Tips for Gorgeous Hanging Baskets!

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• Choose plants with trailing stems so that they will hide their container from view when fully grown, or use wire baskets lined with moss for a more natural look. Disguise a plastic pot by sinking it in a wooden woven basket and hanging it with S-hooks in 3 places spaced equally apart and small gauge chains.
• Hang baskets planted with fragrant flowering plants at nose level near the front door for a refreshing pick-me-up when entering and leaving.
• Choose plants suited for the same growing conditions for the same basket. Plants such as impatients and ferns which are shade lovers won't grow well with geraniums that love the sun.
• Use dark green or silver-grey leaved plants to fill in between those that bloom in bright colors. Asparagus fern and dusty miller artemesia are great choices for this.
• Water every day. Place another ground sitting container of plants under hanging baskets to benefit from the run off of water and liquid fertilizer from above. Hanging baskets placed up high on pulleys makes lowering them for watering a breeze.
• Stagger the heights of 3 or more baskets for a dramatic effect.
• Choose colors and plants suitable to the hanging location the basket. For example, red and white geraniums in a sunny location look fabulous when hung near a window painted with blue or dark green trim.
• In windy locations, use swivel hooks to allow the baskets to rotate 360 degrees. This makes the wind less damaging to the plants and reduces the chances of your baskets being broken in falls.
• Plants with vivid colors and large blooms work best in hanging baskets that will be seen from a distance. Geraniums and tuberous begonias are excellent choices here.
• Consider mixing dramatically different textures of foliage when choosing your plants. This adds texture to an arrangement and heightens the visual interest.
• If using a basket with widely spaced slats, the sides and bottom of the container may be planted as well as the top. Simply cut slits in the moss liner and insert the root ball of the plant into the soil. Make sure to pay special attention to these plants when watering as they dry out the fastest. Use a watering can with a small spout and stick it directly into the slit when watering.
• Use long trailing vines like periwinkle or trailing nasturtiums to reinforce the drama and romance of a hanging basket. These vines may grow up to 3 feet or more!

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