Fertilizing hanging baskets
-
- Posts: 121
- Joined: June 4th, 2012, 1:06 pm
- Location: Milton, MA
- Grass Type: Back: 65% KBG (Bedazzled, NuDestiny, Rhapsody),20% PRG, 15% Firefly Hard Fescue. Front: Double Eagle Perennial Rye Shaded areas: Mix of fine fescues and Bewitched KBG
- Lawn Size: 5000-10000
- Level: Experienced
Fertilizing hanging baskets
Hey Guys,
What's best practice for fertilizing hanging baskets? My wife and I have some petunias in hanging baskets on our front porch. They used to look great but are now long and leggy. They get plenty of water but I wonder if that has leeched some of the nutrients that came with the plants. What's a good fertilizer to use and what NPK should I be looking for? Thanks all!
[ Post made via iPhone ]
What's best practice for fertilizing hanging baskets? My wife and I have some petunias in hanging baskets on our front porch. They used to look great but are now long and leggy. They get plenty of water but I wonder if that has leeched some of the nutrients that came with the plants. What's a good fertilizer to use and what NPK should I be looking for? Thanks all!
[ Post made via iPhone ]
- ken-n-nancy
- Posts: 2571
- Joined: July 17th, 2014, 3:58 pm
- Location: Bedford, NH
- Grass Type: Front: KBG (Bewitched+Prosperity); Side: Bewitched KBG; Back: Fine Fescue Blend + Prosperity
- Lawn Size: 10000-20000
- Level: Experienced
Re: Fertilizing hanging baskets
Long and leggy in plants is generally a sign of insufficient sun. Petunias generally like full sun. Are the hanging baskets getting as much sun now as they did in the nursery before you purchased them?CPascal wrote:My wife and I have some petunias in hanging baskets on our front porch. They used to
look great but are now long and leggy.
-
- Posts: 121
- Joined: June 4th, 2012, 1:06 pm
- Location: Milton, MA
- Grass Type: Back: 65% KBG (Bedazzled, NuDestiny, Rhapsody),20% PRG, 15% Firefly Hard Fescue. Front: Double Eagle Perennial Rye Shaded areas: Mix of fine fescues and Bewitched KBG
- Lawn Size: 5000-10000
- Level: Experienced
Re: Fertilizing hanging baskets
Probably not quite as much but they currently face to the west so get sun all afternoon...
[ Post made via iPhone ]
[ Post made via iPhone ]
- ken-n-nancy
- Posts: 2571
- Joined: July 17th, 2014, 3:58 pm
- Location: Bedford, NH
- Grass Type: Front: KBG (Bewitched+Prosperity); Side: Bewitched KBG; Back: Fine Fescue Blend + Prosperity
- Lawn Size: 10000-20000
- Level: Experienced
Re: Fertilizing hanging baskets
Most petunias also benefit from "deadheading" - pinching off spent blooms, which will encourage the plant to branch out and be less "leggy."CPascal wrote:Probably not quite as much but they currently face to the west so get sun all afternoon...
Here's a web page showing How to Deadhead Petunias.
-
- Posts: 121
- Joined: June 4th, 2012, 1:06 pm
- Location: Milton, MA
- Grass Type: Back: 65% KBG (Bedazzled, NuDestiny, Rhapsody),20% PRG, 15% Firefly Hard Fescue. Front: Double Eagle Perennial Rye Shaded areas: Mix of fine fescues and Bewitched KBG
- Lawn Size: 5000-10000
- Level: Experienced
Re: Fertilizing hanging baskets
This is great. Thank you!
[ Post made via iPhone ]
[ Post made via iPhone ]
-
- Posts: 275
- Joined: February 10th, 2014, 11:46 am
- Location: Columbus, OH
- Grass Type: TTTF front lawn, Elite KBG backyard.
- Lawn Size: Not Specified
- Level: Not Specified
Re: Fertilizing hanging baskets
Every year we hang three baskets of petunias so I've become very familiar with their care.
