Top Plants for Hanging Baskets in Canada

🌞 Sun-Loving Varieties

These do best in full sun (6+ hours per day):

• 1. Petunias
• o Trailing or wave varieties work best
• o Nonstop blooms, vibrant colors
• o Deadhead regularly (or choose self-cleaning types)

• 2. Calibrachoa (Million Bells)
• o Mini petunia lookalike
• o Tons of tiny flowers, self-cleaning
• o Loves sun, attracts pollinators

• 3. Geraniums (Ivy-leaf)
• o Heat-tolerant and drought-resistant
• o Trailing habit, great for cascading
• o Red, pink, purple, and white options

• 4. Verbena
• o Tolerates heat and drought
• o Spreads nicely in baskets
• o Great for butterflies

• 5. Lobelia (Trailing)
• o Ideal for the edge of baskets
• o Cool-loving; perfect for early spring/summer
• o Comes in blues, purples, and whites

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🌤️ Partial Shade/Filtered Sun

Great for east- or north-facing areas:

• 1. Fuchsia
• o Elegant, drooping flowers
• o Thrives in cool, shady conditions
• o Loved by hummingbirds

• 2. Begonias (Tuberous or Trailing)
• o Huge flowers in bold colours
• o Perfect for shaded balconies or porches
• o Low-maintenance and drought-tolerant

• 3. Impatiens (New Guinea or Traditional)
• o Best for full shade to partial sun
• o Great mass of colour, easy to grow
• o Needs regular watering

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🌿 Foliage & Fillers for Volume

Add texture and variety:

• 1. Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea batatas)
• o Stunning lime green or dark purple foliage
• Fast-growing trailing plant

• 2. Bacopa
• o Small flowers and trailing stems
• o Fills in nicely, great in combo baskets

• 3. Licorice Plant (Helichrysum petiolare)
• Silvery foliage, soft and trailing
• Heat- and drought-tolerant

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🇨🇦 Tips for Success in Canada

1. • Choose frost-hardy plants for early spring and late fall.
2. • Use good quality potting mix and containers with drainage.
3. • Fertilize regularly with a water-soluble mix (every 1-2 weeks).
4. • Water daily in hot weather (baskets dry out quickly).
5. • Consider wind protection in coastal or prairie regions.

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🌿 Spring Hanging Basket

Theme: Fresh Blooms & Cool Colours

Ideal Plants:

1. • Fuchsia - Humingbirds love this one.
2. • Lobelia
3. • Bacopa
4. • Viola
5. • Nemesia
6. • Alyssum
7. • English ivy (trailing)
Care Tips:
1. • Water daily as weather warms.
2. • Deadhead regularly to encourage blooms.
3. • Shade in hot afternoons to prevent stress.

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🌞 Summer Hanging Basket

Theme: Heat-Tolerant Colour Splash

Ideal Plants:

1. • Calibrachoa (Million Bells)
2. • Petunia (heat-tolerant varieties)
3. • Geranium (zonal or ivy)
4. • Lantana
5. • Sweet potato vine
6. • Coleus (trailing types)
7. • Portulaca (moss rose)
Care Tips:
1. • Water 1-2 times daily in peak heat.
2. • Feed weekly with diluted liquid fertilizer.
3. • Rotate for even sun exposure.

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🌾 Late Summer to Fall Hanging Basket

Theme: Autumn Foliage & Texture

Ideal Plants:

1. Heuchera (Coral Bells)
2. Ornamental kale/cabbage
3. Pansy or viola
4. Sedum 'Lemon Coral'
5. Carex or small ornamental grasses
6. Ivy or vinca for trailing
Care Tips:
1. Reduce watering as temperatures drop.
2. Tuck in mini pumpkins or gourds for decor.
3. Remove spent summer plants gradually.

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❄️ Winter Hanging Basket - Perfect time to trim Evergreen

Theme: Evergreen Beauty & Holiday Touches

Ideal Elements:

1. Dwarf evergreens (cedar, spruce, boxwood)
2. Wintergreen with berries
3. Trailing ivy
4. Twigs, pinecones, small branches, ribbon, waterproof decor
Care Tips:
1. Use soil or floral foam as a base.
2. Mist evergreens in dry spells.
3. Place in a sheltered, cool area for best longevity.

Pro Tip:

Keep a spare basket or liner handy. While one is winding down, prep the next to keep your display going seamlessly year-round! You don't have the heart to compost the old hanging basket plants - just plant them somewhere in the garden.

Hanging Baskets Watering:

1. Self-Watering Hanging Baskets (extra weight):

• How They Work: These baskets have a built-in reservoir at the bottom and a wicking system (or capillary action) that draws water up into the soil as needed.
• Pros: Significantly reduces watering frequency (from daily to every few days or even once a week, depending on size and weather). Prevents overwatering at the surface while ensuring consistent moisture at the roots.
• Cons: Higher upfront cost. Still need to be refilled, just less often. Reservoir size is key - bigger is better.

2. Drip Irrigation Systems:

• How They Work: A small tubing system connects to your outdoor spigot (or rain barrel with a pump) and delivers water directly to each basket via emitters. Can be set on a timer.
• Pros: Fully automates watering. Highly water-efficient (minimal evaporation). Ensures consistent moisture.
• Cons: Initial setup cost and time. Requires an outdoor water source near the baskets. Can look less aesthetically pleasing with visible tubing. Emitters can get clogged.

Recommendation: If you have many baskets and want a truly hands-off approach, this is excellent, but it's impossible to hide the secret tubing.

3. Watering Wands:

• How They Work: Long-handled nozzles that connect to a hose, allowing you to reach high baskets without a ladder.
• Pros: Easier physical access for manual watering.
• Cons: Still requires manual watering frequency.

4. Lining & Basket Material:

• Plastic Liners: If using coco-fiber or moss baskets (which dry out fastest), line them with a plastic bag (poke drainage holes!) before adding soil. This significantly slows evaporation.
• Plastic Baskets: While perhaps less aesthetically pleasing to some, plastic baskets retain moisture much better than terracotta or unlined wire baskets. I look for plastic pots that fit inside of my hanging baskets.

Hanging Baskets: Pros & Cons

Pros (Why People Love hanging baskets)

• Vertical Appeal & Space Saving: This is their main aesthetic advantage.
• Showcase Trailing Plants: Ideal for plants that naturally spill over, creating a cascading effect.
• Mobility: You can move them to optimize sun exposure or bring them indoors during extreme weather.
• Customization: You have complete control over the soil mix and plant selection, allowing for tailored growing conditions.
• A splash of colour in all green spot in the garden.

Cons (The Realities, Especially Regarding Watering)

• High Watering Frequency and weight when the soil is wet, is the biggest drawback .
• Nutrient Leaching: Frequent watering can flush nutrients out of the soil, requiring more frequent fertilizing.
• Mess: Water often drips out the bottom, which can stain surfaces below.
• Accessibility: Reaching high baskets for watering, deadheading, or pest inspection can be a challenge.
• Wind Damage: Being exposed, baskets can be battered by strong winds, potentially damaging plants or even dislodging the basket.

Hanging Baskets in Canada
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May your hands stay busy, your heart stay curious and your garden stay kind.

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