How to Fertilize Hanging Flower Baskets & Containers

It is very important to know how to keep your flowers in hanging baskets and containers healthy. A healthy appearance is always a joy for the flower owner and helps them get the most value out of their hanging flower garden. Fertilizing and watering your flowers are essential tasks in achieving this. This article highlights some ways to fertilize your flower garden.

# Enhancing Hanging Baskets: The Power of Combined Feeding

How to give your plants the right amount of energy? One great way is to combine monthly granular feeding with regular light liquid feeding, given every one to two weeks.

This combo provides a steady energy source for your hanging baskets, promoting continuous blooming. The granular feeding slowly releases nutrients when you water or it rains, helping root growth and vibrant foliage.

Meanwhile, the liquid fertilizer gives a quick energy boost, ensuring a constant display of blooms. Together, these methods keep baskets strong and colorful all season long!

1. Effective Monthly Granular Fertilizing for Hanging Baskets

For monthly granular fertilizing of hanging baskets, worm castings are an excellent choice. They are rich in nutrients and easily absorbed by plants, ensuring optimal growth without overpowering them. Simply apply ¼ to ½ cup of worm castings on the soil surface and water in.

If using a commercial granular fertilizer, opt for a balanced ratio like 4-4-4 (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium) to avoid excessive growth. It’s crucial to avoid overly rich fertilizers, as they can lead to premature overgrowth and plant failure.

Remember, the key is to provide a low and slow feeding approach to avoid negative consequences. Don’t let the allure of quick results overshadow the long-term health of your plants.

2. Effective Monthly Liquid Fertilizing for Hanging Baskets

To effectively fertilize hanging baskets, liquid fertilizer plays a vital role. Not all liquid fertilizers are the same, so it’s crucial to choose one with a higher balance of phosphorus and potassium, which promote blooming, rather than nitrogen, which encourages green growth.

For liquid fertilizing, you can use worm casting tea or compost tea at full strength every seven to ten days. These options won’t overpower plants but will keep them blooming splendidly.

If using a commercial fertilizer with a higher N-P-K ratio, it’s advisable to dilute it by 1/2 to 1/3rd and apply it every two weeks. This prevents plants from receiving excessive energy.

Whether you opt for homemade tea or commercial liquid fertilizers, maintaining consistent and slightly lower strength feedings is key to effectively energizing your plants.

Ps:

One way is to prepare homemade flower food. To make it, mix a teaspoon of Epsom Salt and Baking Soda and 1/2 teaspoon of ammonia to a gallon of water.

Use the prepared mixture to fertilize your hanging garden at least once a month.

The salt used is crucial as it provides the flowers with important nutrients they require.

In addition, it helps the flowers maintain a healthy look by ensuring they have a blooming appearance throughout.

Watering your hanging garden is essential in the fertilization process. However, watering hanging gardens requires a unique technique, especially when they are placed in higher locations.

A telescoping water wand is the best solution to height challenges in hanging gardens as it facilitates the application of the prepared fertilizer.

Banana peels are equally important in making liquid fertilizer for your flower garden.
To prepare, collect banana peels and a bucket of water. The amount of water to use depends on the available banana peels.
Soak the peels in the water and leave them for a week or so. This is because it contains soluble nutrients, which will be released and be trapped in the water.
Then pour the water into your flower garden. The banana peels can also be applied directly to the garden and still fertilize the soil.