Short on Growing Space? Think Higher

Hanging baskets of flowers, ivies, herbs, fruits, and vegetables add instant beauty—and maximize garden space. They’re also ideal for apartments.

Pick flowers that look good together—and most importantly, that grow well together. Vadym Lavra/Shutterstock

Gardens come in all forms and dimensions, but one of the most often overlooked areas is the valuable real estate at eye-level or just overhead. Give an instant color boost to the porch, deck, balcony, or sunroom with hanging flowers. Increase convenience by growing suspended herbs outdoors, yet within easy reach of a kitchen window or door. Maximize general garden space by growing fruits and veggies from a roofline, a pergola, or a large tree.

Strawberries, as well as certain varieties of tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, zucchini, and more, will all thrive well above ground level. The creative possibilities of hanging baskets are virtually limitless. Best of all, hanging baskets can be moved around as needed to accommodate changes in sun and shade during the growing season, or to simply change things up. Feeling inspired yet?

Heavy Thoughts

The first step is to choose the container best suited for plants. Flowers, vines, herbs, and vegetables will all do well in simple, lightweight plastic or fiberglass hanging planters. They’re a great choice for newbie gardeners. In many situations, being lightweight is critical, as hanging planters, particularly larger ones, can get very heavy very quickly.

Clay pots, both glazed and unglazed, are other alternatives. Unglazed pots, which dry out faster, are a popular choice for fuss-free succulent gardens. Wire baskets are another favorite that typically come pre-filled with a coco-fiber or sphagnum moss liner that offers excellent drainage and aeration properties. Some gardeners prefer to install a plastic liner inside the coco-fiber or moss before adding potting soil to retain more moisture and make the coco-fiber or moss last longer.

The next step is to choose a hook that is rated for more than the total estimated weight, just to be safe. When calculating, keep in mind not just the weight of the planter itself, plus soil and plants, but the weight of water as well. This is especially important with self-watering planters that have an attached tray holding a continuous supply of moisture. Always attach the hook as instructed—this is not the time to cut corners.

Ceiling mounted J-hooks should be connected directly to a ceiling joist or framing, or an exposed pergola crossbeam. Another alternative is an appropriately sized S-hook that is designed to be carefully fitted over an exposed beam or an appropriately strong tree branch. Hanging baskets can also be hung along a fence or other structure with a plant bracket hook.

Hanging baskets are beautiful, creative, and versatile, but they do require more complicated maintenance.Stephanie Frey/Shutterstock

Selecting Plants

The first and most important rule of planting a hanging basket is to choose plants that require the same growing conditions. Select plants with similar growing requirements, such as water and fertilizer levels; otherwise, the basket may soon be out of balance as one plant overtakes another.

For flowers, keep in mind the rules of color combinations, such as the direct contrast of red and green or yellow and purple; the harmonious combos of blues, violets, and greens; or monochromatic (all pinks). Ivies and ferns can be used on their own or to provide a unifying effect for boldly colored flowers. Multiple baskets should complement each other.

Sun Lovers

A hanging basket set in a sunny location could be as simple as a few different colors of petunias draped over the sides of the container to form a near-perfect sphere of flowers. But there’s a wealth of other sun lovers to choose from. Options include pansies, black-eyed Susan vine, ivy geraniums, lobelia, lantana, scaevola, alyssum, sunpatiens, marigolds, verbena, dianthus, osteospermums, sun coleus, creeping Jenny, sweet potato vine, ivy dichondra, and mandevilla. Also consider ivy and the most popular succulents, ranging from the compact Hens and Chicks to the delightfully trailing Donkey’s Tail.

Tomatoes also want their time in the sun, whether growing a bush variety in a traditional hanging container, or through the bottom of a Tomato Upside Down Hanging Planter. Strawberries will also thrive in a hanging environment, along with patio baby eggplants, compact peppers, summer dance and patio pickle cucumbers, cucamelons, zucchini, vining peas and beans, lettuce, Swiss chard, and mustard.

Strawberries, as well as certain varieties of tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, zucchini, and more, will all thrive well above ground level. Leslie Shields/Shutterstock

Shade Lovers

Fuchsia is ready to bring a pop of color to lower-light locations, as will begonias, impatiens, and lobelia. Marguerite daisy, western bleeding heart, monkey flower, trailing bacopa, and the wide variety of shapes, sizes, and colors that encompass this vibrant family prefer the respite from high sun as well.

While some herbs like full sun, others—such as mints, creeping thyme, creeping rosemary, parsley, winter savory, marjoram, lavender, oregano, and more—will do equally well, and perhaps better, in a part sun-part shade locale during the high heat of summer. That is also the time to peek at the succulents, which might be happier in the morning sun, away from scorching afternoon rays.

That’s the beauty of hanging baskets—they’re easily moved.

­­­­­­­­Ultimate Results

Maintaining hanging baskets is a bit more complicated than planting in the ground. You have to start by filling the baskets with a quality potting mix.

Thirsty Teammates

If the potting mix feels dry one inch below the surface (instead of the more traditional two inches for in-ground gardens and large patio containers), add water until it comes out of the drainage hole. This may be once or even twice daily in high heat.

Healthy Appetite

Watering often has the downside of flushing nutrients out of the soil. Mix a time-release fertilizer into the soil when planting, adding additional amounts according to package instructions. Be sure the soil is wet when applying any fertilizer, even if it’s a liquid feed.

Quick Haircut?

Got a few long stems sticking out and ruining the overall look? Take out the trimmers and snip. Give the plant an infusion of energy in the form of a liquid plant food (perhaps at half strength) to encourage new growth and branching, or better yet, time the trim when next fertilizing.