Planting a Winter Hanging Basket

For many gardeners the winter months are somewhat tame, and frankly a little boring. Usually all you can do is get ready for the next growing season, so have little opportunity to get your hands dirty. However, planting a winter hanging basket is a great way to stay in the game at least on a limited basis. Just keep in mind these guidelines to ensure you get off to a good start.

• Choose the proper container. Planting a winter hanging basket will require that you choose your container carefully. Baskets that will be hanging outside have different requirements than those that will be hanging inside. This means that you will need to know what your choices are, and how each of those choices can react in the conditions you are going to place them.
• Research your plants. While some plants will do alright inside regardless of the situation, others will not. Furthermore, there are even fewer plants that will do well outdoors during the winter months. Do some basic research on the plants that you are thinking of growing, and learn what their requirements are. This will help you determine whether you will be hanging the basket inside or outside in addition to the basic care requirements for each of the plants.
• Location, location, location. While it is true that location means a lot all year round, it is especially true during the cold winter months. When planting a winter hanging basket, you want to choose a location that will offer plenty of sunlight, but also protection from the elements. Choose carefully and in accordance with the needs of your plants.
• Avoid overloads. It is all too easy for a hanging basket to be overloaded with plants. Avoid putting too many plants into the basket when you are initially planting them. This is another area that your plant research can help you out in. Pay particular attention to how close the plants can be placed to others, and do not push those limits too much.
• Soil mix is everything. The true foundation of whether your winter hanging basket will succeed or fail lies in the soil mix that you use. There are plenty of decent soil mixes already out on the market that you could use, or you can also make your own. A dependable potting soil can be created by mixing one part peat moss, two parts top soil, and one part slow acting fertilizer.

Remember that most plants which are put into a hanging basket will only last a single season. That means that if you are wanting a plant that will last longer than that you will need to choose a perennial and give it a little extra care and attention (periodically adding soil nutrients is one example). However, if you are more interested in the mechanics of planting, simply repeat the process whenever you are interested in planting a new winter hanging basket.