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YOUR HANGING BASKETS MAY STRUGGLE TO LAST ALL SEASON WITHOUT SOME ESSENTIAL MAINTENANCE. 08:53, 31 May 2025 By now most gardeners have already filled their hanging baskets with colourful

blooms such as petunias, fuchsia, verbena and bacopa. But unfortunately that doesn't mean you can just sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labour. According to gardening experts Jim

and Mary Competti at This Is My Garden, the work isn't done yet. They warned: "Unfortunately, most baskets that are purchased or planted in the early spring don't make it past

mid-summer. In fact, sadly, some don't even make it to late spring without their foliage fading, and their once plentiful blooms becoming more scarce with each passing day."

Keeping hanging baskets in bloom can be difficult without the right advice and tools. Jim and Mary suggest that 'you need to fertilise' them to keep newly planted baskets

flowering. But, it's not a one-off task, but rather one that should be done regularly. Hanging basket plants have restricted soil available for energy absorption and cannot spread out

to seek additional nutrients, which makes fertilisation vital. Jim and Mary warned that without fertiliser, hanging baskets 'simply will not be able to survive the entire summer'.

Timing is essential when it comes to feeding, and gardeners should know that liquid fertilisers are the best choice. Article continues below HOW TO FERTILISE HANGING BASKETS Adding too much

too quickly encourages the roots and foliage to expand too fast. "The result will be a plant that outgrows its basket and stops blooming because of it", said the gardening experts.

Opt for a liquid fertiliser that contains more phosphorus and potassium than nitrogen. While nitrogen promotes growth, phosphorus and potassium are essential for blooming. A light dose of

fertiliser should be applied to your baskets every 10 to 14 days for best results. West Coast Gardeners recommend a 15-30-15 water-soluble fertiliser with micro-nutrients. They said:

"You can either use it every second watering at full strength, or use it every time you water, but at half strength." Simply dilute the fertiliser with water to ensure a lighter

dose. Like all container-grown plants, water tends to be absorbed more quickly than those rooted in the ground. If you have forgotten to water your baskets and they have become bone dry, and

the plants are wilted, avoid fertilising them. Article continues below Instead, water regularly and wait until the soil has absorbed enough clean water to become soft and the plants have

perked up. From then on, you can safely continue your regular fertiliser schedule.