Containers & baskets
How often to water hanging baskets
In July, water a 12-inch hanging basket every day, and twice on days over 85°F or with wind. In May, every two or three days. Water until it runs out the bottom. The basket itself tells you: lift it. Light means dry. A basket that wilts by noon and recovers at night is being watered too late; one that wilts and stays wilted in moist soil has rotted from too much.
A hanging basket is a plant with its roots in a bucket of air. Sun hits it from the sides, wind pulls water out of it from every direction, and there is no ground below to draw from. On our drip lines the summer baskets get a drink every morning, and on the hottest days a second one at midday. Yours need the same.
A watering schedule by season
| When | How often | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-Mayjust hung, cool nights | How oftenEvery 2–3 days | WhyPlants are small, days are short and cool. Overwatering now causes more trouble than underwatering. |
| June | How oftenDaily, most days | WhyRoots have filled the basket and the plant is growing fast. Skip a day after rain if the basket is heavy. |
| July – August | How oftenDaily; twice on hot, windy days | WhyA full basket in the sun can lose a quart of water by 2 p.m. and another by evening. |
| September | How oftenEvery 1–2 days | WhyCooler, shorter days. Keep feeding; the baskets look their best now. |
| Any rainy day | How oftenCheck anyway | WhyA rain shower often wets the leaves and misses the root ball, especially under an eave. |
How to tell if it needs water
- Lift it. This is the test the pros use. A freshly watered 12-inch basket weighs 8 to 10 pounds; a dry one weighs half that. After a week you will know by feel.
- Push a finger in. Two inches down. Dry and crumbly means water. Cool and damp means wait until tomorrow.
- Look at the leaves in the morning. A plant that is wilted at 8 a.m. is dry. A plant that wilts at 2 p.m. on a 90°F day and looks fine at 7 p.m. is just hot, and watering it more will not fix that.
- Watch for the pull-away. When the mix dries hard, it shrinks from the sides of the pot and water runs down the gap and out the bottom without wetting anything. If that happens, soak the whole basket in a tub for 20 minutes.
How to water so it counts
Water slowly, all the way around the basket, until it drains from the bottom. A quick splash wets the top inch and leaves the roots dry. Morning is best: the plant goes into the heat of the day full, and leaves dry before night. If you water with a wand, point it at the soil, not the flowers; petunias and calibrachoa hate wet blooms.
Why baskets dry out so fast (and what helps)
| Factor | Effect | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Coir or moss liner | EffectDries from the sides; needs water twice as often as plastic | What to doLine the inside with a plastic bag with holes cut in the bottom |
| Small basket | EffectA 10-inch basket holds half the water of a 12-inch | What to doBuy or make the 12-inch size for sunny spots |
| Wind | EffectPulls more water than sun does | What to doHang on the sheltered side of the porch; bring baskets down on windy days |
| Rootbound by August | EffectRoots have replaced the mix; nothing holds water | What to doWater twice daily, feed weekly, and give it the mid-season haircut |
| Hot afternoon sun | EffectBaskets on a west wall bake | What to doMorning sun and afternoon shade is the ideal; shade-lovers (begonia, fuchsia) on the north side |
Feeding goes with watering
Daily watering washes fertilizer out of the basket within a few weeks, which is why so many baskets quit blooming in July. Feed with a water-soluble fertilizer every week at half strength, or every two weeks at full strength, from June on. Our feeding guide explains what to use and why baskets fade.
Baskets we grow
Our 12-inch baskets are planted in February and March with four or five liners each and grown on drip lines, so they arrive full and used to a daily drink. They are ready by Mother’s Day.
Common questions
How often should I water a hanging basket?
Once a day in summer, and twice on hot, windy days over 85°F. In cool May weather, every two or three days. The real rule is to check: lift the basket, or push a finger two inches into the mix. Light and dry means water now, until it runs out the bottom.
What month do you put hanging baskets out?
Around East Bethel, mid-May, with a plan for frost nights. Petunia and calibrachoa baskets take a light frost; begonia, fuchsia, impatiens and sweet potato vine baskets don’t. Hang them where you can reach them, and bring them into the garage on any night forecast below 35°F until Memorial Day.
How many plants go in a 12-inch hanging basket?
Three to five, depending on the plant. We use four or five calibrachoa or petunia liners per 12-inch basket, three for vigorous things like SunPatiens or I’Conia begonias. A single geranium or fuchsia fills a 10-inch basket on its own by July.
How do I keep a hanging basket watered on vacation?
Move it to the ground in the shade, water it thoroughly, and it will last three or four days. For a week, set the basket in a kiddie pool or a tray with an inch of water, or ask a neighbor. A drip line on a $25 hose timer solves it for good.