Making sure your hanging baskets and flowering containers have enough water during the Georgia heat is one of the more difficult tasks in making sure they stay beautiful through the warmer months, especially when you’re on vacation and can’t get outside to water them. Autumn Hill Nursery offers helpful tips on things you can do to keep your hanging baskets and containers looking beautiful all summer long.
Watering
Watering your container plants so that they have plenty but not too much water is a learned skill. You can’t keep the soil too wet because it puts your plants at risk for root rot, but without enough water, they’ll wither and die. A good way to test the moisture level in your container is by sticking a finger into the soil. If you stick your fingertip in as far down as the second knuckle and feel no moisture at the tip of your finger, your plant needs water. When you do water, give your plants a good solid drink until you see water coming out of the drainage holes. If you find that your container or basket is very light (needing a good bit to drink), you can submerge it in a bucket to ensure water gets evenly distributed, or better yet, find a birdbath like we do at the garden centers!
Fertilizing 
Most plants will need fertilizer added to the containers in order to thrive. A slow-release fertilizer combined with your potting mix will help give your plants the nutrients they need but will do it slowly. We recommend Osmocote or an easy-feed in granular form that mixes with water, or you can actually use a combination of the two.
Plant Like with Like
When selecting plants for container gardens, make sure they grow well together. This means that all plants in the same pot should require the same levels of moisture and sunlight. When you’re at the garden center, pay special attention to the plant tags for key information on how big the plant will get, and what it needs. Be careful not to overcrowd, as this can lead to weaker plants. Planting a variety of flowers and leaf shapes will heighten visual interest and avoid overcrowding.
For more suggestions on maintaining your hanging baskets and containers this summer, don’t hesitate to stop by either our Woodstock or Canton garden centers and ask questions or call us to speak to one of our garden experts. We’re happy to help!
