Top 10 Best Plants for Hanging Baskets in Full Sunlight

Table of Contents

Are you looking for ways to add more color and charm to your outdoor space? Hanging baskets are a great way to achieve just that! They're a perfect solution if you don't have much room for larger planter boxes, and they also provide an easy solution for creating visual interest at different heights. In this post, we'll guide you on how to choose the best plants for hanging baskets in full sunlight.

Why choose hanging baskets?

What makes hanging baskets so great is that they can be hung from a variety of places such as patio covers, tree branches, or balcony railings. This means you can create more space for your garden while adding depth and texture to your outdoor area. Plus, with a little imagination, you can create impressive decorative displays that change with the season.

How to choose the best plants for hanging baskets in full sun?

When selecting plants for your hanging baskets, there are several things to keep in mind such as the location where the basket will hang, the size and shape of the basket, and most importantly, the amount of sunlight needed by the plants. In this post, we'll focus on the latter aspect and list the top 10 best plants for hanging baskets under full sunlight.

1. Petunias

Petunias are one of the most popular plants for hanging baskets and with good reason. These versatile beauties come in various colors, sizes, and growth habits that can fit well into any design scheme. Here's what you need to know about growing petunias in your hanging baskets:

Types of Petunias

• Grandifloras: Large blooms available in almost every color
• Multifloras: Smaller blooms in a wider range of colors that are more tolerant to wet conditions
• Surfinias: Trailing petunia cultivars with larger, trumpet-shaped blossoms

Growing Tips & Trivia

• Petunias prefer well-drained soil and full sun exposure
• Watering frequency depends on temperature and humidity, but avoid letting the soil dry out entirely.
• Deadheading (removing spent flowers) can extend the blooming season.

2. Geraniums

Geraniums are another classic choice for hanging baskets that thrive in full sun. You can choose from a variety of vibrant flower colors and leaf shapes that complement each other. Here's what you need to know about geraniums:

Types of Geraniums

• Zonal Geraniums: Known for their size; they come in red, pink, white or orange.
• Scented Geraniums: Have fragrant leaves and small flowers in pale pink, purple, and white.
• Ivy-Leaved Geraniums: Trailing plants that have ivy-like leaves and blossoms in shades of red, pink, and white.

Growing Tips & Trivia

• Geraniums love well-draining soil with regular watering.
• Overwatering can lead to root rot, so make sure to let the soil dry partially between watering.
• Remove faded flowers (deadhead), which encourages new blooming to occur.

3. Lobelia

Lobelia is a delicate, trailing plant that blooms profusely in cooler weather. It comes in dusty shades of blue, purple, and white blooms that contrast well with other plants in your basket. Here's what you need to know about growing lobelia:

Types of Lobelia

• Trailing: Cascading, trailing plants that are ideal for hanging baskets.
• Upright: Bushy plants with arrangements of flowers perfect for large containers.

Growing Tips & Trivia

• Lobelia thrives in well-drained soil with partial sun exposure
• Regular watering is essential, but do not over-water. Too much moisture can cause root rot.
• Pinching back the tips will help promote fullness and branching out of the plant.

4. Verbena

Verbena is a hardy and versatile annual flowering plant that adds a charming aspect to your hanging baskets. Verbena comes in many colors and sizes as well as upright or trailing forms.

Types of Verbena

• Homestead Purple: Hardy ground cover type is low-growing and perfect for baskets.
• Lanai Twister Red: A new variety with beautiful speckled purple and magenta flowers.
• Tapien Blue Violet: Provides striking clusters of magenta flowers with deep green leaves.

Growing Tips & Trivia

• Verbena loves full sunshine that lasts throughout the day
• Good quality soil with proper drainage is key - Do not waterlog.
• Trim back approximately at mid-summer to encourage new blossoms.

5. Fuschia

Fuchsia is an elegant and prized plant known for its stunning, pendulous flowers. It offers a wide range of colors and bloom shapes that are perfect for hanging baskets. Understanding how to care for fuchsias correctly is crucial because they can be finicky when grown in hot regions. Here's what you need to know:

Types of Fuschia

• Flowering hybrids: Double, single or mixed with colors ranging from reds to white.
• Trailing: Slim and trailing stems bear delicate leaves and flowers in different colors.

Growing Tips & Trivia

• Plant your fuchsias in well-draining soil and protect them from hot winds and scorching sun rays.
• Water frequently but avoid getting waterlogged (use a nutritious mix).
• Once buds form, remove the small one bud from each pair of leaves to encourage branching.

