Hot-weather hanging baskets

Flower & Garden Magazine, June-July, 1996 by William D. Adams, William Meeker

Gardeners -- Especially who live in areas where summer temperatures hover in the 90s -- often feel that beautiful hanging baskets are out of the question during the months of June, July and August. If these same gardeners happen to travel to British Columbia's Butchart Gardens or a similar Northwestern paradise and observe the baskets that line the streets in these cool climes, they might really suffer "gardener's depression."

The summer hanging basket situation really isn't that hopeless, though -- even if temperatures reach 95 degrees in the shade where you live. The keys are selecting plants that can tolerate the high temperatures and conserving moisture through the use of certain cultural techniques.

The root system in a basket-grown plant is more exposed to wind, so it dries out faster than if it were growing in the ground or even in pots at ground level. Also, gardeners typically use a lightweight (and often soilless) potting medium that loses moisture quickly. One answer is to mix topsoil one-third to one-half by volume with your favorite potting soil, making it heavier and better able to retain water and nutrients. Use sterilized topsoil to avoid the risk of introducing weed seeds, pathogens and even insects.

A better answer may be to use one of the new water-absorbing gels. These materials absorb water and release it gradually as the soil dries. When dry, they are white and granular to dusty (depending on the formulation), but as soon as they hit water they become gelatinous. As you might expect, mixing these products with dry soil is the recommended technique.

While you're mixing, add a slow-release fertilizer like Osmocote (encapsulated fertilizer pellets) or some of the compressed fertilizer tablets or spikes to ensure a constantly available nutrient source. Organic gardeners might want to incorporate bat guano or a similar manure.

Even with a soil mix that holds water better, hanging basket plants will need watering daily or every few days in dry, hot weather. A low-volume irrigation system (drip or microsprinkler), hooked up to a timer, relieves the daily chore and guarantees that your baskets will be watered even if you take off for the weekend or on vacation. If you're gone for a week or two, have a neighbor check on the irrigation system; emitters do plug up and if the electricity goes off, the timer will often malfunction, too. In the hottest weather, automatic watering systems can be set to water twice a day.

Tough plants aren't necessarily immune to pests. Spider mites thrive in the heat of summer. At the first sign of tiny stippled spots on leaves, look for what appear to be crawling dust particles. If the mite population gets heavy enough, you may even see fine webbing. Recommended miticides can be used, but be sure to spray diligently. It may take three sprays a week apart to clean up a spider mite infestation. High-pressure water sprays directed to the undersides of leaves will often wash away enough of the pests that natural enemies will polish off the rest. Or you can use less toxic sprays like insecticidal soaps or wettable sulfur. Be careful with insecticidal soaps, which can sometimes burn plants; apply them in the early morning or evening and, if possible, test spray part of the plant first.

PLANT SELECTION

No matter how good a gardener you are, if you don't pick the right plants, your summer hanging baskets will be doomed to failure. Fortunately, hot-weather gardeners are not as limited as you might think. We can't grow blue lobelias in summer, but we can use heat-tolerant lavender, lantanas or, in partial shade, blue achimenes.

Plant growth habit is another consideration. Trailing plants are best suited to hanging baskets, but upright plants can be used, too. You might want a dwarf marigold for an accent plant in the center of the basket, for example. You can also cut slits in the liner and stick plants into the side of the basket. at planting time (the new coco fiber liners are especially durable and attractive). Herbs make an interesting basket -- not always pretty, but certainly useful. Try rosemary and oregano with a small-leafed basil in the center, and hang it close to the kitchen window.

The accompanying list is meant only as a starting point for your hot-weather basket plantings. Look for other candidates that tolerate hot weather and have a trailing growth habit. Wildflowers may offer some of the best possibilities; the small white flowers of lazy daisy (Aphanostephus) are typical of the kinds to look for.

RELATED ARTICLE: Making Hanging wire Baskets

Hanging wire baskets are increasing in popularity for gardeners -- and no wonder! They are a natural for accenting areas under trees and around seating areas or for hanging from the porch or eaves of the house. They are spectacular planted with impatiens, begonias, ivy geraniums or any combination of cascading plants.

If your gardening budget is limited, the prices of wire baskets and liners can be prohibitive. Here is a solution.

Wire baskets can be fabricated from 14-inch self-staking flower border fencing. A 20-foot roll costs about $7 and will make six 12-inch baskets.