Looking to avoid some of the most common and biggest fertilizing mistakes gardeners make that can ruin the lifespan and bloom time of their hanging baskets?
When it comes to keeping hanging baskets vibrant and blooming all summer long – there are three common fertilizing mistakes that many gardeners make each and every year that shorten the life and beauty of their baskets.
Hanging baskets are unlike traditional flowers in the ground. Because they’re growing in a small amount of soil and in containers that drain quickly, they need extra help to keep growing strong. But knowing what, when and how to give your baskets the energy they need is the real key to success!
Unfortunately, without the right kind and frequency of fertilizer, many hanging baskets fade well before summer is over. Even when you’re watering regularly, placing them in the right light, and pruning them as needed, if you’re not feeding them correctly, your baskets will start to show signs of stress.
The good news is powering your hanging baskets doesn’t have to be difficult. Or time consuming. In fact, by simply avoiding the three fertilizing mistakes below – you can keep your baskets blooming big right up until fall!
How To Avoid The 3 Biggest Fertilizing Mistakes That Ruin Hanging Baskets
#1 Not Using Liquid Fertilizer
One of the most common fertilizing mistakes with hanging baskets is choosing the wrong type of fertilizer. Especially when it comes to using dry or granular fertilizers instead of liquid ones.
Many gardeners are used to applying granular fertilizer to garden beds and flowerbeds. In those areas, it slowly breaks down over time and feeds plants as it dissolves. But that kind of fertilizer just doesn’t work well for hanging baskets.
Hanging baskets have limited soil, and they dry out quickly. Because of that, when you water them, the water drains through the basket fast. When that happens, it often washes the granular fertilizer away before it has a chance to break down and reach the roots.
Even if some of it sticks around, it takes time to dissolve and feed the plants. By then, the plants may already be struggling. That’s where liquid fertilizer really shines. Liquid fertilizer works fast. It feeds plants through the roots as soon as it soaks into the soil. But even better, it also feeds them through their leaves and stems when sprayed directly on the plant.
This double boost of nutrition helps hanging basket plants get the nutrients they need right away. And is that ever important when they’re growing in such a limited space!
The Power Of Liquid Fertilizer
When you use a liquid fertilizer, your plants can bounce back quickly from heat stress, dryness, or other growing struggles. It also helps them keep producing flowers regularly, which is a big part of what makes hanging baskets look so impressive. See: How To Save Struggling Hanging Baskets – 2 Easy Ways To Revive Your Hanging Baskets!
Instead of waiting days or weeks for granular fertilizers to break down, liquid fertilizers give plants the power they need almost instantly. But the best part of using liquid fertilizer is that it gives you more control.
You can mix it at a lighter or stronger strength depending on how your plants are doing. And as you will see next – that can be a huge advantage to keep your baskets healthy and blooming!
#2 The Mistake Of Inconsistent Fertilizing – And Why It Can Ruin Hanging Baskets
The second mistake that ruins hanging baskets is not sticking to a regular feeding schedule. A lot of gardeners start off strong and feed their baskets when they first plant them. Then a few weeks go by, and they forget to feed them again. Or they feed them once every few weeks or once a month with a big dose of power all at once.
Hanging baskets grow fast. Because of their limited soil and quick-draining containers, they use up nutrients quickly. On top of that, every time you water your basket, some nutrients are washed away. That’s why it’s so important to feed consistently. But not with too much at a time!
The best way to fertilize hanging baskets is with a diluted liquid fertilizer every seven to ten days. This steady schedule keeps plants supplied with just the right amount of nutrients without overwhelming them.
It’s better to feed lightly and often than to wait too long and then try to give them a big dose all at once. When you feed regularly, you’re giving your plants the ongoing power they need to keep blooming. They won’t experience dips in energy, and they’ll be better able to handle stress from heat or dryness.
A diluted mix also helps prevent fertilizer burn, which can happen when you feed with a strong mix all at once. A good rule of thumb is to use about half of the recommended strength on the label and feed your plants every week or so.
You’ll be amazed at how much better your hanging baskets perform with this simple change!
Mistake #3: Using the Wrong Fertilizer Mix
Last but not least, even if you are using a liquid fertilizer, it still won’t do much good if it has the wrong balance of nutrients. Unfortunately, all too many gardeners feed their hanging baskets with a fertilizer that has too much nitrogen – and not enough phosphorus or potassium.
Nitrogen is great for growing green leaves and stems, which is helpful in the early stages of plant growth. But for hanging baskets that are already established and growing, too much nitrogen can actually hurt more than it helps.
When a fertilizer has a high nitrogen content, it pushes the plant to grow more leaves and roots, but that growth can come at the expense of flowers. You might end up with a hanging basket that’s big and green – but without the blooms that make it beautiful. And even worse – a basket that becomes root bound fast!
Instead, the key is to use a fertilizer that has a higher amount of phosphorus and potassium compared to nitrogen. Phosphorus is the nutrient that helps plants form more buds and flowers. It’s what powers bloom production. Affiliate Link: Farmer’s Secret Fruit & Bloom Booster Fertilizer 2-15-15
Potassium helps with overall plant health and strengthens the plant’s ability to handle stress, heat, and dry conditions.
Avoiding these three mistakes – using the wrong fertilizer type, using the wrong nutrient mix, and not feeding consistently – can make a huge difference in the health and beauty of your hanging baskets. With a little attention and the right kind of feeding, your baskets can stay full, green, and bursting with color all season long!
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This Is My Garden is a garden website created by gardeners, for gardeners. Jim and Mary Competti have been writing gardening, DIY and recipe articles and books and speaking for over 15 years from their 46 acre Ohio farm. They publish three articles every week, 52 weeks a year. Sign up today to follow via email, or follow along!