6. Calibrachoa

Calibrachoa is a relative newcomer in the world of basket plants. With their lush foliage and trumpet-shape blooms, they're exceptionally easy to grow and have an extended blooming season. Here's what you need to know about Calibrachoa:

Types of Calibrachoa

• Million Bells Series - A large selection of colors and patterns including Cherry Star, Pink mini, and Cabaret Purple.
• Superbells Series - Trailing Calibrachoa mix.

Growing Tips & Trivia

• Use well-draining soil in full sun or partial shade.
• Water regularly and take care not to splash water on the leaves to avoid disease.
• Pinching can help to establish a bushier plant.

7. Ivy Geraniums

Ivy geraniums are unique and versatile plants that add a touch of elegance to any hanging garden. They have a strong cascading effect which makes them perfect for baskets, pots, or as ground cover. They come in a variety of colors, usually white, pink, or light purple with lush green foliage.

Types of Ivy Geraniums

• Classic: Single or semi-double flowers in various shades of white and pink
• Cascading: Trailing habit with a mix of colors e.g., dark red, cherry, magenta, pink.

Growing Tips & Trivia

• Grow in well-draining soil, avoid overwatering that can make it prone to root rot.
• Kill off spider mites, aphids, and other harmful insects promptly particularly during the hot season.
• Prune regularly for a bushy look.

8. Million Bells

Million Bells are also called trailing petunias because of their similar trumpet-shaped flowers. They create cascades of blooms that can last throughout the growing season. While there are many cultivars to choose from, they all share general growth habits, which makes them easy to care for.

Types of Million Bells

• Dreamsicle: Has tangerine blooms with yellow markings near the center.
• Raspberry Blast: Features pink-tinged raspberry flowers that cover the plant and mesh well with other colors.

Growing Tips & Trivia

• Full sun exposure with good drainage soil is needed.
• Water frequently but do not overwater - poorly draining soil spells disaster.
• Pinching encourages fullness in the plant.

9. Wave Petunias

Wave Petunias are perfect choices when you aim to achieve more high impact with fewer plants in your hanging baskets. Their rapid-growing and hardy qualities make them perfectly suited for outdoor containers.

Types of Wave Petunias

• Purple tide: Spreading violet-purple petals with small green leaves.
• Shockwave coral crush: Bold blooming Shockwave produces occasional bursts of pale coral pink color.

Growing Tips & Trivia

• Thrive under full sun exposure with good quality potting soil.
• Frequent watering will keep your wave petunias flourishing throughout the growing season.
• Slow-release fertilizers are an excellent choice for these petunias.

10. Bidens

Bidens plants bloom small but beautiful yellow flowers that brighten up any garden in full sun baskets.

Types of Bidens

• B. ferulifolia: Lovely fern foliage held by yellow daisy-like flowers.
• B. goldilocks Rocks: Has double blooms that look like some pompoms.

Growing Tips & Trivia

• Can reach heights of 24 to 30 inches, so choose containers accordingly
• Grows best in rich, evenly moist soil with a mix of peat moss and perlite.
• Cut back leggy stems after the first flush of blooms.

In we hope this article has helped you discover the best plants for hanging baskets under full sunlight. As well as giving you creative ideas on how to design your planters better, there's also practical advice on caring for your plants. Remember to choose the right container size, provide regular watering and apply fertilizer to keep your selections healthy.

Tips

• Choose plants that can resist full sunlight and frequent watering
• A combination of standard upright styles and trailing varieties create visually dynamic arranging.
• Mix and match plants with various colors, textures, and foliage types.

FAQ

And now to answer questions that we often receive about hanging baskets:

What is the best type of soil for hanging basket plants?

Good quality, well-draining soil is essential for any hanging basket plants. You can choose a soil mix formulated especially for patio containers or any potting mix with perlite or sand mixed in.

How often should I water hanging basket plants in full sun?

Every day during hot weather conditions, typically. But the frequency varies depending on what kind of plants you are growing, temperature, humidity and amount of breeze happening.

Can I hang a hanging basket indoors?

Yes, you surely can! Make sure the area has enough natural light and hang securely from a strong ceiling anchor point.

Do I need to fertilize hanging basket plants?

Hanging basket plants thrive when provided with nutrients through fertilizer applications at specific times. Slow-release granules, water-soluble fast release liquid form, or blending your own with compost materials are good ways to keep the pots fed.

What should I do if my hanging basket plants wilt?

The first thing: Water them! A under-watered container can lead to droopy plants. Over