How to fertilise hanging baskets

This how-to fertilise hanging baskets guide will help you ensure your hanging basket displays continue to thrive for as long as possible throughout the summer and even into autumn when possible. Hanging baskets are a great way to brighten up small or large spaces and look especially good hanging by a front door, around a patio or somewhere you will walk by and admire them. If you do have a small space, hanging baskets mean you can make good use of vertical space to fill with more plants! So if you are wondering how to keep your hanging basket plants in good shape, here’s how: 

1. Watering 

There is nothing more important than remembering to water your hanging baskets. They will be much quicker to dry out, especially in the warm sunny months, than your beds and borders. Fertiliser won’t be of much use if the soil remains dried out. We recommend watering in the mornings or evenings so the plant roots can soak up all they need. Water into the basket if you can rather than over the plants, so the water goes straight to the roots. 

2. Feeding schedule

Remembering to fertilise your hanging baskets is the first step! It’s easy to forget, especially if you have many other jobs in the garden. We recommend feeding once a week in spring throughout summer unless you are using a slow-release fertiliser, and they won’t need anything during autumn and winter. Still, feeding weekly may extend their flowering through to autumn, depending on the plants and temperatures. 

3. Types of fertiliser

The plants will soon use nutrients in the compost of hanging baskets and need frequent top-ups.

• Slow-release fertilisers feed your plants for as long as each product indicates by sitting in the compost and releasing a small amount for a set time. Worm castings are an excellent natural slow-release fertiliser.
• Liquid feed can be easy to use, just diluted in your water and sprinkled on each week. This can include seaweed feed as well. A mix of the two is ideal. 

4. Other care tips for hanging baskets 

Plants that need deadheading will bloom for longer if you keep on top of deadheading. Also, keep an eye out for any dead, damaged or diseased plant material so you can remove it straight away. Aphids can be out in force during the summer, so look closely and take action if spotted. 

Create a stunning hanging basket from our range of annuals, baskets and fertilisers.