Like a living chandelier, hanging pots or baskets are wonderful for adding some colourful elevation to your backyard. If you’d like to plant your own hanging pot but aren’t sure where to start, let Mr Fothergill’s run you through everything you need to know, from what the best plants to use are to our top tips for growing and caring for these brilliant displays.
Hanging Pots: Our Whistle-Stop Introduction
Before we cover how you can plant your own hanging pots, let’s cover the basics of what hanging baskets are, what the main types are, and why they are such a brilliant addition to any garden
What Are Hanging Pots?
Just as their name suggests, hanging pots are suspended containers for plants to grow inside. Hanging from hooks, ceilings, or brackets, they are highly decorative, allowing flowers, fruit, or vegetables to grow in small spaces such as balconies or patios.
What Are the Types of Hanging Pots?
There are a couple of main types of hanging baskets on the market. Most commonly, you can find wire baskets lined with coconut fibre for holding the soil. This type receives plenty of airflow to the roots, making it perfect for plant varieties that require good drainage, such as succulents, small cacti and hardy herbs like thyme and oregano.
Other hanging basket types include plastic or ceramic varieties, which are similar to traditional planter pots but hang from chains. You can even get self-watering hanging baskets with a reservoir at the bottom for those thirstier plants like leafy greens or ferns.
Why Are Hanging Baskets So Good?
There are a few reasons hanging pots are a great choice for your garden, including:
- Space-saving: Hanging pots maximise vertical space, which is great for small gardens, patios, and apartments.
- Accessibility: If you have mobility issues or struggle with traditional garden beds, you can position hanging pots at the right height for you to sit or stand to plant and water them.
- Pest management: Hanging baskets allow you to keep your precious plants away from slugs, snails, and other pests.
What Are the Best Plants for Hanging Baskets?
Now that we’ve covered the basics of hanging baskets, it’s time to get a little inspiration as to what plants you can grow in them. There’s so much variety in terms of the seeds you can sow in these versatile pots, so here are a few of our favourite ideas:
- The Thrillers: Perfect for those who want to bring drama to their displays, salvia seeds and anemones offer height and colour for hanging pots that catch the eye.
- The Fillers: If you want your basket to be brimming with life, seeds like petunias and verbena can easily fill out these pots and grow into bright, colourful masses.
- The Spillers: Make the most of these pots’ elevation with seeds that grow up and over the sides like lobelia, nasturtium, and alyssum.
It isn’t just flowers that can be grown in hanging pots. For a basket full of flavourful goodness, try planting tomatoes, strawberries, or herbs.
Can You Grow Mint In a Hanging Basket?
After learning about the wonders of hanging baskets, experienced gardeners may wonder whether mint can be grown in them, and the answer is a resounding yes!. This invasive herb is famous for spreading through its root systems and outcompeting other plants, and using hanging pots is the perfect way to grow mint while keeping it under control.
Planting and Nurturing Hanging Baskets
If you’re ready to add hanging pots to your garden, patio, or apartment, let Mr Fothergill’s walk you through how to plant and care for these clever little pots!
How to Plant Hanging Baskets
Begin by choosing the type of basket you want, as well as your preferred liner. Popular liner options include coir and jute, as these are biodegradable. Next, fill your basket with quality potting mix and sow your seeds. If you’re opting for the ‘Thriller’ pot, sow your seeds in the centre of the basket. For a ‘Filler’ pot, evenly spread your seeds slightly around the centre. For ‘Spiller’ pots, sow your seeds around the basket’s edge.
Looking After Your Hanging Baskets
The beauty of hanging pots is that they are easy and simple to nurture. Gardeners just need to follow three key principles:
- Watering: Check your baskets daily to see if the soil is dry. This can happen more frequently thanks to the greater ventilation these baskets provide, so be sure to water often to keep the soil moist.
- Feeding: To support growth, use a liquid fertiliser every week or fortnight.
- Deadheading: Use your fingers or a pair of scissors to remove faded flowers and promote healthier blooms.
Our Top Tips for Hanging Pots
To help you get the most out of your hanging pots, here are some quick-fire Mr Fothergill’s tips!
- Soil choice: Use a commercial mix designed for containers and pots, as soil from your garden will become very heavy when wet. Extra airflow can mean soil dries out faster, so products like Jiffy soil pellets can support water retention.
- Placement: Choose a sunny but protected spot for your hanging pots. Most plants will appreciate at least 6 hours of direct sunlight unless they are shade-tolerant varieties, but keep them away from windy spots as they will dry out faster.
- Accessories: Make watering and moving your plants around much easier with tools like the Darlac Hi-Low.
Create Beautiful Hanging Pots With Mr Fothergill’s
No matter what style you fancy, a hanging basket is a simple, stunning feature to improve any garden or small space. With the right tools and dedication, anyone can create floral displays to envy using these clever little pots. If you’re ready to create your own hanging baskets, check out our full range of flower seeds, or feel free to contact us with your questions.