The definitely need to be deadheaded to maintain their blooms. Rather than cut individual flowers, I go through and cut off about a third of the stems at the base.
Anything hanging over the edge of the basket is generally cut off also. Try to shape it as well and leave a few blooms.
It will look rough for a few weeks but will recover nicely and be full of blooms.
As for fertilizing, I generally do a full dose of miracle grow in the watering can every three weeks or so. Some people do quarter strength doses every watering. Otherwise it's water pretty much everyday in the summer.
For fertilizing just buy a balanced fert. Don't waste your time on those bloom booster formulas that have double the phosphorus.
[ Post made via Android ]
The definitely need to be deadheaded to maintain their blooms. Rather than cut individual flowers, I go through and cut off about a third of the stems at the base.
Anything hanging over the edge of the basket is generally cut off also. Try to shape it as well and leave a few blooms.
It will look rough for a few weeks but will recover nicely and be full of blooms.
As for fertilizing, I generally do a full dose of miracle grow in the watering can every three weeks or so. Some people do quarter strength doses every watering. Otherwise it's water pretty much everyday in the summer.
For fertilizing just buy a balanced fert. Don't waste your time on those bloom booster formulas that have double the phosphorus.
[ Post made via Android ]
-
- Posts: 105
- Joined: July 12th, 2016, 2:39 pm
- Location: New Haven County, CT
- Grass Type: Northern Mix
- Lawn Size: Not Specified
- Level: Not Specified
Re: Fertilizing hanging baskets
For fertilizing a hanging basket, or any ornamental growing in a container for that matter, I'd recommend buying yourself some Osmocote. I apply the required amount in my containers when I pot my ornamentals, then I throw some straw mulch on top and water it in well.
Done.
Now, for the entire season (in my case 4 months), everytime you water, your plants will be getting a slow-drip of N-P-K.
There are also balanced 14-14-14 versions of Osmocote w/ minor nutrients that are 6 month varieties and versions that are more geared towards ornamentals only. There are 3-4 month versions, 6 month versions, etc.
I got mine really cheap at Ollie's, not sure if they are Mass yet, for $2.99 a bottle instead of $6 or $7. They are selling the old-school traditional Osmocote, 19-6-12, in a 3-4 month release form. Set it and forget it!
And of course, if you are feeling like you want to be extra super loving and caring, you can always give the plants a 1/2 strength dose of Miracle-Gro liquid or 1/2 strength Dyna-Gro "Grow" liquid. I prefer Dyna-Gro as it has all the majors and minors is a liquid form. I use it 1/2 strength on containers that have been given the Osmocote treatment at the start of the season.
Just my 2 cents and the way I do it! Cheers! And yes, plants that get leggy, as the above posters mentioned, tend to not be getting enough direct overhead sunlight during the day in my limited experience.
Done.
Now, for the entire season (in my case 4 months), everytime you water, your plants will be getting a slow-drip of N-P-K.
There are also balanced 14-14-14 versions of Osmocote w/ minor nutrients that are 6 month varieties and versions that are more geared towards ornamentals only. There are 3-4 month versions, 6 month versions, etc.
I got mine really cheap at Ollie's, not sure if they are Mass yet, for $2.99 a bottle instead of $6 or $7. They are selling the old-school traditional Osmocote, 19-6-12, in a 3-4 month release form. Set it and forget it!
And of course, if you are feeling like you want to be extra super loving and caring, you can always give the plants a 1/2 strength dose of Miracle-Gro liquid or 1/2 strength Dyna-Gro "Grow" liquid. I prefer Dyna-Gro as it has all the majors and minors is a liquid form. I use it 1/2 strength on containers that have been given the Osmocote treatment at the start of the season.
Just my 2 cents and the way I do it! Cheers! And yes, plants that get leggy, as the above posters mentioned, tend to not be getting enough direct overhead sunlight during the day in my limited experience.
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests