March 29, 2011 at 8:42 pm
filed under Hanging Baskets
Tagged garden, Garden Accessories, hanging basket, hanging baskets, hanging pots, Home & Garden, plant, Pots and Containers, Potting soil
Indoor hanging baskets are attractive all year round, and there are styles specifically designed to keep your carpets and floors clean! Hanging baskets range from cheap’n'cheerful plastic pots to 
beautiful ceramic or stained glass models.
Hanging baskets are sold in nurseries, garden centres, DIY centres, craft shops and high street chain stores. Outdoor hanging baskets can be also used indoors, but be very careful not to overwater. They are better used with hard-surfaced floors, such as linoleum or tiles, than with carpet.
Close-mesh wire baskets are galvanized or plastic coated, and 23— 38cm (9-15 inches)wide. Wrought-iron baskets and cheaper, plastic-coated steel ones are also available. Slatted, square wooden baskets are sold by orchid specialists. All these baskets are attractive, but may drip unless lined with polythene.
Plastic hanging flower pots, fitted with clip-on drip trays, are safer. They range from 8-30cm (3-12 inches) across, and come in other colours as well as brown.
Plastic, snap-on hangers and hooks are available but are not strong enough to support heavy plants. There are also wide, shallow plastic hanging pots with holes round the side as well as on top, for tucking in extra plants. Some have reservoirs in the bottom, so you don’t have to water every day.
Reproduction Victorian hanging planters are available in clear and stained glass; and terracotta hanging pots, with a hole in the top for hanging, come in many shapes and sizes, but remember the weight! Glazed ceramic pots with holes in the rim for attaching chains are also available.
These are usually half-rounded versions of hanging baskets, in the same range of materials and sizes. You can also get decorative wrought-iron or plastic-coated wall plaques into which one or more flower pots fit. Remember, though, a wall-hung container can drip down the wall as well as on the floor, so it is important to make sure that the basket is waterproof.
With perforated baskets, use a liner to keep the potting mixture from falling through the wire or slats. The traditional liner is sphagnum moss, which is attractive, but hard to find and expensive.
Synthetic whalehide liners are a cheap alternative. These flat black circles form a bowl shape when fitted into a basket. Some types have a special capillary mat or pad in the bottom, to hold water. Foam liners are similar. There are also brown, preformed bowl liners made of peat and compressed wood pulp, that look like potting mixture. All these liners are porous, so water carefully.
The cheapest liner is black polythene, though it is not very attractive. You should punch holes into it, to allow excess water to escape.
The potting compost should suit the plants’ needs and be practical for a hanging basket. A peat-based potting mixture is lightweight, but requires more frequent watering than a loam-based one, which is much heavier.
Completely waterproof containers should have a layer of drainage material in the bottom, and a few pieces of charcoal in the compost, to keep it ‘sweet’.
Make sure your hanging basket is securely fixed to a strong beam. Ordinary screw hooks are not strong enough to hold the weight of a filled basket, so use heavy duty, plastic-sleeved workshop hooks or swivel hooks with locking nuts and plates. Wrought-iron and plastic-coated steel wall brackets can also be either fixed position or swivel type. Cane and raffia ones will only support the lightest of hanging baskets. Fix wall brackets with screws and wall plugs.
DO
DON’T
Rosary Vine Ceropegia woodii
Slender trails of marbled heart-shaped leaves cascade to 3 feet or more. Small tubers on the stem will grow to new plants when planted.
Caring For Your Rosary Vine
Temperature Average to cool climate, minimum at night 50-55°.
Light Bright, indirect sunshine; good in an east window where sun is not too hot.
Soil may dry out between waterings.
Apply at half the recommended strength every 2-4 weeks.
Add an equal volume of peatmoss or shredded sphagnum to a general house plant mix. Must be well drained.
GRAPE IVY Cissus rhombifolia
Rambling stems with 3-part compound leaves. Pinch tips to encourage branching. Relatively slow growing.
Caring For Your Cissus
Temperature Average to warm climate; tolerates minimum at night of 50-55°.
Light Diffused sunshine or partial shade. Watering Keep soil uniformly moist but not wet.
Fertilize Every 2-3 months.
Any general house plant mix or soil that permits good drainage.
KANGAROO IVY Cissus antarctica
Big saw-toothed leaves on flexible stems. This one tolerates dry air, and soil can be allowed to dry between waterings.
COR DATUM Philodendron oxycardium
Versatile and tolerant trailing or climbing Philodendron. Trim to encourage branching and fresh new growth.
FLORIDA Philodendron x ‘Florida
Five-lobed leaves on flexible stems. Pinch tips for full, bushy growth.
Hanging Philodendrons
Caring For Your Philodendron
Temperature Average to warm climate; tolerates minimum at night as low as 50-55°.
Light Watering Fertilize Soil
Bright diffused light, avoid strong sun; tolerates shade.
Keep soil uniformly moist but not wet.
Every 3-4 months.
Any general house plant mix or add peatmoss for a more humusy combination.
Trailing Ficus
Maple-like leaves grace this little shrubby plant. Thick flexible stems curve under the foliage weight. This one has more deeply divided leaves than the hybrid x Fatshedera (not illustrated).
Caring For Your Fatsia
Temperature Cool climate, minimum at night 45-55°; tolerates as cool as 40° for short periods.
Light Partial shade or diffused sunshine; shade outdoors. Watering Keep soil uniformly moist but not wet.
Fertilize Every 4-6 months.
Any general house plant mix or soil that permits good drainage.
CREEPING FIG Ficus pumila
Creeping, trailing stems root where they touch soil. A free-branching variety, likes fresh air but not drafts.
