Fertilizing hanging baskets

One of the most important aspects of growing a hanging basket is proper fertilization.

Hanging baskets need to be fed regularly and it’s best to fertilize lightly more frequently than giving your basket a bi-weekly heavy dose.

Water soluble fertilizers work great on baskets, but generally the instructions call for a large dose every week or two.

When you fertilize once every week or two, the additional water you apply on a daily basis will start leaching all of the fertilizer out of the soil leading to hungry plants.

By cutting down the rate, you can keep a light amount of fertilizer in the soil for the plants to take up. Generally, use 1 teaspoon per gallon of water if you’re constantly feeding your plant.

Baskets can be fertilized every day using the above rate. Once a week, use clear water to give them a quick flush and then start again with the constant feed. Be sure to water the basket until water is coming out of the drain hole at the bottom of the basket.

Another option is to add “Osmocote” fertilizer to the basket. Osmocote is a time-release fertilizer that releases just a small amount with each watering.

Courtesy of VW’s Home and Garden