Why are my hanging basket plants dying?

When it comes to keeping your hanging basket plants alive and healthy, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. In this blog post, we’ll go over the most common reasons why your hanging basket plants might be dying and how to prevent it from happening again.

There are many factors that go into creating a successful hanging basket that contains a healthy plant blooming with flowers.

Why are my hanging basket plants dying

Here are the reasons why are my hanging basket plants dying?

Climate

It is important to be aware of the climate best suited for the plants that you are growing in your hanging basket. Not getting the required climatic conditions can deteriorate the growth of the plant completely.

For example, when a plant thrives in warm Mediterranean weather, it certainly cannot do well in colder temperatures.

Hence, before you start with anything else, choosing the right plant suitable to the climate around you is essential.

Location

The majority of plants in hanging baskets or plants, in general, tend to enjoy the sunshine. The tricky part is that they all have their individual requirement of the degree and duration of sunshine per day.

Some plants like direct and full sunlight for almost 8-10 hours a day, while some can like partial sunlight and others prefer more shade and less sun.

To keep your hanging basket plant thriving, you need to determine this requirement of your plant and then hang the basket accordingly.

Watering

Plants in a hanging basket need ample and frequent water for various reasons as mentioned above. However, there could be the danger of overwatering which is something that needs to be kept in mind.

It is important for the excess water to flow out and hence the presence of medium-sized drainage holes at the bottom of the hanging basket is a must.

If you find that for some reason your hanging basket plant is wilting you must hydrate it almost immediately. No harm in watering your plants as often as twice a day if it need be.

As important as it is to water your hanging basket plants regularly, it is equally important to remain consistent with your timings. It is recommended to adhere to one particular time, which is set preferably in the early morning hours.

Watering your hanging basket plants in the early morning hours can help in gearing them up to withstand the stress of the sunlight and the heat that bestows upon them in the latter half of the day. The morning water helps prevent the foliage of your hanging baskets plants from getting burnt by the sunrays.

Besides, there is less evaporation in the morning hours hence the soil remains moist for the most part of the day.

Fertilizing

It is important to fertilize your hanging basket plants with a water-soluble slow-release fertilizer once in two weeks to keep witnessing the arrival of many flowers. Since these plants grow without much soil, the task of fertilizing them is quite essential.

To ensure you do not miss out, it is helpful to maintain a feeding schedule for your hanging plants.

For best results, mix a long-lasting slow-release fertilizer like a hand full of worm-casting to the top layer of the soil and boost it up with a light dose of liquid fertilizer every couple of weeks.

The worm casting fertilizer trickles the required nutrients into the soil gradually and also helps the soil to retain its moisture.

For liquid fertilizers you can use compost, worm casting tea, or a good quality liquid fertilizer purchased from your local market. It is equally important to monitor the fertilizing process and ensure you do not over-fertilize your plant.

Ensure you are aware of exactly what you are feeding your plant while taking note of its requirement vis a vis, the ingredients of the fertilizer mix. Different plants in the hanging baskets react differently to fertilizers.

For example, if the Petunia plant has been overfed with fertilizer, then its leaves start to turn brown and its flowers stop producing.

Bugs

Hanging baskets are not necessarily prone to being infested by pests such as aphids, leaf miners, caterpillars, or other such creatures as they are much above the ground level. However, the possibility cannot be ignored altogether.

If not handled immediately these pests and insects can gradually damage your entire plant and cause it to die. Mold can be another problem that your hanging plant might face. It is equally dangerous and can halt the lifespan of your plant.

Cleaning and Plucking

Regular cleaning and plucking of the dead leaves and flowers help in rejuvenating the plant as a whole. The nutrients of the plant get unnecessarily depleted and getting rid of the brown and withered foliage can stop this wastage. The process of deadheading needs to be followed regularly.

In most cases, this can be done simply by using your hands but for blooms with thicker stems pruning snips can be used.

Indulging in this activity not only improves the overall look of your hanging basket but also will ensure that all the energy and the resources will be directed towards promoting fresher and healthier blooms.

Selecting the right size of the hanging container

When you start hanging baskets prior to the spring season, the plants are in their infancy stage and do not require large containers or too much space to grow. In this stage, a container as small as one with a 10-inch diameter would look sufficient.

However, as weeks go by, the plants grow in size and so do their roots which then start to get entangled with each other and then start to restrict their absorption of nutrients and water resulting in an alarming situation.

There has to be a timely intervention of replanting your hanging plants into bigger baskets to ensure the continuity of the plant. Replanting can be done simply by lifting out the root ball and filling the additional space in the new and larger hanging basket with a good potting mix.

This situation commonly occurs during the spring or early summer seasons after which if the plant has been replanted in a larger basket that is at least 16 -18 inches in diameter, it can retain its blooms right till the end of the summer season.

Conclusion

Hanging basket plants are dying because of a number of reasons, most notably the lack of drainage in the baskets.

Other reasons for their death may include too much or too little water, exposure to direct sunlight, or being planted in soil that is too heavy or dense.

There are a few things you can do to help your hanging basket plants thrive, such as using lightweight soil, adding stones to the bottom of the basket for drainage, and making sure they get plenty of indirect sunlight.

If your hanging basket plants still don’t make it through the summer, consider replanting them with new flowers that will be better suited to your climate and environment.

Another reason for hanging basket plants dieing is that they may not be getting enough light. Place your baskets in a sunny spot or use grow lights if needed.

Fertilize regularly with a balanced fertilizer to keep your plants healthy.

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• Why are my hanging basket flowers dying?
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