west in the summer will require more water and need to tolerate hotter temperatures

For continual bloom deadhead hanging baskets with larger flowers such as geraniums, lantana, petunia and verbena. 

Hopefully, some of these suggestions will reward with summer long blossoms.

How can I propagate lantana?

Lantana should be propagated in mid-summer and fall from greenwood or semi- ripe stem cuttings. Make 3 inch cuttings off non-flowering shoots. Strip off any leaves that come in contact with rooting medium and the soil.  Dip the ends in a hormone rooting medium and insert in a moist, well drained, soil made of peat moss and sand or perlite. Cuttings also root well in rockwood plugs.   Cover the container with a clear plastic bag and keep in a spot with bright filtered light. It should root in 2-3 weeks. When you see new growth emerging uncover your container and place it in brighter light and start to lightly fertilize every 2 weeks to promote healthy new growth. When the plants have about 2-3 inches of new growth, pinch the tips to encourage bushy growth. The following spring repot plants in individual pots. Young rooted plants usually bloom more profusely than older plants.

Lantana can also be started from seeds sown early in spring or late winter. Germination time  is 42-60 days. Seeds should be planted 1/8″ deep in peaty soil.  Another trick is to soak the seeds in hot water for 24 hrs. before planting.

Seed grown plants may vary in color and quality from the original plant.  Newer varieties of hybrids produce less seeds which may also be sterile.
The above method of propagation may be used on many other plants.