Hanging baskets are a fabulous way of adding a splash of summer colour to gardens, doorways and porches with their cheery blooms and cascading greenery.
But if yours are a casualty of the hot summer weather and are flagging in the current heatwave, you’ll be wondering if there is anything you can be doing right now to revive tired hanging baskets in the height of summer so you can enjoy their colourful blooms for longer.
‘Hot summer weather can quickly leave hanging baskets looking tired, but in most cases they can be brought back to life with a little care,’ says Chris Bonnet, plant expert and founder of online garden centre Gardening Express. ‘Even simple things like moving your basket into a shadier spot just for a few days can make a real difference.’
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Find out more ways to give your hanging baskets a boost, with our expert top tips.
1. Move to a shadier spot
‘If your hanging baskets are positioned in full sun or a south-facing garden and drying out by lunchtime, move them into a slightly shadier position if you can,’ advises Julian Palphramand, Head of Plants at British Garden Centres.
‘Moving your basket or plants into a shadier spot, even just for a few days, can make a real difference,’ agrees Chris. ‘Giving it a breather somewhere with partial sunlight or afternoon shade allows it to recover without the added pressure of scorching heat. Then once it’s perked back up and producing healthy new growth, you can gradually move it back into a sunnier spot – just remember to keep an eye on watering as it readjusts.’
2. Refresh the compost
‘If the compost has shrunk away from the sides of the basket or looks bone dry even after watering (a sign that only the top is getting watered), then it is advisable to soak the entire basket in a bucket of water for around 20 minutes to fully rehydrate the compost before hanging it back up,’ suggests Chris. ‘It’s also worth feeding your basket with a liquid plant food, like this Eazifeed Feed for Hanging Baskets & Tubs, £4.99 for 500ml, Amazon, every week or two, as all that watering washes nutrients out pretty quickly.’
‘A light liquid feed can help revive baskets, but only once the compost has been rehydrated,’ agrees Julian. ‘Feeding dry baskets is a waste of time and can even make things worse. If your baskets have gone beyond saving, it may be better to cut your losses, refresh the display and start again with something tougher for the rest of summer.’
Adding a moisture control gel to hanging baskets, such as Miracle-Gro Moisture Control Watering Storing Gel, £5 at B&Q, is always worth doing as it will help retain moisture and keep hanging baskets hydrated for longer. Do this at the planting up a hanging basket stage if you can.
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3. Remove faded flowers and re-shape greenery
Deadheading the flowers in your hanging baskets throughout summer is a must in order to keep them flowering, but trimming them back more thoroughly in later summer will help give them an extra boost.
‘If your hanging baskets are flagging, start by trimming off any dead growth and removing anything that’s finished, because old flowers and straggly stems will only make them look more exhausted,’ advises Julian.
‘Removing dead blooms and trimming back any leggy or dried-out stems will encourage the plant to put its energy into producing fresh blooms, rather than wasting it trying to keep dying growth alive,’ adds Chris.
And if any dead plants can’t be salvaged, simply remove these and tuck in a few new plants, such as bedding or trailing plants, to freshen up the basket, adding in a little fresh compost around the plants.
4. Water thoroughly… don’t rely on just a light sprinkle
‘A common watering mistake people make is giving baskets a light sprinkle of water, which often doesn’t reach the roots,’ says Chris. ‘Instead, try to deep water thoroughly until the water runs from the bottom of the basket.’
‘If your basket feels noticeably light when lifted, it probably means it needs watering,’ says David Denyer, florist and gardening expert at Eflorist. ‘A great way of working out if watering is required is to stick your finger 2–3 cm into the compost. If it feels dry at that depth, water it.’
‘You’ll want to water early in the morning thoroughly, check again in late afternoon/evening on really hot days and make sure to water until it runs from the bottom of the basket. As a guide for how often to water hanging baskets, when the temperature reaches between 18–22°C you’ll want to water them every 1-2 days, 18–22°C, daily and 28°C+, morning and evening,’ adds David.
‘However, the actual temperature matters less than the combination of sun exposure, wind, basket size and plant density. For instance, a 21°C breezy sunny day can dry out baskets faster than a still 25°C day.’
5. And take care not to overwater
‘You can certainly overwater a hanging basket too,’ says David. ‘It tends to happen most when the basket has poor drainage, for instance, if the liners are blocking drainage holes, or you water heavily when the compost is already saturated.’
‘There are some signs you can look for to see if you have overwatered your hanging baskets. Look out for yellowing leaves, limp stems despite wet compost, mould or algae on soil, a sour smell or root rot.’
‘The key to not overwatering is to soak fully and let excess drain away, but don’t keep compost permanently waterlogged,’ adds David.
6. Adapt planting with hot-weather varieties
‘Not all hanging basket plants struggle in warm temperatures,’ adds David. ‘In fact, some of the best-performing varieties originate from regions where hot and dry weather is the norm, such as Mediterranean garden plants.’
‘Hanging baskets are exposed to sun and wind from every direction, meaning their compost dries out more quickly than garden soil. So choosing plants that are naturally drought-tolerant and have adapted to intense sunshine will keep your baskets looking their best all summer long.’
‘Some great options for hanging baskets that will cope well within the summer heat include:
Portulaca – native to hot, arid regions and boasting succulent-like leaves that store water, varieties like these Portulaca grandiflora plants, £3.99 at Gardening Express, can cope well during dry spells of heat when other traditional bedding plants could wilt.
Petunia – as long as they are regularly watered and fed every week or two with liquid fertiliser, modern varieties of petunias, like these Petunia Frenzy Mixed Mini Plug Plants, £14.99 at Amazon, have adapted to cope exceptionally well with hot summers.
Geraniums – they remain a dependable choice for summer hanging baskets, as they actually prefer drying out slightly between waterings and continue to bloom during prolonged periods of hot weather. Try these Geranium zonale Salmon, £11.99 at Gardening Express.
Verbena – an excellent choice for sunny hanging baskets and another plant that has naturally adapted to short periods of drought and warm, dry conditions. Try these Verbena bonariensis purple tops, from £7.99 at Crocus.
Lantana – boasting a vigorous root system that efficiently makes use of the available moisture, varieties like this Lantana camara ‘Dallas Red’, from £19.99, Suttons, are impressively drought-tolerant,’ suggests David.
Do you have summer hanging baskets? How are they faring right now?
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