VARIEGATED ROOTING FIG
Ficus radicans ‘Variegata’
Gray-green leaves with creamy variegations on flexible trailing stems. This one prefers a warmer, more humid atmosphere. 12
Caring For Your Trailing Fig
Temperature Average to warm climate, minimum at night 62-65°; tolerates as cool as 50° for short periods.
Diffused sunlight or partial shade; avoid drafts. Keep soil uniformly moist but not wet. Every 2 months. Any general house plant mix or soil that permits good drainage.
NEEDLEPOINT IVY Hedera helix Needlepoint’
Slender pointed leaves in formal ranks, on upturned branching stems.
Caring For Your English Ivy
Temperature Average to cool climate, minimum at night 45-50°.
Light Full sun or bright indirect light; also tolerates shade.
Watering Keep soil uniformly moist but not wet.
Fertilize Every 3-4 months.
Any general house plant mix or soil that permits good drainage.
ENGLISH IVY Hedera helix
Versatile trailer for indoors and out. Some varieties survive even the northern winter.
SWEETHEART IVY Hedera helix Scutifolia’
An unusual leaf shape for ivy. Trim shoots to encourage bushy development.
Trailing Pothos MARBLE QUEEN
Scindapsus aureus ‘Marble Queen’
Sparkling white marbled effect on smooth foliage. Trailing stems grow indefinitely; trim to contain size and to encourage branching.
DEVIL’S IVY
Scindapsus aureus
Golden variegated vine with waxy leaves; stem roots where it touches soil or in water. Pinch tips to encourage bushiness.
Caring For Your Pothos (Scindapsus)
Temperature Average to warm climate; minimum at night 62-65°; tolerates lower temperatures (55°) for short periods.
Light Diffused sunlight or partial shade.
Watering Soil may dry out between waterings.
Fertilize Every 3 months.
Soil Add peatmoss or shredded sphagnum to an equal volume of general house plant mix.
VARIEGATED WAX IVY Senecio macroglossus variegatus
Spreading, trailing vine with succulent green and cream foliage. Branches prolifically; trim to shape.
Caring For Your German Ivy (Senecio)
Temperature Average climate, minimum at night 50-60°.
Light Diffused sunlight or partial shade.
Watering Keep soil uniformly moist but not wet.
Fertilize Apply at half the recommended strength every 1-2 months.
Any general house plant mix or soil that permits good drainage.
GERMAN IVY Senecio mikanioides
Fast growing vine with fresh green leaves. Trim to encourage bushiness and to contain size.
BAND PLANT Vinca major variegata
Trails of waxy cream-edged leaves on wiry stems; trim to encourage bushiness. Fine for outdoor use, and to combine with other plants in hanging baskets. Big blue flowers in spring.
Caring For Your Band Plant
Temperature Average climate, minimum at night 50-55°.
Light
Plenty of light, full sun especially in winter; protect from the heat of summer sun through glass.
Watering
Fertilize Soil
Keep soil uniformly moist but not wet.
Every 1-2 months.
Any general house plant mix or soil that permits good drainage.
LIPSTICK VINE
Aeschynanthus lobbianus
Trailing stems hang down 1-3 feet, tipped in spring with glistening red blossoms. After flowering, prune shoots back to 6 inches to en-courage strong new growth.
Hanging Basket Vines
Caring For Your Basket Vine
Temperature Average to warm climate, minimum at night 62-65°.
Light
Watering Fertilize
Plenty of light though shade from full sun in summer and outdoors.
Keep soil uniformly moist but not wet.
Every month while making vigorous new growth after flowering.
Every other month in fall and winter.
Any good house plant mix, or add peatmoss for a more humusy combination.
ZEBRA BASKET VINE Aeschynanthus marmoratus
Big, dark leaves on trailing stems. Vein network is highlighted in yellow, and leaf undersides are dark red. Spring flowers are green with brown flecks.
Goldfish Vines
SMALL LEAVED GOLDFISH VINE Columnea microphylla
Tiny rounded leaves are dwarfed when the orange-red blossoms open.
GOLDFISH PLANT
Columnea linearis
Silky rose pink flowers appear in leaf axils at any time of year.
Caring For Your Columnea
Temperature Average to warm
Light
Watering
Fertilize Soil climate, minimum at night 62-65°. Plenty of light though shade from full sun in summer and outdoors. Keep soil uniformly moist but not wet. Every month. Any good house plant mix, or add peatmoss for a more humusy combination.
CHOCOLATE SOLDIER
Columnea x ‘Chocolate Soldier’
Large-leaved hybrid with gleaming fo-liage on upright and trailing stems.
MAARSEN’S COLUMNEA Columneax ‘Maarsen’s Flame’ Creamy markings give this trailing epiphyte added appeal.
Sturdy Wax Plan
LURA-LEI Hoya compacta ‘Mauna Loa’(Pat. 3054) Creamy leaves edged in green make a natural lei on in summer.
KRIMSON PRINCESS
Hoy a carnosa rubra (Pat. 3105)
Smooth waxy leaves are varie-gated deep pink when young, mature to cream and green. Flowers maroon.
WAX PLANT
Hoy a minata
Cascades of rounded velvety leaves characterize this variety. Soft white star-shaped blossom clusters add fragrance to the established plant.
HINDU ROPE Hoy a com pacta regalis (Pat. 3306)
Colorful ropes of crinkled foliage, with deep pink in the younger leaves. Clusters of blos¬som are maroon.
Caring For Your Hoya
Temperature Average to warm climate, minimum at night 60-65°; tolerates as cool as 45° for short periods.
Light Bright indirect light or partial shade; avoid full midday sun.
Watering Soil may dry out between waterings.
Fertilize Every 2-3 months.
Soil Any general house plant mix or soil that permits good drainage.
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