How to Create Stunning Summer Hanging Baskets
Summer hanging baskets are one of the best ways to add instant colour and impact to your garden, front door, patio or outdoor seating area. A well-planted hanging basket can completely transform a space and provide months of flowers throughout spring and summer.
Whether you are creating your first hanging basket or looking to improve your displays this year, this guide explains how to make healthy, full and long-lasting summer hanging baskets using the right plants, compost and care techniques.
What You Will Need
- Large sturdy wire hanging basket, ideally 16 to 18 inches
- Strong chain and wall bracket
- Coconut coir liner, moss or fabric liner
- Good quality peat-free compost
- Water-retaining crystals
- Slow-release plant feed
- A mixture of trailing and upright summer bedding plants
- A watering can with a fine rose attachment
How to Make a Summer Hanging Basket
1. Prepare the Basket
Place your liner securely inside the basket and trim away any excess material. Damp moss or coir liners are easier to shape and hold in position while planting.
2. Add Compost and Feed
Fill the bottom of the basket with peat-free compost mixed with slow-release fertiliser and water-retaining crystals. These help reduce drying out during warm summer weather.
3. Add Side Plants
Carefully cut small slits in the liner and gently push trailing plants through from the outside. Plants such as trailing petunias, bacopa and lobelia work particularly well around the edges of the basket.
4. Continue Layering
Add more compost and continue planting in layers until the basket is full. This creates a fuller display with flowers at different heights and levels.
5. Plant the Top of the Basket
Use upright plants in the top section of the basket to create height and impact. Geraniums, begonias and salvias are all excellent choices for summer baskets.
6. Water Thoroughly
Once planted, water the basket thoroughly until water runs through the bottom. Newly planted baskets should never be allowed to dry out completely.
Best Plants for Summer Hanging Baskets in the UK
Trailing Plants
- Petunias for long-lasting summer colour
- Lobelia for delicate trailing flowers
- Calibrachoa, often known as Million Bells
- Bacopa for softer elegant displays
- Trailing fuchsia for partially shaded areas
- Trailing verbena for sunny positions
Upright Plants
- Geraniums for reliable flowering and colour
- Begonias for both sunny and shaded areas
- Salvia to help attract bees and pollinators
- Marigolds for bright cheerful displays
- Busy Lizzies for sheltered gardens and patios
Where Should Hanging Baskets Be Positioned?
Most summer hanging baskets perform best in a bright, sunny but sheltered position. Strong winds can quickly dry baskets out and damage delicate trailing plants.
Always ensure wall brackets are securely fixed into solid brickwork or masonry. Large planted baskets become extremely heavy once watered.
How Often Do Hanging Baskets Need Watering?
During warm weather, hanging baskets may need watering every day and sometimes twice daily during very hot spells. Early morning or evening watering is usually best.
Small baskets dry out much faster than larger baskets, which is one reason larger baskets often perform better throughout summer.
How to Keep Hanging Baskets Flowering for Longer
- Remove faded flowers regularly
- Feed weekly with a liquid fertiliser
- Trim back leggy growth during mid-summer
- Rotate baskets occasionally for even sunlight
- Check baskets daily during hot weather
Common Hanging Basket Mistakes to Avoid
- Using baskets that are too small
- Allowing baskets to dry out completely
- Using poor quality compost
- Overcrowding too many plants together
- Forgetting to feed regularly during summer
- Hanging baskets in very exposed windy areas
Frequently Asked Questions
When should summer hanging baskets be planted?
Most summer hanging baskets are planted during spring once the risk of frost has passed, usually from late April into May depending on weather conditions.
What is the best compost for hanging baskets?
A good quality peat-free compost mixed with slow-release feed and water-retaining crystals usually produces the best results.
Why do hanging baskets dry out so quickly?
Hanging baskets are exposed to sun and wind from all sides, which causes them to dry out faster than garden borders or containers.
Can hanging baskets attract bees and butterflies?
Yes. Plants such as salvia, verbena, lobelia and petunias can all help attract pollinators into the garden during summer.
How many plants should go into a hanging basket?
A large 16 to 18 inch basket will usually need between 10 and 16 plants depending on the varieties used and how full you would like the basket to become.
Prefer a Ready-Made Basket?
Green Onion Landscaping hand-makes large ready-planted summer hanging baskets packed with healthy seasonal flowers and trailing plants. Our baskets are popular with homes, cafés, pubs, shops and businesses throughout Stockton-on-Tees and the wider Teesside area.
If you would like help choosing the best basket or placing a larger order, feel free to contact us.
Email info@green-onion.co.uk
Call 01642 640303 or 07701 097196
